Organizational determinants of violence in the workplace

Statistics show that incidents of violence in the workplace are on the rise. This article examines the effects of organizational structure on aggression and violence in the workplace. In the case of organizational aggression and violence, organizational factors interact with other behavioral determinants. Through a review of the literature, it was determined that structural characteristics can lead to such behavior when there is an incongruence of needs/expectations and environment between the individual and the organization. Individuals progress along a frustration-violence continuum until intervening action is taken by the individual or the organization to overcome obstacles to goals or expectations. A model provides support of this analysis. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.