Publisher's Synopsis
The concept of the psychological contract is one which has undergone many re-definitions since it's original inception in the 1960s. This book successfully draws together the theoretical background and recent research to provide a clear and stimulating summary of what the psychological contract entails and how it works in practice. The authors provide evidence, from their own research, of the ignorance amongst employers concerning the nature of this key concept.
The Psychological Contract at Work charts the development of the concept and provides in-depth analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of more recent attempts to define it. The authors examine the subject from both a theoretical and practical point of view. The relevant psychological processes such as social identification, reciprocity and motivation are examined along with the use of interviews, questionnaires and critical incident techniques as methods for investigating the concept. Case studies are used throughout to illustrate practical issues and answer questions including:
- How are psychological contracts formed and broken?
- Why should the concept be of such importance to organisations and their productivity?
- How can the concept of the psychological contract be measured and assessed?
As well as presenting a valuable overview of current thinking for students and researchers in this subject, this book will prove an indispensable resource for managers and organisational consultants interested in gaining a fuller, more fruitful understanding of how the psychological contract affects employee performance.
