ABSTRACT
Based on consulting and research assignments this chapter considers the misuse of power and privilege in two different organisational contexts. The case studies – composites of the authors’ collective experiences – illustrate how such destructive and toxic working behaviour can attack the wellbeing of an organisation’s members, compromise an organisation’s integrity and lessen an organisation’s functionality. The casework – one considers the behaviour of a toxic top executive in a business organisation whereas the second reports on bullying within academia. Both are reflective of a wider and growing body of research and case material which explores and examines the darker sides of organisational life and the contextual origins of organisational toxicity.
