Dag Yngve Dahle

• Tonholm, Trude & Dahle, Dag Yngve (2026). Social competence among gaming girls; a scoping review. Computers in Human Behavior Reports. 24. doi: 10.1016/j.chbr.2026.101371. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Gender differences in gaming behavior have long been in the research spotlight. Girls appear to have more positive outcomes of gaming than boys, but a few years ago, findings indicated that the influence of gaming on social competence is gendered, working in disfavor of girls. Findings seem to be mixed, which initiated this scoping review of research on the links between gaming and social competence among female gamers. The review investigates if there is empirical evidence of gendered differences in gaming's influence on social competence. Based on a selection of 52 contributions published after 2000, the analysis uncovered a lack of set standards for measuring social competence and gaming habits. Yet, we found no support of claims that gaming impairs the social development of girls.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2025). Trapped free: school responses to institutional logics in quasi-markets. Frontiers in Education. 10. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1514790. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Introduction: This paper examines how brand-sensitive public sector schools respond to marketization and branding pressure, and whether and how responses differ between marginalised and privileged schools. Methods: Textual statements on the social media profiles of upper secondary schools in Oslo and two surrounding areas were examined by content analysis with thematic coding. Marginalised and privileged schools were identified by admission statistics for public sector upper secondary schools. Results: The study uncovers that market position influences branding strategies, with privileged schools adopting more differentiating branding than marginalized ones. The study identifies six ideal types of schools which represent a typology of different response strategies related to market-driven branding pressures. Discussion: Consequently, it is difficult for schools to avoid or defy branding pressure and not engage in branding efforts, which, in turn, adds to marketization, making it even more difficult to break free from the negative spiral.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2023). Beat the rich? Employee voice inhibitors at the crossroads of market and privilege. International Studies of Management and Organization. ISSN 0020-8825. 53(3), p. 167–190. doi: 10.1080/00208825.2023.2244827. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Control-oriented HRM, performance appraisal dissatisfaction, and reputation concern are found to have a "muzzling effect" on teachers, partly through leader-member exchange. Does this effect vary with the level of (a) marketization, and (b) school popularity and privilege? These questions are examined using survey data from Norwegian upper secondary school teachers (N ¼ 1055), and analyzed with path analysis and bootstrapping. Results support some, but not all, hypotheses. Analyses show that the inhibiting effects of performance appraisal dissatisfaction and reputation concern on employee voice are stronger in the highly marketized school field of Oslo than in schools in other areas, and vary with marketization level. The inhibiting effect of reputation concern on voice is stronger in privileged than in marginalized schools and varies with the level of privilege. No such patterns for the inhibiting effects of control-oriented HRM and PA dissatisfaction are found. The findings indicate that reputation management theory takes center stage, as voice is regarded as a reputation management tool. Institutional logics are too found to be crucial when understanding the results. Implications are tied to reputation concerns , leading to a stronger muzzling effect on teachers in marketized areas than elsewhere, and in privileged schools as compared to marginal-ized schools. This calls for caution with regard to differing marketization and privilege levels in school settings.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve & Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll (2023). Judge and fury: instrumentality, feedback formats and turnover intention in schools. Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship. ISSN 2049-3983. doi: 10.1108/EBHRM-01-2022-0026. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose In the deregulated public sector upper secondary school field in Oslo, Norway, turnover among teachers is found to be high. The purpose is to examine whether instrumental practices like control-oriented HRM, performance appraisal and heteronomy directly or indirectly lead to turnover intention, as a crucial pre-stage to turnover. Another purpose is to examine whether this varies with feedback format. Design/methodology/approach The present study is based on a survey (N = 1,055) carried out among upper secondary school teachers in Norway. Data were analyzed with path analysis, and mediation and moderation analyses were performed. Findings The study shows that control-oriented HRM, PA dissatisfaction and heteronomy are antecedents to turnover intention for teachers receiving feedback in three different feedback formats. The effect of control-oriented HRM and PA dissatisfaction on turnover intention was generally not stronger among numerically rated than among those rated otherwise. For most feedback format groups, leader–member exchange mediated between turnover intention and PA dissatisfaction and heteronomy, respectively, but not between turnover intention and control-oriented HRM. For teachers rated with text, figures or colors, LMX moderated between control-oriented HRM and turnover intention. Research limitations/implications The paper advances that introduction of instrumental practices will be seen as breaches of the psychological contract, but this does not apply to all feedback format groups, for example those receiving numerically rating. Limitations involve self-reported measures, direction of causality issues and a relatively low sample size for some groups. Practical implications Practitioners should note that both control-oriented HRM, performance appraisal and little autonomy may cause teachers to consider leaving their jobs. Practitioners should also be aware of the importance of the relationship between employee and leader, as negative responses to instrumentality may work through the leader–employee relationship, leading to turnover intention and, possibly, turnover. Originality/value The present study is among the first to examine whether and how antecedents to turnover intention vary with feedback format. A rare interaction between HRM and LMX is uncovered. Few other studies have analyzed the relationship between instrumental practices and turnover intention in light of psychological contract theory.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2023). Trust and Shout: The Reputation/Voice Tension in Schools and Hospitals. Corporate Reputation Review. ISSN 1363-3589. doi: 10.1057/s41299-023-00161-3. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Employee voice may represent a risk for reputation-sensitive organizations, as use of voice may harm organizations’ desired reputation at the same time as it offers an opportunity to boost reputation. As such, voice should not be treated as a one-dimensional construct. Using a more nuanced approach, reputation concern, control-oriented HRM, and heteronomy are tested as possible antecedents to two forms of voice, namely promotive and prohibitive voice, in public sector schools and hospitals, respectively. The study is based on quantitative data from a survey of Norwegian high school teachers (n = 1055) and hospital employees (n = 453), covering the two main sectors in the Norwegian welfare state. Main methods of analysis include path analysis and bootstrapping. Reputation concern is found to directly stimulate promotive, but not prohibitive, voice, in hospitals. In schools, reputation concern does not stimulate voice at all, but inhibits prohibitive voice both directly and indirectly through leader–member exchange (LMX). Control-oriented HRM inhibits both forms of voice in schools, but not in hospitals. Heteronomy inhibits both prohibitive and promotive voice directly and indirectly in both schools and hospitals. In sum, schools are more voice restrictive than hospitals. The present study is among the first to examine the two-dimensional construct of voice in relation to reputation concern, control-oriented HRM, and heteronomy, and to comparatively examine these relationships in schools and hospitals, which differ in their degree of marketization.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve & Wæraas, Arild (2023). Ticket to rate: antecedents to turnover intention among teachers. International Journal of Leadership in Education. ISSN 1360-3124. doi: 10.1080/13603124.2023.2218107. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Since the millennium, marketization of upper secondary education involving control, accountability, and performance has changed the working life of many teachers in the Western world. The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between turnover intention and control-oriented HRM, performance appraisal, and heteronomy. Leader-member exchange (LMX) is tested as a possible mediator and moderator. The study is based on quantitative data from a survey of Norwegian high school teachers (n = 1055) in three areas. Sample characteristics correspond with characteristics for the overall teacher population in Norway. The main methods of analysis include path analysis and bootstrapping. Analyses uncover positive relationships between turnover intention and all three variables. LMX mediated all relationships. No moderation effects of LMX were found. Direct relationships did not differ with gender, but mediation effects did. Among female teachers control-oriented HRM and heteronomy disturbed the LMX relationship so much that these variables increased their intention to quit. Our study contributes by showing that turnover intention among teachers should be understood in conjunction with marketization and de-regulation reforms, as these have increased the proliferation of control-oriented HRM and heteronomy. We highlight the significance of LMX for understanding turnover intentions, and the practical implications of our findings.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2021). Brand on the run? Marketization, market position, and branding in upper secondary schools. In Zavattaro, Staci (Eds.), Public Branding and Marketing. A Global Viewpoint. Springer Nature. ISSN 9783030705046. p. 175–196. Full text in Research Archive
• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2021). Magic muzzles? The silencing of teachers through HRM, performance appraisal and reputation concern. International Journal of Public Sector Management. ISSN 0951-3558. doi: 10.1108/IJPSM-02-2021-0048. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose In the deregulated public sector upper secondary school field in Oslo, Norway, teachers’ voice is found to be restricted. The purpose of the present paper is to examine human resource management (HRM) approach, satisfaction with the performance appraisal (PA) system and concern for reputation as possible antecedents to voice restrictions. Design/methodology/approach The present study is based on a survey ( N = 1,055) carried out among upper secondary school teachers in one urban, one suburban and one rural area of Norway. Data were analyzed with path analysis, including analyses of mediation, moderation and moderated mediation. Findings Analyses reveal that there is a positive relationship between voice restrictions and control-oriented HRM, PA dissatisfaction and reputation concern, respectively. Low-quality leader–member exchange (LMX) mediates the relationships between voice restrictions and control-oriented HRM, and voice restrictions and PA dissatisfaction, but not between voice restrictions and reputation concerns. No moderation or moderated mediation effects were found. Originality/value While there is a broad literature on deregulation and marketization of public sector schools, research on its consequences is limited, and scholarship on the consequences for teachers’ voice is in its infancy. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is among the first to explore these issues, and, in addition, makes a rare contribution by unveiling that both PA satisfaction and reputation concern is related to voice restrictions.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve & Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll (2021). Mind anchors and heart grips: the role of HRM and LMX in internal branding. International Journal of Human Resource Management. ISSN 0958-5192. doi: 10.1080/09585192.2021.1931407. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Internal branding strategies, as in"selling" an organization’s brand to employees so that they will "sell" it to external stakeholders, is a common way for practitioners to get employees to actively support organizational branding efforts. Scholars investigating how organizations best can facilitate such an employee brand support have largely ignored the role of HRM and leader-member exchange (LMX). To test for this data from a survey among Norwegian hospital employees were analyzed. As hypothesized, we found positive relationships between high-commitment HRM and LMX and three manifestations of employee brand support, namely reputation strategy embeddedness, brand-congruent behaviour, and brand development participation. Organizational commitment mediated all the relationships. Examining HRM and LMX simultaneously, we found that LMX moderated the relationship between high-commitment HRM and reputation strategy embeddedness. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

• Dahle, Dag Yngve & Wæraas, Arild (2020). Silence from the brands: message control, brand ambassadorship, and the public interest. International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior. ISSN 1093-4537. 23(3), p. 259–280. doi: 10.1108/IJOTB-05-2019-0060. Full text in Research Archive
• Wæraas, Arild & Dahle, Dag Yngve (2019). When reputation management is people management: Implications for employee voice. European Management Journal. ISSN 0263-2373. doi: 10.1016/j.emj.2019.08.010. Full text in Research Archive

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• Dahle, Dag Yngve & Amelie, Maria (2016). Moderne munnkurv: Ansattes ytringsfrihet i norsk arbeidsliv. Gyldendal Akademisk. ISBN 9788205480766. 250 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2014). Orden og oppførsel: Karakterer på jobben? Gyldendal Akademisk. ISBN 9788205461147. 232 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2023). Trust for life: Lessons from the Norwegian trust reform. Full text in Research Archive
• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2022). Magic muzzles: The silencing of teachers through HRM, performance appraisal, and reputation concern. Full text in Research Archive
• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2019). Upper secondary schools as market institutions: The case of Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Dahle, Dag Yngve (2018). Reputation management as people management: Implications for employee voice. Full text in Research Archive
• Dahle, Dag Yngve; Wæraas, Arild; Kuvaas, Bård & Urstad, Sivert Skålvoll (2021). Approaches to branding and behaviour : studies of HRM and employee voice through organizational branding. Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet (NMBU). ISSN 9788257517908. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Få forskere har trukket linjer mellom forskning på HRM, ansattes ytringsrom (employee voice) og organisasjonsmessig merkevarebygging (branding). Denne avhandlingen bøter på nettopp dette, i og med at jeg studerer de tre temaene i lys av hverandre. En slik interdisiplinær tilnærming er reflektert i den overordnede problemstillingen for avhandlingen: Hva er forholdet mellom organisasjonsmessig merkevarebygging, HRM og ansattes ytringsrom i organisasjoner? Basert på den overordnede problemstillingen følger fire forskningsspørsmål som avhandlingen søker å gi svar til: (i) Hva er de primære intra-organisasjonsmessige fasilitatorene for at ansatte aktivt støtter virksomhetens strategi, og hvor står disse fasilitatorene i forhold til kontinuumet mellom kotrnoll og forpliktelse i HRM-forskning? (ii) Hvilken rolle har HRM i håndteringen av organisasjoners omdømme, og hva er implikasjonene av omdømmefokusert HRM for ansattes ytringsrom? (iii) Hvordan opplever og håndterer ledere i organisasjoner i offentlig sektor spenningen mellom det å gi ansatte tillit som merkevareambassadører samtidig som de regulerer ansattes ytringer, og hva er implikasjonene av dette for hensynet til samfunnets beste? (iv) Hvilken HRM- tilnærming, erfart og opplevd av ansatte, legger best til rette for intern merkevarebygging (internal branding), og spesielt, for ansattes oppslutning om og støtte av organisasjonens merkevare? Disse forskningsspørsmålene er utforsket og besvart i fire vitenskapelige artikler. Den første artikkelen, som har tittelen "Trust and shout: HRM as facilitator for active strategy support", er basert på en systematisk gjennomgang av litteraturen på fasiliterende faktorer for ansattes aktive oppslutning om og støtte av strategi initiert av ledelsen i virksomheten der de jobber, herunder strategier for merkevarebygging. Identifiserte fasilitatorer blir analysert i lys av ulike HR-tilnærminger. 12 hovedfasilitatorer blir identifisert. Av disse graviterer de fleste, men ikke alle, mot forpliktelse, altså mot forpliktelsessiden i kontroll-forpliktelse-kontinuumet. Fasilitatorene som er påvist i flest studier graviterer også mot forpliktelse. Følgelig ser det ut til at forpliktelsesbasert HRM fungerer best og er mest effektiv når det gjelder å få ansatte til aktivt å slutte opp om og støtte strategi generelt, og merkevarestrategier spesielt. I den andre artikkelen, kalt "When reputation management is people management: Implications for employee voice", ble data fra 30 intervjuer analysert for å utforske spenningen mellom organisasjoners ønske om et fordelaktig eksternt omdømme og risikoen for negative og kritiske ytringer (prohibitive voice) om organisasjonen i eksterne fora. Studien tar utgangspunkt i det teoretiske spennet mellom det å la ansatte agere som merkevareambassadører, som er basert på tillit, og innføre restriksjoner på ytringer, noe som er basert på mistillit. Studien indikerer at organisasjoner håndterer denne spenningen med kontrollorientert HRM og såkalt teknokratisk kontroll, noe som her manifesterer seg i restriksjoner på ansattes muligheter til å ytre seg. Spenningen håndteres i mindre grad ved å gi ansatte tillit som merkevareambassadører. En implikasjon av dette er at HR-funksjonen brukes for å beskytte organisasjoners omdømme, noe som innebærer at håndtering av omdømme ofte er håndtering og ledelse av mennesker. Artikkel nummer tre, som er basert på intervjuer med rektorer ved offentlige videregående skoler, tyder på at merkevareambassadør-tilnærmingen ikke er realistisk i organisasjoner eksponert for marketisering; her offentlige videregående skoler i Oslo. En konsekvens av dette er at intern merkevarebygging (internal branding), som er en strategi for å “selge” organisasjonens merkevare til ansatte slik at de i sin tur vil “selge” den til eksterne interessenter, ikke er den foretrukne tilnærmingen for skoleledere. I stedet foretrekker skoleledere restriksjoner på eksterne ytringer på føre var-vis, altså kontroll av læreres mulige ytringer før de blir ytret – alt for å bygge og beskytte skolenes ønskede merkevare. Organisasjoner eksponert for markedsmessig press der merkevaren er essensiell og mye står på spill demonstrerer ikke den nødendige tilliten til ansatte for å la dem være merkevareambassadører. Konsekvensen av denne restriktive strategien er offentlig taushet fra lærere, i og med at de ikke deltar i offentlig debatt og ordskifter av frykt for sanksjoner fra skoleledelsen. Dette går på bekostning av det som er en sentral oppgave for organisasjoner i offentlig sektor generelt og offentlige skoler spesielt, nemlig å tjene offentlighetens og samfunnets interesser. I den fjerde artikkelen, som baserer seg på kvantitative analyser av survey-data fra ansatte ved stort offentlig sykehus, studeres forholdet mellom HRM-tilnærming, forholdet mellom ansatt og leder (leader-member exchange) og ulike uttrykk for ansattes oppslutning om og støtte av organisasjonens merkevare. I artikkelen, som har tittelen "Mind anchors and heart grips: The role of HRM approach and LMX in internal branding", analyseres data med stianalyse. En modell med en mellomliggende variabel (mediator) og mulig samspill mellom to variabler blir testet. Resultatene viser at at det er statistisk signifikante sammenhenger mellom både forpliktelsesorientert HRM (high-commitment HRM) og leader-member exchange (LMX) og tre uttrykk for ansattes oppslutning om og støtte av organisasjonens merkevare (reputation strategy embeddedness, brand-congruent behaviour, and brand development participation). Som antatt er sammenhengene mediert av organisasjonsmessig forpliktelse (organizational commitment). Samspill mellom forpliktelsesorientert HRM og LMX gjør at LMX modererer forholdet mellom forpliktelsesbasert HRM og reputation strategy embeddedness, men ikke mellom forpliktelsesbasert HRM og variablene brand-congruent behaviour og brand development participation. LMX moderer ingen av disse forholdene når de medieres av organisasjonsforpliktelse (organizational commitment). Analysert i lys av teori om intern merkevarebygging (internal branding) tyder funnene på at forpliktelsesbasert HRM fasiliterer intern merkevarebygging. LMX-forhold av høy kvalitet ser også ut til å legge til rette for suksessfull intern merkevarebygging.

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