[pt] O presente trabalho buscou trazer uma melhor compreensão sobre o processo de construção do contrato psicológico dos indivíduos com as organizações no contexto atual. Este estudo focaliza um fenômeno que tem sido característico da década atual, quando se verifica um aumento considerável do número de indivíduos que se candidatam a empregos públicos. Este é um fenômeno que, de certo modo, reverte uma tendência das décadas anteriores, nas quais havia um fechamento das contratações nestas empresas e uma desvalorização da imagem do funcionário ligado ao setor público. A proposta de utilização da abordagem do contrato psicológico deveu- se ao pressuposto de que este modelo permitiria identificar fatores explícitos ou implícitos que norteavam a relação entre empresa e indivíduo, seja na construção do contrato ou mesmo na quebra das expectativas dos novos funcionários. Optou-se por desenvolver uma pesquisa exploratória baseada em entrevistas com a penúltima turma de trainees do curso de formação de Administração de uma empresa de sociedade de economia mista, do ramo de energia. Estas entrevistas foram feitas com base em questionários semi-estruturados, foram gravadas e transcritas, visando a identificar os principais motivos que estimularam a entrada destes indivíduos na empresa pública e como as experiências vividas influenciaram a sua relação com a organização. Os resultados confirmam algumas crenças popularizadas acerca da motivação dos indivíduos para escolherem um emprego estatal, destacando-se a busca por uma situação de maior estabilidade. Observa-se, também, que os participantes da pesquisa revelam uma percepção positiva do setor público, no que se refere à existência de oportunidades concretas de crescimento profissional, aliadas à possibilidade de um melhor gerenciamento da qualidade de vida. Os resultados conduziram, ainda, a proposição de um quadro de referência para a análise do processo de construção do contrato psicológico dos indivíduos com a empresa. / [en] The purpose of this study is to have a better understanding of the process of construction of the psychological contract with the individuals that has ocurred recently. This study has focused on a phenomenon that is very usual in this decade, characterized by an increase in the number of individuals that are looking to build a career in the public sector. This phenomenon has reverted a trend that had ocurred in the previous decades, that is, a decrease in the number of new employees as well as a devaluation in the image of the employees who work in the public sector. The proposal of using the psychological contract theory was motivated by the idea that this model would be capable of identifying the main factors (hidden or not) that influence the relationship between individuals and organisations, even in the process of contract building or in the contract breach. In order to test these factors, an exploratory methodology was developed, through various interviews with a group of the most recent trainees of the Administration Course of a company that belongs to the public sector (energy industry). These interviews were based on previous questionnaries. All interviews were recorded, and latter written out, aiming at identifying the main aspects that stimulated the decisions of those individuals to work in the public sector. The main results of this study confirm that individuals are looking for stability in their jobs. Additionally, the perception in relation to the public sector is positive, regarding that individuals recognize that is possible to have a career development as well as quality of life. Finally, the study purpose a framework that enables the analysis of the process of the psychological contract building between individuals and firms.

[pt] O ambiente organizacional esta sofrendo mutações constantes, seja pelo avanço tecnológico, pela globalização ou pelo aumento da concorrência que está cada vez mais agressiva. Para se manterem competitivas as empresas são obrigadas a se tornar mais flexíveis e versáteis e isso significa mudança não somente em seus procedimentos, mas principalmente no que se refere ao gerenciamento de pessoas, pois o capital humano é considerado um diferencial dificilmente copiável. O objetivo deste estudo foi apresentar as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos gerentes dos níveis intermediários em seu papel como mediadores das relações de trabalhos e mais especificamente do contrato psicológico de seus subordinados. Para isso, esta dissertação aborda quatro grandes temas como: liderança no atual contexto, as mudanças nas relações de trabalho, desafios gerenciais e contrato psicológico. De maneira a tentar compreender estas mudanças e os dilemas gerenciais, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 21 gerentes intermediários de empresas públicas e privadas de diferentes portes e setores. Os gerentes entrevistados possuem várias atribuições, dentre elas a de serem mediadores nas relações de trabalho entre os subordinados e as empresas. O resultado das entrevistas evidenciou que as mudanças sofridas nas organizações provocaram alterações significativas no perfil gerencial e nas relações de trabalho. Verificou-se que o gerente médio além de ser um influenciador, se tornou mais sensível e mais próximo dos seus dirigidos e dirigentes, possibilitando com isso a identificação e tratamento das expectativas envolvidas na relação de trabalho, com o intuito de conseguir um equilíbrio entre as partes. / [en] The organizational environment this suffering constant mutations, either for the technological advance, the globalisms or the increase of the competition that is each more aggressive time. To remain competitive the companies they are obliged if to become more flexible and versatile and this not only means change in its procedures, but mainly as for the management of people, therefore the human capital is considered a hardly copied. The objective of this study was more specifically to present the difficulties faced for the middle manager levels in its paper as mediating of the labor relations and of the psychological contract of its subordinate. For this, this dissertation approaches four great subjects as: leadership in the current context, the management changes in the labor relations, challenges and psychological contract. In way to try to understand these changes and the management dilemmas, had been carried through interviews half-structuralized with 21 middle managers of public companies and private of different transports and sectors. The interviewed managers possess some attributions, amongst them to be mediating in the labor relations between the subordinate and the companies. The result of the interviews evidenced that the changes suffered in the organizations had provoked significant alterations in the management profile and the labor relations. It was verified that the average manager beyond being a influential, if it became more sensible and next to directed and leading its, making possible with this the identification and treatment of the involved expectations in the labor relations, with intention to obtain a balance between the parts.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / Organisations of every industry are changing continuously. A pervasive response to this experience is some form of downsizing. Chew and Horwitz (2002) state due to globalisation, organisations have increasingly adopted cost/ competitive measures to increase performance. Organisations inevitably seek to survive these pressures by downsizing. According to Tzafrir, Mona- Negrin, Havel and Rom Nagy (2006), downsizing is known to be defined as a company trying to increase its competitiveness, efficiency and productivity by decreasing the number of workers in the organisation. Drummond (2000) states that there is extra pressure put onto the remaining workers for productivity after the layoff process. It must be acknowledged that managers should be seen as both an employee and a supervisor. Managers therefore have to implement the change when the process occurs and deals with the reactions of him/herself and that of the subordinates (Wiesenfeld, Brockner, Petzall, Wolf & Bailey, 2001). To gain a competitive advantage, organisations must pay attention to their managers who are responsible for driving organisation’s processes and outcomes. Rana, Garg and Rastogi (2011) state that organisations need to attend to factors that influence managers’ performance and job satisfaction, such as perception of organisational justice. Managers’ perception of organisational justice is imperative, as subordinates mimic the behaviours and attitude of their managers (Wiesenfeld et al., 2001). The aim of this study is to investigate what impact the downsizing process had on the perception of organizational justice of survivor middle managers. The differences between middle managers’ age, gender, year of service or tenure, marital status and education level were taken into account. The study was conducted in different departments of a large Automotive Retail organisation where downsizing has taken place. A biographical questionnaire and a questionnaire designed to measure perceptions of organisational justice after downsizing (Niehoff and Moorman Organisational Justice Questionnaire), was administered to gather the data. The sample of one hundred and forty-four respondents consisted of male and female middle managers. Convenience sampling was utilised to select the sample. Statistical analyses involved both descriptive and inferential statistics. ANOVA and T-Test were the tools that were used to analyse the data. Findings indicates that there was a statistical significant difference in middle managers’ perception of organisational justice based on gender, age, tenure, marital status and education level in the Automotive Industry.

La présente thèse est un essai de compréhension de la transgression récurrente du cadre de « bonne gouvernance », imposé par la Banque Mondiale, face au constat des mauvais résultats des entreprises publiques béninoises (ancien Dahomey). Elle tente donc de répondre à une question : pourquoi les mécanismes, procédures et règles établis sont-ils en permanence transgressés dans le secteur public ? Répondre à cette question permet de saisir les causes de l’éloignement des entreprises de la performance mobilisée, dans ce contexte, sous le prisme de l’efficacité socio-économique, de la satisfaction des clients-usagers et de la rationalisation des ressources. Cette recherche se fonde sur l’idée que les méthodes de gestion doivent s’inscrire dans le cadre socioculturel et mobilise la notion de clan comme servant de base à la formation du contrat psychologique des fournisseurs et des employés des entreprises publiques dans les commandes publiques d’une part et les relations d’emploi d’autre part. Ce contrat psychologique favorise les transgressions du cadre de « bonne gouvernance ». Il a été question d’explorer, à la SBEE et au CNCB, si les logiques claniques fondent ou non les contrats psychologiques, propices aux transgressions, ce qui éloigne ces entreprises de la performance. Des interviews conduites auprès des parties prenantes des achats publics (fournisseurs, organes de passation internes à l’entreprise) et de l’emploi (personnels, dirigeants), de l’exploitation des documents collectés et de la narration des faits observés, il ressort que l’entreprise publique est perçue comme un clan. Aussi, cohabitent les clans politique, ethnique et familial de même que le « paternalisme adoptif » dont les logiques d’action comportent les transgressions entraînant la mauvaise utilisation des ressources publiques et l’insatisfaction des clients-usagers. Toutefois, le phénomène du clan n’est pas exclusif. La perception des entreprises publiques par les différents acteurs de même que la bonne foi de gens, désireux d’apporter leur expertise en vue de sortir du chômage, sont aussi parfois la base des contrats psychologiques. Il arrive, en général, que le contrat psychologique fasse l’objet de rupture, ce qui est à l’origine de grandes déceptions. Cette situation peut ne pas être définitive. A force de lutte, d’espoir ou à l’avènement d’un nouveau directeur, leurs anciennes attentes/promesses peuvent être restaurées, ce qui correspond à une reprise du contrat psychologique. La performance des entreprises publiques est, en premier lieu, clanique en sus de la recherche de la satisfaction de besoins physiologiques par du travail honnête, ce que l’environnement peut corrompre. L’éloignement des entreprises publiques de la performance est donc favorisé par un ensemble de facteurs convergents dont le clan, la représentation de l’entreprise comme « une manne à se distribuer » puis la recherche de la sécurité d’emploi dans un contexte marqué par le chômage. Quelles sont les solutions aux transgressions ? - En premier lieu, le recul effectif du pouvoir politique des entreprises publiques par l’intégration des administrateurs extérieurs, bien que ne participant pas au capital est une solution. - Permettre au conseil d’administration de jouer son plein rôle. - Il est impossible d’exclure les clans et leurs logiques. Toutefois, ils ne devraient pas exister au détriment des intérêts de la collectivité nationale. Ainsi, est-il utile de remettre le travail, l’équité la contribution individuelle et collective au cœur de l’éducation nationale. - Les règles d’organisation existantes pourraient être évaluées, de nouvelles règles élaborées suivant le principe de l’« inclusiveness » puis mises en œuvre. - Assurer leur bonne diffusion/internalisation et la surveillance collective de leur mise en œuvre. - Les objectifs communs de performance devront être définis et atteints ensembles. / This thesis is an understanding of the recurring transgression of testing the framework of "good governance" imposed by the World Bank, opposite the finding of bad results Beninese public enterprises (former Dahomey). So it tries to answer a question: why are the mechanisms established, procedures and rules constantly violated in the public sector? Answering this question captures the causes of the remoteness of used performance businesses, in this context, from the perspective of socio-economic efficiency, user-customers satisfaction and good use of resources. This research is based on the idea that management practices must be part of the socio-cultural context and mobilizes the notion of clan as providing the basis for the formation of the suppliers and employees psychological contract of public companies in public procurement on the one hand, and employment relationships on the other. This promotes the context of transgressions of "good governance". There has been talk of exploring, SBEE and CNCB, if the clan logic based or not psychological contracts, prone transgressions, what separates these companies from performance.From Interviews conducted with stakeholders in public procurement (suppliers, internal organs award to the company) and employment relations (personal, leaders), operation of the documents collected within companies and narration of observed facts, it appears that the public company is represented as a clan. Also coexist political, ethnic and family clans as the "adoptive paternalism" whose action logics include transgressions involving the misuse of public resources and the dissatisfaction of the users-customers. However, the clan is not exclusive. The perception of public enterprises by the various stakeholders as well as the good faith of people, eager to bring their expertise to get out of unemployment, determine the psychological contracts. It happens, in general, that the psychological contract is subject to rupture, which is the source of great disappointment. This may not be definitive. With a fight of strength, hope or the advent of a new director, their former expectations / promises can be restored, corresponding to a recovery of the psychological contract. The performance of public enterprises is first of all, clanic. But, looking for the satisfaction of physiological needs by honest work is poorly exploited. The remoteness of public enterprises performance is enhanced by a set of converging factors including the clan, company representation as "a godsend to distribute" then search for job security in an unemployment context and particularly the fear of unemployment. On the factors listed above, what are the solutions to the transgressions? - First, the decline of the state of governance of public enterprises through the integration of outside directors, although not participating in their capital. - It is impossible to exclude the clan logic. However, the organizational rules must be implemented and the common goals of performance must be set and achieved together. - Develop the new rules on the principle of inclusiveness, ensure their proper dissemination / internalization and collective monitoring of their implementation. - Focus on work values and contribution to the nation. As perspective, research on the performance of public enterprises is based on the reality of the clan and representations help to better define the objectives to make them feasible.

Over the last three decades the UK higher education system has operated under an ideological approach sometimes referred to as New Managerialism (Deem, 2004). The psychological contract of the individual actor within this altered environment was the subject of the research in this study. The psychological contract has been defined as an individual’s beliefs regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal informal exchange agreement between themselves and their organisations (Rousseau, 1989). The thesis focused on the psychological contracts of higher education lecturers in a post-92 University Business School in the United Kingdom. The study considered the construction of the psychological contract, the appropriateness of the initial contract, perceived influences on the contract, and behavioural consequences of contract breach and/or violation. The research was focussed on the role of the lecturer in interpreting and unpacking his/her perceptions and understandings. The research questions required data that was personal and experiential. Interviews were undertaken which allowed participants to provide life history accounts that described and theorised about their actions in the social world over time. The approach used had a number of limitations which were identified and considered within the thesis. Notwithstanding the limitations of the research approach, the data suggested that each individual had analysed the extent to which a new employment context would deliver transactional, relational, and ideological reward. However, ideology was less relevant in making the decision to accept higher education employment than either transactional or relational elements. Post-entry, sensemaking acted as a confirmation mechanism in respect of the expectations of what the job would entail and the pecuniary and non-pecuniary benefits that would be received. Initial contracts were relatively accurate in their conceptualisation of the work involved in being a higher education academic. Within the Business School examined in this study, management decisions impacted on participants from both an economic and socio-economic perspective. Employees described how individual work contexts were altered by management decisions. Reaction to decisions depended on individual circumstances at any given juncture based on the influences from multiple contexts both internal and external to the workplace. Context was not homogenous and wide-ranging individual differences were apparent. These contexts played a part in defining to what extent changed work environments would be accepted or not. Participants were continuously active and involved in the evaluation of the multiple contexts that were relevant to them. The capacity to manipulate managers and influence decisions to counteract context change was also evident. The ability to thwart changes to work context varied between individuals and over time. This study identified how participants were able to create and shape their own work environment to satisfy their needs and wants during their careers within a structure that remained predominantly organic in nature despite a changing higher education environment. The goal of the employee was to create the idiosyncratic deal, the specific individually tailored work environment that would deliver the satisfaction required from higher education employment. The psychological contracts were self-focussed and self-oriented but this did not necessarily mean that employees were not also actively involved in assisting the organisation to achieve its ambitions. The notion that a managerial agenda had resulted in the erosion of individualism in higher education was not supported. There was evidence that the psychological contract was unilaterally changed and altered by the employee whenever he or she chose, rather than a negotiated change to a binding agreement. Alteration was intrinsically a private determination and often not communicated.

Incorporating a psychological contract perspective into information technology projects, this study intends to explore the elements of the software publisher-reseller-end user psychological contract in the context of IT projects and contribute to existing literature in the field of IT psychological contracts. The data for this study was collected via 10 interviews conducted across 5 different cases. Interviewees were asked to describe IT projects they were recently involved in and outline what they perceived to be their obligations towards the other stakeholders and likewise, the obligations of the other stakeholders upon them. Interviews were transcribed and coded in accordance with existing IT project psychological contract elements derived from literature. The results of this study provided support to all psychological contract elements of the existing model and suggest refinements to better capture the perceived obligations of stakeholders in IT Projects. Furthermore, we observe that while the resellers’ and software publishers’ psychological contracts with end users conformed to the obligations expected under the model of supplier-customer relationships, the software reseller-software publisher psychological contracts reciprocally contained elements of both supplier and customer obligations. Finally, the findings of this study revealed that critical to the success of IT projects are the elements of transparency, accuracy, dedication, knowledge and responsibility.

The present study examined the relationships of organizational justice and the psychological contract with four outcome variables in a downsizing context. Multinational data were gathered from survivors representing a variety of organizations and industries. The main focus of the current study examined the relationships between survivors' perceptions of procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice and organizational commitment, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, and trust in management. Correlational data indicated that procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice all demonstrated significant correlations with the outcome variables with interpersonal justice demonstrating higher correlations with the outcome variables than procedural justice. Additionally, the results of two structural models indicated that, although both models fit the data equally well, interpersonal justice was the dominant predictor of the outcome variables. Finally, moderated multiple regression analyses indicated that the psychological contract did not act as a moderator on the relationships between the justice and the outcome variables. However, supplemental confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the justice variables might act as a mediator of the psychological contract - outcome variable relationships. Possible explanations of the results as well as implications for practice and future research are provided.

Studiens syfte var att fördjupa förståelsen gällande uppskattning i arbetslivet. Uppskattning är ett aktuellt ämne som ofta lyfts i media och det är intressant att se till de effekterna som uppskattning kan ge. För att fördjupa förståelsen kring ämnet så undersöktes det hur chefer och medarbetare upplevde uppskattning, vilka positiva och negativa associationer det fanns kopplade till uppskattning samt om det fanns ett samförstånd eller en dissonans i upplevelsen av uppskattning mellan chefer och medarbetare. Studien är genomförd med ett perspektiv på både chefer och medarbetares upplevelse av uppskattning och båda grupperna kan dra nytta av undersökningens resultat. Den teoretiska referensramen som består av tolkningar av uppskattningsbegreppet, belöningssystemen och det psykologiska kontraktet ligger till grund för analysen av det empiriska materialet. Det empiriska materialet samlades in genom 11 intervjuer med både chefer och anställda inom kommun- och restaurangbranschen. Resultatet visar på att den verbala uppskattningen är den viktigaste formen av uppskattning för båda grupperna. Det fanns vissa skillnader mellan grupperna och det återfanns både en samstämmighet och en dissonans i den upplevda uppskattningen på arbetsplatserna. Överlag var uppfattningen kring uppskattning positiv. / The purpose of the study was to deepen the understanding of appreciation in working life. Appreciation is a current topic that is often raised in the media and it is interesting to see the effects that appreciation can give. To deepen the understanding of the subject, it was investigated how managers and employees experienced appreciation, what positive and negative associations there were linked to appreciation and whether there was a consensus or a dissonance in the experience of appreciation between managers and employees. The study was conducted with a perspective on both managers and employees experience of appreciation and both groups can benefit from the study’s results. The theoretical frame of reference, which consists of interpretations of the concept of appreciation, the reward systems and the psychological contract, forms the basis for the analysis of the empirical material. The empirical material was collected through 11 interviews with both managers and employees in the municipal and restaurant industry. The results show that verbal appreciation is the most important form of appreciation for both groups. There were some differences between the groups and there was both a consensus and a dissonance in the perceived appreciation in the workplaces. Overall, the perception of appreciation was positive.

This study explores the previously less researched impact of corporate reputation on employees, more specifically on employee engagement. Employee engagement and corporate reputation are concepts that have been receiving attention in both business and academia alike, especially in view of the economic turmoil of the past decade as both constructs have been shown to affect profits. The study was designed in a way to measure the impact of employees’ perceptions of corporate reputation on their engagement with the corporation, while controlling for the state of their psychological contract with the organisation. An online survey of 509 employees from a large South African bank provided the data to which a Structural Equation Model (SEM) emanating from the theoretical background was fitted. The results of the model unequivocally confirmed that corporate reputation perceptions are an important predictor of employee engagement. It was also found that psychological contract breach influences both perceptions of reputation by employees and employee engagement directly. The implication is that corporate reputation can have a strong influence on tangible results through employee engagement. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Approximately 1,6 percent of Swedish employees work under a consultancy firm, which is a fast-growing market. The responsibility of consultant’s work environment is in accordance with Swedish legislation on systematic work environment (SAM) divided between consultant- and client company. This study investigated how 1) consultants experience that their consultant- and client company employers, respectively, work with work environment health; 2) both consultant- and client company employers, respectively, experience their work with implementing work environment/health practices based on SAM. Data collection consisted of 12 in-depth interviews with 8 consultants, 3 consultant managers, and 1 workplace manager. Based on thematic analysis of interviews with consultants three themes were identified: Communication and relation with managers; Justice and inclusion; Managers’ involvement in workplace health. Based on thematic analysis of interviews with managers four themes were identified: Working with SAM; Work environment goals, Relation between consultant- and workplace managers, Relation with consultants. Findings showed the importance of supportive and present leadership, workplace justice and inclusion for consultants’ wellbeing. This responsibility of consultant’s daily work environment was mainly taken by workplace managers. Conclusions are that clear communication and division of responsibility between consultant- and workplace managers regarding consultants’ work environment/health is vital for well-functioning SAM.