Loraleigh Keashly, director of the master of arts in dispute resolution program at Wayne State , is quoted in a Booth Newspapers article about bullies in the workplace. She pointed out that people sometimes resort to the tactic because they feel threatened or believe the best way to get ahead on the job is to discredit someone else. Keashly worked with other researchers to reduce bullying among staff at 11 U.S Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in a recent four-year study. The research pointed up the need for more effective strategies to manage differences and to address inappropriate behavior.