To Speak Or Not to Speak: Predictors of Voice Propensity (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION In recent years, several articles in both academic and trade publications have discussed the benefits of continuous learning in organizations. One of the conditions necessary but not sufficient for continuous learning is a process of inquiry (Argyris & Schon, 1996). According to Argyris and Schon (1996) it is the detection of error ... "that triggers awareness of a problematic situation and sets in motion the inquiry aimed at correcting the error" (p. 31). One mechanism for bringing errors to the attention of those who can make corrections is employee voice. In interviews with senior executives and employees from a variety of organizations, Perlow and Williams (2003) found that the lack of voice in organizations "can exact a high psychological price on individuals, generating feelings of humiliation, pernicious anger, resentment, and the like that, if unexpressed, contaminate every interaction, shut down creativity, and undermine productivity" (p.52).