BOOK REVIEWS |
Workplace Violence: Issues, Trends, Strategies. Edited by V. Bowie, B. S. Fisher and C. L. Cooper. Published by Willan Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-84392-134-0. Price: £27.50. 312 pp.
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This multiauthored text contains contributions from the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. Its authors represent the foremost thinkers in this rapidly developing area and the quality of their writing is impressive. The chapters gel together well, reflecting on the skills of the editors. Its target audience is all those who have an interest in violence at work, from those on the front line to HR and occupational health professionals and unions and humanitarian aid workers.
The 14 chapters cover such issues as what makes abusive organizations, how domestic violence can spill over into the workplace and psychological support for aid workers. A separate section is devoted to terrorism, which the authors believe is a new topic in the workplace violence scene. They discuss how the relationships between business and the communities surrounding them can become breeding grounds for resentment and outlines strategies, which businesses can adopt to prevent this. Other chapters include advice on how to prepare human service workers to deal with terrorist acts and how to prepare the workplace and promote resilience should such events occur.
The section on bullying provides a useful overview of current knowledge on the respective roles of the bully and the organization but my favourite chapter is the final one ... on cyber-harassment of all things. Online web-based bullying, cyber stalking and cyber terrorism all appear to be heading our way from across the pond, so this article provides a good timely introduction to what may wait for us ahead.
The book is readable but at times the psychosocial babble language becomes a bit much. Undoubtedly it is a comprehensive forward looking text which has been radically updated from the first edition and which fills a niche either for occupational physicians who want a brief overview of issues such as the impact of terrorism on the workplace or for the more in-depth reader with a special interest in workplace violence generally. It is priced very competitively given the quality of the product.
Rating
(Reference only) For most occupational physicians.
(Borrow from the library) For anyone with an interest/need to know, e.g. working with National Health Service/public services/aid workers/high-tech environments/bullying staff.
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