Denise M. Rousseau

This paper is the result of the collective work undertaken by a group of Psychological Contract (PC) and Sustainability scholars from around the world, following the 2023 Bi-Annual PC Small Group Conference (Kedge Business School, Bordeaux, France). As part of the conference, scholars engaged in a workshop designed to generate expert guidance on how to aid the PC field to be better aligned with the needs of practice, and thus, impact the creation and maintenance of high-quality and sustainable exchange processes at work. In accordance with accreditation bodies for higher education, research impact is not limited to academic papers alone but also includes practitioners, policymakers, and students in its scope. This paper therefore incorporates elements from an impact measurement tool for higher education in management so as to explore how PC scholars can bolster the beneficial influence of PC …

Taking a multi-level perspective on the psychological contract (PC), this study investigates the overlooked but critical role of team psychological contract fulfillment in shaping team and individual-level affect and outcomes. It examines the dynamics associated with employer PC Fulfillment (PCF) to the team and compares them to the dynamics regarding employer PCF of the individual’s own psychological contract. Guided by psychological contracts and self-regulation theories, we surveyed 504 individuals in 69 retail organization teams at two time periods. At the team level, findings support an indirect effect of team PCF on both team engagement and average turnover intention through affective climate. Similarly, at the individual level, we find an indirect effect of individual PCF on both engagement and turnover intentions through individual affect. Tests of scalar and configural similarity across levels support functional …

Background Financial incentives for chief executive officers (CEOs) are thought to motivate them to lead their company toward achieving important business objectives. Based on the Rousseau et al. (2019) protocol, this systematic review assesses the predictive effects of CEO incentives on certain business outcomes. Objectives This review addresses whether CEO financial incentives predict: (1) firm financial performance and (2) financial restatement due to misreporting. Search methods We searched nine research databases for published peer‐reviewed literature (to July 23–26, 2021 and an attenuated search from those dates to July 27–31, 2023) and thirteen professional association websites for non‐published gray literature (to August 2021). We also hand‐searched selected relevant journals. Selection criteria We reviewed peer‐reviewed and unpublished studies available in English since 1980. Eligible …

Professional service firms apply specialist knowledge to create customised solutions to client problems. In their work, teams of professionals undertake projects in which clients may be closely involved in co-creating solutions. However, we know little about the conditions under which client involvement contributes to better performance. We examine the direct and conditional contribution client involvement can make to project success and propose team bonding capital as a moderator. We conduct multi-level analysis of data from 58 project managers and 171 consultants nested in project teams. We find a positive impact of client involvement on both team performance and team member idea creativity. Team bonding capital moderates the relationships client involvement has with both team performance and individual member idea creativity, where the impact of client involvement is greater when team bonding capital is high. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

To provide context for this special issue’s eight articles, we review the lenses adopted in i-deals research and its findings and then address under-studied aspects of i-deals. Part of the societal trend toward customization of employment arrangements, the i-deals workers negotiate for themselves are the subject of a growing body of research. We observe that i-deals research investigates both antecedents and consequences of i-deals at levels from the individual and dyad to team and organization. Numerous theories have been applied to explain i-deal phenomena beginning with social exchange theory in its initial research to social comparison and diverse theories regarding human needs and values. Employers are known to use i-deals to attract, motivate, and retain workers, while employees pursue i-deals to better their work lives and career opportunities. Although the positive effects of i-deals for organizations …

Managers use idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) to motivate and retain employees. Yet we know little about the subsequent effects i-deals have on decisions about pay raises and promotions. Two studies investigate how managers make pay raise and promotion decisions for workers with i-deals. Using a policy-capturing design, managers (N = 116) made pay raise and promotion allocations for workers presented as good performers, based on information provided regarding whether and what type of i-deal workers had and the extent to which they helped peers. Developmental i-deal recipients tend to be recommended for both pay raises and promotions, while such recommendations are less likely for employees with flextime i-deals (for promotions) or reduced workload i-deals (for promotions and pay raises). In addition, workers with i-deals who help their peers are viewed more favorably in both decisions. The second …

In this article the authors investigate how high unemployment and sustained economic crisis influence employee beliefs regarding their employers’ psychological contract (PC) obligations. Based on 32 semi-structured interviews with Greek white-collar employees, the authors compare PC changes among workers with pre-crisis work experience and others whose entire work lives coincide with the crisis. The majority of participants perceive their employer to exploit the crisis, demanding more of workers while offering them less. Those participants who remained with their pre-crisis employer held more positive perceptions. At the same time, social comparison and sense of gratitude influence how individuals interpret their employee–employer obligations. These factors buffer how individuals interpret their employer’s PC fulfillment in the crisis economy.

Evidence-Based Change Management is the science-informed practice of managing planned organizational change. It reflects two key principles: 1) Planned change is more likely to succeed when using science-informed practices, and 2) Regular use of four sources of evidence (scientific, organizational, stakeholder, and practitioner experience) improve the quality of change-related decisions. We describe two sets of science-informed practices: 1) Ongoing Actions used throughout the change process (e.g., goal setting, vision communication, and feedback/redesign) and 2) Phased Actions each timed to a specific change phase (e.g., early diagnosis or late-stage institutionalization).