Managing the Delivery of Bad News in Organizations: A Literature Review

This literature review discusses the different aspects of managing the delivery of bad news in organizations, including the use of qualitative data collection techniques, sampling, and ethical considerations. It also explores various studies and frameworks related to the topic, such as the distinction between different deliverers of bad news and the role of managers in delivering bad news. The review also highlights the importance of face-to-face delivery and the use of a fair process in delivering bad news.

Literature review
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Contents
Literature Review...................................................................................................................3
Qualitative data collection techniques...................................................................................5
Sampling................................................................................................................................6
Ethical issues..........................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................7
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Literature Review
According to Bies (2020) it focuses on the distinction between different kind of
deliverers of bad news. It provide the brief idea to understand the specific need of people
those are involved in the bad news in their private lives, which they can easily refer to the
amateurs. Considering the professionals, who have delivered bad news as their part of
occupations, it also related to the different activities, and using a multi-phases approach to
find the best results or outcomes. By using strategic framework process, it helps to deliver the
bad news of target audience within internal level. It can be related to the annual reports of
corporate world. On the other hand, it has found that bad news relates to the relationship with
employees, identifying their performance at workplace. It can be measured through different
criteria such as negative feedback, saying no during request. It is extremely shows as form of
bad news and include plant closing, termination of staff members. All kind of bad news are
needed to be managed by managers in the organisation. It is always focused on the
understanding the different forms of bad news, relatives to the everyday forms.
Holt, Bobocel and Chen (2021) said that the possibility of bad news depends on the
moderator in terms of documentation. It means that represent an appropriate outcome severity
and consider s key variable. The keyword use such as “Severe” the bad news that was
delivered to the people. In the organisation, manager is playing an important role to build a
strong coordination with team members. It engage in different kind of documentation while
delivering a bad news to the boss and other members. The outcome of any bad news, consider
as part of expectations. It is important that identify the role of managers, those are saying no
because of budget requests, a common thing is related to bad news which was delivered to
subordinates by managers in the workplace. Different kind of efforts are helping to minimise
the request of subordinates, acquire an enough resources available at certain point. Leaders in
the organisation focused on the calibration process because it provide the realistic thing and
finding positive as well as negative aspect.
For example- The expectation level of leaders are calibrated in terms of late hour,
high level of stress. It associated with suitable job so that it arise the conditions, developing
the situation of bad news. It helps to represent the level of expectation, which were calibrated
by using realistic job performance of employees at workplace. At last, the expectation of
calibrating can be used the proactively strategy in order to maintain a proper organisational
legitimacy at the time of bad news. Whenever it should be consider as “lower” expectation
that help to achieve a great success in short-term manner. if in case, it has been occurred the
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bad news, a great leader was able to easily maintain & control the legitimacy in proper
manner. The involvement of leader means that create a sense of fairness before declaring any
kind of bad news, managers often provide the best opportunity and allows to gain relevant
information or data about the performance. At some point, it is creating a better opportunity
and influence the people’s to find reactions of bad news immediately.
O'neill and Kelley (2021) expressed their idea & assumption on the delivery of bad
news and identify the significant offers insight into how it will be developed mis-
understandings, escalations which might occur in the concept of bad news. It depends on the
selection process of delivery. As per consider the professional expert such as doctors,
emphasizes the significance of face to face delivery. It is not surprising given as serious
subject and finding the best conversations. Based on the specific results or outcomes, it has
been justified the actions which was implement by manager in regards of delivery of bad
news. It can support to deliver the bad news and providing the important information or data
to influence perception of receiver’s. On the other hand, it is focused on the empirical study
and increase the perceived level of fairness, legislation can be implemented in bad news. It
occurs across the wide range of business processes.
Apart from that, Fuller and La Sala (2021) consider the process of bad news
management and identify the significant aspect of activities. in the context of employee
relationship, it is needed to find the primary function of tracking or monitoring as part of
public relation. In some cases, the delivery of bad news depends on the secondary function
and correlation of performance. These kind of processed are implementing the delivery
actions, which were involved in the service. In particularly, a leader focus on their certain
efforts or influencing the level of judgements. Afterward, manager or leader has focused on
taking actions and enhance their legislation. This was consider as central management.
Different activities are related to the public relations, following multiple procedures in step
by step manner. This can be possible when a leader will be implementing actions in service
of building a strong commitment, support across different areas. The role of leader is to give
advance warning, calibrating the expectations and giving an appeal procedure. It is intended
to share the bad news by different professionals in systematic manner. As suggested that need
to be used by leader through models, organisation’s based power, politics. The potential
leader can make a strong commitment and support with the help of tradition. Additionally, it
is also developing the opportunity to leader, when they can easily share or delivering the bad
news. It make sense of using a fair process that was established a strong relation with
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employees at workplace. In some situation, it become obvious thing to deliver the bad news
in context of emotionally. It would be developed a lot of stress, a leader delivering a bad
news. Coping with emotions are key concept which provide the better support and facing any
kind of challenge due to the delivery of bad news.
Qualitative methodology
Qualitative methodology has been expressed the descriptive information of bad news
concept. It involve this approach in order to target the specific respondent, defined the
process of bade news. Typically, it has found that qualitative study is the best option in terms
of delivery of bad news (Mohajan, 2018). For example- the research has been expressed the
demand of blame management or bad news. It can be delivered by a leader or supervisors in
different fields and areas. By using qualitative approach, it has been focused on the definition
of bad news. The study of qualitative was expressed more idea- delivery of bad news with the
help of professionals like lawyer, doctors. In order to define the descriptive information and
also focused on the core elements of bad news. For example- in the context of medicine
world, a “bad news” should consider any information that adversely alters the expectation of
individuals.
Qualitative data collection techniques
A qualitative data collection is based on the technique or method in order to identify
appropriate information. Undoubtedly, a qualitative method can be used the descriptive
information and observed, recorded by researcher. It was completely non-numerical in nature.
That’s why, the researcher has been selecting the one-to-one interviews technique and
identifying the opinion or view point of respondent’s.
In study, it has been involved the interviews as the best supplemented by evidence
and finding the observation of delivery of bad news. Based on the justification, it has been
expressed that use of interview technique consider the best option to the researcher (Newman
and Gough, 2020). It helps to focus on the list of multiple questions and also examined the
strength, weakness of individuals. It make a list of skills, knowledge and common assets. By
using interview technique, it has been following the step by step process. It enables the
respondent’s to find the actual demand of research topic, finding experience and personality
meet the expectation level.
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Sampling
It refers to the set of process or principles and targeting the potential research
participants, contribute towards research analysis. In this study, the researcher has been
chosen simple random technique and also selecting the manager in the organisation (Newman
and Gough, 2020). The sample size is 4 managers. On the other hand, it is defined the
concept of sampling or sample, refers to the best technique. It is always representing the level
of identification of particular process. It has been selected manager or leader on the basis of
demand. Majorly, the experiences have been gained by manager in the organisations. So, it
helps to easily finding the best answers.
Ethical issues
Within research study, it focused on the access & ethical concept otherwise, it will be
developing a conflict among research participants. It obvious thing to consider ethical
considerations and eliminating the situation of mis-conduct (Mohajan, 2018). An appropriate
involvement of people will be creating a situation of ethical issues such as releasing
confidential data or information. On the other hand, it arise the complex situation and also
increasing the data breach condition. These are consider the ethical issues which needs to be
controlled or managed in proper manner. In this study, it also identifying mis-leading of data
or information. So, it is difficult to find the results without considering the possibility of
study.
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REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Bies, R.J., 2020 The delivery of bad news in organizations: A framework for
analysis. Journal of Management. 39(1). pp.136-162.
Holt, L., Bobocel, D.R. and Chen, V., 2021. Delivering bad news fairly: Higher construal
level promotes interactional justice enactment through perspective taking. Journal of
Organizational Behavior. 42(6). pp.708-725.
O'neill, B. and Kelley, R., 2021. Delivering Bad News: Crisis Communication Methods in
Academic Libraries. College & Research Libraries. 82(4).
Fuller, R.P. and La Sala, A., 2021. Crisis Communication Preparedness Practices Among US
Charitable Organizations: Results From a National Survey. SAGE open. 11(2).
p.21582440211014516.
Mohajan, H.K., 2018. Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related
subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People. 7(1). pp.23-
48..
Newman, M. and Gough, D., 2020. Systematic reviews in educational research:
Methodology, perspectives and application. Systematic reviews in educational
research. pp.3-22.
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