Sexual Harassment: A Complex Adaptive System Viewpoint

Abstract

Despite the tremendous stress on sexual harassment (SH) policy, advances in policy construction, and a substantial body of research, SH remains a persistent presence in the workplace. This study examines SH from a complex adaptive system viewpoint. This adaptive system is modeled using agent-based simulation, where the influence of individual, situational, and organizational characteristics on SH can be studied. Our model accommodates the adjustment of each of these characteristics to reflect alternate organization environments. As such, the proposed model can be used as an effective tool to determine an organization’s vulnerability to incidents of SH and, consequently, provide recommendations for organization-specific preventive actions. Implications and suggestions for future research and practice are also discussed.

Key Words:

• Sexual harassment
• complex adaptive system
• agent-based simulation