Social networks and the psychological contract: Structural holes, cohesive ties, and beliefs regarding employer obligations

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between employees' social network positions and their psychological contract beliefs. In particular, it investigated the relationship of employee advice and friendship ties with their employer's relational (long-term, non-monetizable), balanced (performance-related), and transactional (short-term, monetizable) obligations to them. Data obtained from a start-up research firm showed that employees brokering structural holes in the advice network believed the firm had greater balanced and transactional obligations to them. Employees with cohesive ties in the friendship network also believed that the firm owed them more balanced and transactional obligations. Neither structural holes nor cohesion were related to relational obligations. This study develops implications for psychological contracts and social networks research.

Psychological contract breach and turnover intention: the moderating effects of social status and local ties

“…Perceptions of social networks were seen to mitigate the negative effect of contract breach on turnover, in particular through social status and strong connectedness with the respective senior officers. The research confirmed the important link between PCB and employee social network positions (Ho et al, 2006).…”

“…There has only been limited research into the moderating effects of workplace social networks on turnover intention from a psychological contract perspective (Ho et al, 2006). Krackhardt (1992) noted that the strength of the emotional and behavioural reactions that follow a contract breach might be moderated by an individual's network within the organisation.…”

“…Influence via connectedness occurs through direct ties to others. These networks can increase, which can help individuals perform their jobs more effectively, but also receive more positive cues from the organisation's contract makers (Ho et al, 2006). Previous research has commonly focussed on the psychological contract and turnover intention.…”

“…Previous research has commonly focussed on the psychological contract and turnover intention. However, there has only been limited research into the moderating effects of workplace social networks on turnover intention from a psychological contract perspective (Ho et al, 2006). In particular, we focus on the overall structure of relationships in the employment relationship.…”

Temporal Patterns of Communication in Social Networks

“…Traditionally, the study of how people allocate their time among different activities, such as work or leisure, has been a subject of economic studies (Becker 1965;Ghez and Becker 1975;Linder 1960). Here, however, we are interested in analyzing of how people allocate time and attention among one another, a topic that has been usually addressed from sociological and psychological perspectives (Dunbar 1992;Granovetter 1973;Southerton 1986;Wellman 2007;Winship 1978), aimed to understand how this dynamics might affect phenomena such as network cohesion (Ho et al 2006;Gargiulo and Benassi 2000), strategy and cooperation (Burt 1992;Seibert et al 2001) and organizational performance (Benner and Tushman 1999;March 1991).…”