On Duty — Off Guard: Cultural Norms and Sexual Harassment in Service Organizations

Abstract

This article focuses on sexual harassment, defined as unwanted sexual attention at work. Due to their inherent characteristics, service organizations are a prime breeding ground for such harassment. In spite of this, the problem is rarely in focus. The authors argue that a major reason for this is the particular cultural norms in service organizations: employees are not allowed to perceive them selves as victims of sexual harassment. An explorative study supports this proposition. Implications for management are discussed.