Voice in context: An international comparative study of employee experience with voice in small and medium enterprises

Journal article

Prouska, R., McKearney, A., Opute, J., Tungtakanpoung, M. and Brewster, C. (2021). Voice in context: An international comparative study of employee experience with voice in small and medium enterprises. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 33 (15), pp. 3149-3174. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.1925323
AuthorsProuska, R., McKearney, A., Opute, J., Tungtakanpoung, M. and Brewster, C.
Abstract

The study of employee voice in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across national contexts remains under-theorised and under-studied. This paper uses Kaufman’s integrative model of employee voice, and an exploratory study of 30 interviews with employees in non-unionised SMEs in the United Kingdom, Thailand and Nigeria, to compare the employee experience with voice, and the impact of this experience on voice behaviour at work. Findings show that the interaction between the external institutional context and internal SME context (organisational configuration, governance structure and internal contingencies in the employment relationship) impacts employee voice agency, the perceived levels of voice and, ultimately, employee voice behaviour. The paper contributes to employee voice theory by offering an analysis of voice determinants on voice behaviour specific to non-unionised SMEs from an internationally comparative employee perspective, presents these in an initial framework and explains how employees experience voice in small workplaces.

KeywordsManagement of Technology and Innovation; Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management; Strategy and Management; Business and International Management; Industrial relations
Year2021
JournalThe International Journal of Human Resource Management
Journal citation33 (15), pp. 3149-3174
PublisherInforma UK Limited
ISSN0958-5192
1466-4399
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2021.1925323
Publication dates
Online02 Jun 2021
Print22 Aug 2022
Publication process dates
Accepted27 Apr 2021
Deposited30 Apr 2021
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Open
Accepted author manuscript
File Access Level
Controlled
Page range1-26
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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