MS, Kent State University, 2020, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The objective of this study was to determine what factors are predictive of intent to stay within the hospitality industry. The study used the variables of psychological contracts, belonging, perceived organizational support, sense of calling, professional friendships, and background information to determine if they individually or jointly have a predictive effect on one's intent to stay. An online survey instrument was developed to be taken by individuals who have had experiences within the hospitality and/or service industry. Demographics, professional friendships, and perceived organizational support were the main predictors of individuals' intention to stay. There was a mix of positive and negative predictors. Results could be helpful for managers when developing benefits or social experiences. In addition, managers may be able to better assess the variables that assist in retaining quality talent.

Committee: Ning-Kuang Chuang (Committee Chair); Andrew Lepp (Committee Member); Philip Wang (Committee Member) Subjects: Management

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Business: Business Administration

A “psychological contract” exists when an individual perceives that another party hasobligated itself to a reciprocal exchange relationship with him/herself. Most researchers exploring this concept tend to focus solely on the exchange relationship existing between the individual and a unitary “employer” (e.g., Coyle-Shapiro & Conway, 2005; King & Bu, 2005; Raja, Johns, & Ntalianis, 2004; Rousseau, 2000; Rousseau, 2004; Sels, Janssens, & Van den Brande, 2004). However, it is important to note that psychological contract theory is not limited in scope to this specific exchange relationship. Rather, the concept can also be applied to the individual…#8482;s relationships with “…a client, customer, supplier, or any other interdependent party” (Italics added: Rousseau, 1995: 34). Unfortunately, the implications of this theoretical flexibility are largely unexplored in academic research. The central premise of this dissertation is that individuals have simultaneous distinct but related psychological contracts with various individuals and groups operating within an organizational context, and the purpose is to examine the psychological contract concept from this multi-foci perspective. I accomplish this purpose through a three-stage survey-based research study. The sample population for the study was the entire incoming class of freshman at the business college of a large mid-western university. In Stage One, I investigated the nature of psychological contracts in my sample. This exploratory stage: 1) theoretically justified my research sample through an examination of archival data, 2) determined the foci of student psychological contracts through open-ended qualitative survey questions, and 3) determined the content of student psychological contracts through open-ended qualitative survey questions. In Stage Two, I used a quantitative survey methodology. Exploratory factor analyses were done to develop new measures of psychological contract content, and structural equat (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Suzanne Masterson PhD (Committee Chair); Elaine Hollensbe PhD (Committee Member); Karen Machleit PhD (Committee Member); David Lundgren PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Management; Social Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

This study examined the impact of psychological contract breach in intercollegiate student-athletes. Using Rousseau‟s (1995) definition of psychological contracts, and Morrison and Robinson‟s (1997) definitions of psychological breach and psychological contract violation, a model of psychological contract breach in student-athletes was developed. The model was tested using a sample of student-athletes from three NCAA Division I institutions. Data collection was conducted using a convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was developed and distributed with the cooperation of the participating universities. A sample n of 192 was obtained and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to interpret the results and determine the overall fit of the model. The results indicated that psychological contract breach has a direct effect on the development of psychological contract violation and a direct negative effect on student-athletes‟ trust in their coaches. The trust variable was found to act as a mediator in the model between psychological contract breach and student-athlete attitudes. Individual effectiveness of student-athletes was found to be directly impacted by student-athlete attitudes. An analysis of the results indicated that the number of opportunities student-athletes had to attend other institutions and the length of time a student-athlete had been on their team affected the likelihood that a perceived breach of the psychological contract will occur. A discussion of the results includes practical applications of the results for coaches, athletic departments and student-athletes, as well as recommendations for future research.

Committee: Brian Turner PhD (Advisor); Sarah Fields PhD (Committee Member); Donna Pastore PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Sports Management

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2011, Business Administration

A psychological contract is composed of an individual's belief regarding the reciprocal obligations that exist between that individual and another entity with which that person is engaged. Psychological contracts are important in many business relationships, such as those between a buyer and supplier. The perceptions held by one individual may not be congruent with those of the other, in which case conflict may arise within the relationship. We introduce to the operations and supply chain literatures a comprehensive view of the theory of psychological contracts, which with few exceptions has largely been omitted from research regarding inter-firm relationships. This research investigates the processes by which individuals manage conflict in inter-firm relationships, and the extent to which decisions at both tactical and strategic levels are influenced by the experience of psychological contract violation. At the tactical level, we seek to understand how the daily operational decisions that individuals make are affected by psychological contract violation, particularly when sub-optimal decision-making is observed. At the strategic level, we consider the circumstances under which relational versus written contractual governance mechanisms are leveraged in response to conflict, and how the experience of psychological contract violation may influence these broader, firm-level decisions. Our research plan uses two different methodological approaches in investigating these issues. First, to evaluate tactical behaviors, we employ an experiment. The goal of the experiment is to determine specifically how economic decisions made by those in boundary-spanning roles deviate from optimal in response to conflict and how these behaviors are influenced by the experience of psychological contract violation. To this end, we employ a 2x2x2 factorial design in which violation timing, severity, and attribution are investigated. The experiment was accompanied by an exit survey which ser (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: James Hill PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Kenneth Boyer PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Peter Ward PhD (Committee Member); Karen Donohue PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration