SUMMARY OF MASTER’S DISSERTATION
StudentIdentification
Number81933117

NameYasushi Ota

Title
Gaming Simulation to Encourage Constructive Intervention of Bystanders
in Workplace Bullying and Harassment
Abstract
In Japan, workplace bullying and harassment are social problems to lead to victims’ suicide anddepression. A role of bystanders of workplace bullying and harassment is not discussed in conventional
study, despite they are responsible for promoting and suppressing the workplace bullying andharassment.
Therefore, this study focuses the two following problems: to develop and validate the effectiveness oftraining programs to encourage constructive intervention by bystanders, and to establish mechanisms
through which bystanders can intervene with confidence.
The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a Gaming Simulation that simulates workplacebullying and harassment in order to encourage bystanders to intervene constructively.
First, in order to construct a simulated world of workplace bullying and harassment in this Gaming
Simulation, the requirements define by interviewing thirteen people, including managers, non-managers,and HR staff, to collect cases. Second, to manufacture the prototype of this Game Simulation based on
the rules and procedures of existing Game Simulations on social problem dilemmas. Third, to complete
this Gaming Simulation through repeat test play and improvements using this prototype.
In the Gaming Simulation developed in this study, the players have a role of bystanders, andexperience a simulated world of workplace bullying and harassment. They feel a dilemma between
achieving their goals and helping the victims in workplace bullying and harassment. As a result, theyalways experience failure. They can reflect their own behavior in their real workplace and gain newawareness to decrease workplace bullying and harassment in their companies through failure experienceinside a virtual world of the Gaming Simulation.
Totally, nine games were held on, including fifty-two people. Of the fifty-two players who experienced
this Gaming Simulation twelve responded to the interview.
The players' comments and interview results provide the following insights.
(1) Some bystanders feel difficulty to intervene constructively due to their position and trust with theother party against bullying and harassment in the workplace once it has occurred.
(2) It is important for bystanders to intervene constructively by detecting signs of workplace bullying
and harassment.
(3) This Gaming Simulation can be one of the effective educational programs for new and young
employees to experience workplace bullying and harassment in a virtual world and discuss thisproblem in their own workplace.
In addition to these insights, there are also comments about changing consciousness and behavior.
Therefore, it is possible that the players gain a sense of ownership by simulated experience of workplacebullying and harassment as bystanders.
This discussion suggests that this Gaming Simulation developed in this study is valid for encouraging
constructive interventions by bystanders.

Key Word(4 words)
Gaming Simulation, Workplace Bullying, Power Harassment, Systems Engineeringiii