Examining the Consequences of Employee Perceptions of the Employee-Organization Relationship

Abstract

<p>Using a social exchange perspective I develop a relationship typology based upon an organizational member’s psychological investments, or “side bets,” in his or her organization. This study thus examines, for the first time in the employee-organization exchange relationship (EOR) literature, the combined impact of perceptions that organizational members have with respect to their perceived social and economic investments in their organization. Specifically, outcomes of four unique EOR profiles are examined: “loyalist” (high social, high economic); “altruist” (high social, low economic); “captive” (low social, high economic); “mercenary” (low social, low economic). In a matched sample of 334 working professionals (167 employees matched with their corresponding supervisors), the hypotheses of this study are largely supported. Altruists are highest in their perceptions of organizational support, followed in descending order by the loyalists, mercenaries, and captives. Also as predicted, altruists are highest in affective commitment, followed in descending order by the loyalists, captives, and mercenaries. In terms of continuance commitment, contrary to prediction, loyalists have the highest levels of continuance commitment; however, as predicted, captives have higher levels than altruists and mercenaries. Altruists, as predicted, have the highest level of OCB, followed in descending order by loyalists, mercenaries, and captives. Finally, as predicted, mercenaries have the highest level of task performance followed in descending order by altruists, loyalists, and captives. Theoretical and practical considerations of these findings are discussed.</p>