Fair game: the influence of cultural norms in creating sanctioned targets in the workplace

This paper builds on the notion of ‘fair game’ and introduces the concept of ‘sanctioned target’ to examine the mechanism through which an individual or group come to be treated as such. For this study, national culture and values were the backdrop in the exploration of these themes, and data was collected from undergraduate and postgraduate students in four Business Schools in India, Turkey and Australia. Despite the diversity in the cultures studied, qualitative analysis of responses suggest that a number of dimensions seem to be common elements in attributing lower value to an individual or group (in effect making them sanctioned targets) across all three countries. Differences were also detected in the findings, these related to less visible factors that create diversity amongst individuals and groups. Results offer valuable insights for the detection, prevention and management of negative behaviors in workplaces and across national cultures