Psychological Contract Research in Accounting Literature

2021 ◽  
pp. 117-137
Author(s):  
Kristie M. Young ◽  
William W. Stammerjohan ◽  
Rebecca J. Bennett ◽  
Andrea R. Drake
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Contract Research

scholarly journals Same words, different worlds: Exploring differences in researcher and participant understandings of promise and obligation in the psychological contract

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-109
Author(s):  
Guoxin Ma ◽  
John Blenkinsopp ◽  
Steve Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Contract Research ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Chinese Workers ◽  
Key Features

AbstractThis paper addresses longstanding questions about how promise and obligation, two of the key conceptual building blocks for psychological contract research, are conceptualized and operationalized: How do employees understand these concepts? Would their understandings be congruent with the researchers’ and how would this knowledge inform future psychological contract research? Drawing on interviews with 61 Chinese workers from diverse backgrounds, our results suggest the concepts have distinct meanings for participants in terms of three criteria (defining characteristics, key features and manifestations in employment). We argue that promise and obligation are likely to serve different functions in employment relationship and have different meanings for researchers versus participants, and accordingly we highlight the challenges of using them to conceptualize and operationalize psychological contracts in China and beyond.

scholarly journals Caught in the Middle: How and When Psychological Contract Breach by Subordinates Relates to Weekly Emotional Exhaustion of Supervisors

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen P. de Jong ◽  
Mike Clinton ◽  
Matthijs Bal ◽  
Beatrice Van Der Heijden
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Senior Management ◽  
Psychological Contract Breach ◽  
Contract Breach ◽  
Contract Research ◽  
Mediating Role

In psychological contract research, the side of the supervisor is strongly underexposed. However, supervisors are responsible for maintaining relationships with both their subordinates and senior management and are likely to be influenced by events unfolding in these relationships. In this study, we state that supervisor well-being may be affected by subordinates who fail to meet their obligations. This study adds to psychological contract research by developing an understanding of how and when subordinate psychological contract breach (PCB) is associated with supervisor emotional exhaustion. Through a weekly diary survey among 56 Dutch supervisors, we test hypotheses about the relationships between subordinate PCB and the emotional exhaustion of the supervisor, the mediating role of perceptions of performance pressure by the supervisor in this relationship, and the moderating role of i-deals between the supervisor and senior management. Multilevel analyses support the first two hypotheses, but contradictory to our expectations show that the positive association between subordinate PCB and the emotional exhaustion of the supervisor is strengthened when the supervisor has high levels of i-deals with senior management. We discuss the findings in relation to their contribution to psychological contract theory.

scholarly journals The anticipatory psychological contract of management graduates: Validating a psychological contract expectations questionnaire

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Werner G. Gresse ◽  
Barend J. Linde
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
South African ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Formation Process ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Contract Research ◽  
Contract Formation

Background: It was proposed that if we assess an individual’s mental schema, it may facilitate a better understanding of the psychological contract formation process. This will add a theoretical contribution to the anticipatory psychological contract research, as it will enhance our understanding of the specific terms of the psychological contract, which are only present during the organisation entry phase.Aim: We aimed at developing and validating an instrument to measure the psychological contract expectation of university graduate labour market entrees. This information could enhance our knowledge of both the anticipatory psychological contract and psychological contract development.Setting: The research was conducted on third-year students from two different campuses of a South African university. The sample consisted of a total of 316 participants.Methods: We used an exploratory quantitative research approach to measure prospective employees’ anticipatory psychological contract. The newly developed Psychological Contract Expectations Questionnaire (PCEQ) was administered and analysed.Results: Results indicated that some of the instruments within the PCEQ are reliable and valid to measure the anticipatory psychological contract of graduates. The descriptive statistics and correlation coefficient results clearly enhanced our understanding of how the anticipatory psychological contract works.Conclusion: Our research contributes to anticipatory psychological contract research by introducing the PCEQ questionnaire to effectively measure the anticipatory obligations, anticipatory expectations, entitlement and anticipatory state of the psychological contract of prospective employees’ mental schema.

Psychological Contracts: Past, Present, and Future

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline A.-M. Coyle-Shapiro ◽  
Sandra Pereira Costa ◽  
Wiebke Doden ◽  
Chiachi Chang
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employee Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Contract Breach ◽  
Contract Research ◽  
Outcome Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

We provide a review of psychological contract research, beginning with past conceptualizations and empirical evidence. We tailor this retrospective look by reviewing the antecedents and outcomes associated with psychological contract breach and discussing the dominant theoretical explanations for the breach-outcome relationship. This synthesis of past evidence provides the foundation for reviewing the present emerging and developing themes in psychological contract research. This discussion is organized around the expansion of resources exchanged and the antecedents of contract breach and outcomes, moving beyond reciprocity as an underpinning explanation. We highlight the practical implications of research to date on psychological contracts and end with directions for future research to include the need for greater attention given to ideological currency, employee health, polycontextual approaches, the role of psychological needs, and post-breach/violation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document