Orientation: Psychological contract theory is expanded by making a distinction between entitlements beliefs and obligations and expectations of prospective employees.
Research purpose: To explore and substantiate themes associated with perceived entitlements and utilise this information to develop a structural model of the anticipatory psychological contract.
Motivation for the study: Without taking the entitlement beliefs and reasons therefore into account when examining the psychological contract of an individual, a full view on the psychological contract and its expected consequences cannot be achieved.
Research design, approach and method: A qualitative approach to research was adopted consisting of interviews with final year graduate and post-graduate students to derive themes associated with expectations and entitlement beliefs of prospective employees. These themes were utilised to develop a structural model portraying the anticipatory psychosocial contract.
Main Findings: A structural model was developed that illustrates the anticipatory psychological contract of prospective employees. The model suggests that there are certain factors that determine an individual's entitlement beliefs, and in turn that individual's entitlement beliefs will influence the level of expectation of that individual regarding future employment.
Practical/managerial implications: By fully comprehending the effects of the entitlement beliefs on the anticipatory psychological contract of prospective employees the organisation may minimise the occurrence of psychological breach or violation, which may decrease new employee turnover.
Contribution/value-add: Although entitlement was mentioned in previous psychological contract research it has never been investigated as a separate component of the psychological contract.
Psychological entitlement must be treated as a scientific construct in organisational sciences since understanding an employee‟s perception of entitlement is essential to understanding the expectations of that employee and, in particular, the nature of exchange between employees and the organisation. The purpose of this research is to determine the relationship between entitlement beliefs and expectations of students‟ future employment. A sample of 179 final year economic and management sciences students was used for this study. A questionnaire was used that measured entitlement perceptions and perceived expectations in future employment of the students. This study concluded that all graduates had a relatively high level of perceived entitlement and expectations regarding future employment. A strong correlation was measured between entitlement beliefs and expectations of the anticipatory psychological contract. This study is unique in the sense that it includes entitlement beliefs in the research of the psychological contract as a separate construct to expectations. / Thesis (MCom (Labour Relations Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/9043 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Gresse, Werner Grant |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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