Exploring Psychological Contracts Established by Academics at an Australian University: Focus Group Analysis
Dr Grant O’Neill, Dr Branka Krivokapic-Skoko, Ms Marcelle Foundling
Working Paper No. 03/07
May 2007
About the Authors
- Dr Grant O’Neill
Associate Head of the School of Marketing and Management,
Charles Sturt University
Panorama Avenue
Bathurst NSW 2795 - Phone: +61 2 6338 4274
- Dr Branka Krivokapic-Skoko
Senior Lecturer in the School of Marketing and Management
Charles Sturt University
Panorama Avenue
Bathurst NSW 2795 - Phone: +61 2 6338 4428
- Ms Marcelle Foundling
Research Assistant and Part-time Lecturer
School of Marketing and Management
Charles Sturt University
Panorama Avenue
Bathurst NSW 2795 - Phone: +61 2 6338 4856
Charles Sturt University – Faculty of Business Working Paper Series
Managing Editor: Associate Professor Jayne Bisman, School of Accounting, Bathurst
Editors: Dr P. Mathews, School of Commerce, Wagga Wagga
Associate Professor M. O'Mullane, School of Business, Albury
Dr R. Tierney, School of Marketing and Management, Bathurst
Dr D Ardagh, School of Commerce, Wagga Wagga
Ms K Mather, School of Computing and Mathematics, Wagga Wagga
The Faculty of Business Working Paper Series is intended to provide staff and students with a means of communicating new and evolving ideas in order to encourage academic debate. Working papers, as the title suggests, should not necessarily be taken as completed works or final expressions of opinion. All working papers are subject to review prior to publication by one or more editors or referees familiar with the discipline area. Normally, working papers may be freely quoted and/or reproduced provided proper reference to the author and source is given. When a working paper is published on a restricted basis, notice of such restriction will appear on this page.
Table of Contents
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Research Approach
- Empirical findings
- Conclusions and implications
- References
Abstract
This paper addresses the formation and content of psychological contracts established by the academics within the Faculty of Commerce, Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia. It is argued that in a workplace environment that is characterised by significant change and uncertainty, the formation and content of the psychological contracts that exist are of increasing importance regarding levels of employee trust, satisfaction, commitment and motivation, and teaching and research outcomes. Discussion centres around information gathered from three semi-structured focus groups with academics from the Faculty of Commerce. Focus group questions probed the content (open/honest communication, trust and fairness, recognition and rewards, salary) and violation of psychological contracts that are grounded in, and through, social exchange norms of reciprocity. They sought to elicit insights and subjective interpretations of the psychological contracts and the consequences of perceived fulfilment or breach. Through our empirical research, we have identified four key foci of academic responsibility that greatly influenced the formation and effects of the psychological contracts that have been formed, and these are: the University, the discipline, society, and students. Notably, we found that the negative effects of psychological contract violation in the Faculty of Commerce were moderated by the perceived broader responsibilities the academics’ felt to their discipline, society, students, and the ‘University’ as an important social institution.