Investigating components and causes of sabotage by academics using collective intelligence analysis

This paper investigates the components and causes of sabotage among tenured University academics. The study uses a collective intelligence methodology, Interactive Management (IM), to explore the components and causes of sabotage. Across a series of three workshops, participants generated, selected, categorised, and structured ideas to develop a model of sabotage components and causes. Six components of sabotage behavior were identified: intentional anti-collegial behavior, professional dishonesty, abuse of power, negativity, non-compliance, and underperformance. Causes of sabotage included leadership and structures, intrinsic self-interest, and personality traits. Suggestions are presented for performance management and the curtailment of sabotage by Academics. This study is the first study to examine sabotage behavior among tenured academics. Importantly, the collective intelligence methodology provides a novel approach to eliciting employee attitudes, and to explore interdependencies between discrete causes of sabotage.