| Organizations have grappled with how to manage conflict in the workplace, instituting a variety of internal mechanisms for the mobilization of employee grievances and the expression of employee voice. Organizational ombuds programs are one such mechanism, adapted from the classical, government ombuds concept but not necessarily retaining the hallmarks of independence, neutrality, and confidentiality of the ombuds role. Very little is known about how organizational ombuds programs are actually structured, nor how they function to facilitate the mobilization of employee concerns or employee voice in the workplace.; This dissertation presents an empirical study of organizational ombuds programs across organizations. Based on the legal readings model (Fuller, Edelman, and Matusik 2000), hypotheses were tested concerning the possible relationship of program structure and internal conflict management context to mobilization and voice outcomes. Using a semi-structured interview instrument, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 78 ombuds about their programs.; This study concludes that organizational ombuds programs generally function as informal conflict management functions. Cluster analysis revealed three different structural types---Full-Time, Traditional; Full-Time, Modified; and Part-Time Modified---and two different conflict management contexts (Limited and Diverse). Mobilization hypotheses were largely unsupported. Structure and conflict management context were, however, significantly associated with the levels and types of employee voice. Ombuds in programs with full-time, traditional structures tended to facilitate higher levels of remedial voice, suggesting more willingness and ability to do so in programs with the highest level of structural definition and support.; The exercise of preventive voice was shown to be higher in programs with fewer, full-time, ombuds and in those organizations with a union presence in the workplace. The data suggest that the decision to exercise preventive voice may depend on the ombuds' view of the role and the relationship with top management. Consistent with these findings, the highest levels of mix of voice were found to be facilitated by programs with traditional structures in more limited conflict management contexts. This study's findings help better understand the role of informal mechanisms of alternative dispute resolution within organizations, and also inform the study of the expression of employee voice in the workplace. |
