Organizational Anger Contexts and Their Relationship to Outcomes of Anger Expressions in the Workplace

Abstract

This paper demonstrates that organizational anger contexts and the form of anger expression does impact positive and negative outcomes of anger. Anger context refers to an organization's normative rules governing anger expression, specifically defined as the extent to which organizational sanctions are likely to be experienced following an overt expression of anger. We examined 154 episodes of anger in three distinct anger contexts. We identified three forms of anger expression and four categories of anger outcomes. We found evidence of organizations that value the expression of anger and find it useful in accomplishing organizational goals. In these setting positive outcomes were associated with expressions of anger. In contrast, in organizations where anger is suppressed by managers and employees working to prevent expressions of anger, we found both positive and negative outcomes. Thus, organizational context does have an impact on the outcomes of anger episodes.