Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town

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dc.contributor.advisorVan Der Spuy, Elrena
dc.contributor.advisorCollier, Debbie
dc.contributor.authorPhillips, Patricia
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-19T12:17:17Z
dc.date.available2025-09-19T12:17:17Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2025-09-19T09:02:12Z
dc.description.abstractWorkplace bullying likely started after the Industrial Revolution, with the development of formal workplaces like factories and offices, and has increasingly become a problem in workplaces, particularly for victims on whom the impact can be lifelong and debilitating. This minor dissertation explores global and South African prevalence to demonstrate the extent of this harmful practice. It further reviews global and South African legislation and introduces bullying in academia as a backdrop to the Case Study on Bullying at the University of Cape Town. While research on workplace bullying had primarily focussed on the personality traits of victims and perpetrators, this minor dissertation attempts to draw on themes drawn from a review of Criminological Theory (Routine Activities and Normalisation Theory) and Transformational Theory to present a case study on Bullying at the University of Cape Town. These themes include the normalisation of deviant behaviour in workplaces, the impact of guardians failing employees in their protective role in organisations, the impact of life-changing events on both the individual and the organisation, and finally, how dysfunctional organisational structure contributes to workplace bullying with particular reference to the University of Cape Town. Finally, it explores whether workplace bullying can be addressed by legislation and implementation of workplace policies.
dc.identifier.apacitationPhillips, P. (2025). <i>Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Private Law. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41879en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationPhillips, Patricia. <i>"Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Private Law, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41879en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationPhillips, P. 2025. Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Private Law. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41879en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Phillips, Patricia AB - Workplace bullying likely started after the Industrial Revolution, with the development of formal workplaces like factories and offices, and has increasingly become a problem in workplaces, particularly for victims on whom the impact can be lifelong and debilitating. This minor dissertation explores global and South African prevalence to demonstrate the extent of this harmful practice. It further reviews global and South African legislation and introduces bullying in academia as a backdrop to the Case Study on Bullying at the University of Cape Town. While research on workplace bullying had primarily focussed on the personality traits of victims and perpetrators, this minor dissertation attempts to draw on themes drawn from a review of Criminological Theory (Routine Activities and Normalisation Theory) and Transformational Theory to present a case study on Bullying at the University of Cape Town. These themes include the normalisation of deviant behaviour in workplaces, the impact of guardians failing employees in their protective role in organisations, the impact of life-changing events on both the individual and the organisation, and finally, how dysfunctional organisational structure contributes to workplace bullying with particular reference to the University of Cape Town. Finally, it explores whether workplace bullying can be addressed by legislation and implementation of workplace policies. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Workplace bulling KW - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town TI - Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41879 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/41879
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationPhillips P. Bullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Private Law, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41879en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Private Law
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Law
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectWorkplace bulling
dc.subjectUniversity of Cape Town
dc.titleBullying in the workplace: a case study of the University of Cape Town
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
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