Explaining how survivors respond to downsizing: the roles of trust, empowerment, justice, and work redesign

Article Abstract:

In this article we develop a stress-based framework of survivors' responses to downsizing. First, we synthesize prior research findings into a typology of survivor responses delineated by two underlying dimensions: constructive/destructive and active/passive. Drawing on Lazarus's theory of stress, we then posit that how survivors appraise the downsizing will shape their responses to it. We argue that trust and justice influence primary appraisal and facilitate more constructive responses because they reduce the extent to which organizational downsizing is evaluated as a threat. Likewise, we argue that empowerment and work redesign influence secondary appraisal and facilitate more active responses because they enhance survivors' assessments of their capacity to cope with the threat. Finally, we discuss contributions of the framework and implications for research and practice. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Job stress, Justice, Workers, Downsizing (Management), Trust (Psychology), Work design

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Social structural characteristics of psychological empowerment

Article Abstract:

A set of hypotheses based on emerging theory on high-involvement systems describes expected relationships between social structural characteristics at the level of the work unit (perceptions of role ambiguity, span of control, sociopolitical support, access to information and resources, and work unit climate) and feelings of empowerment. The hypotheses are examined with data on a sample of middle managers from diverse units of a Fortune 50 organization. A work unit with little role ambiguity, strong sociopolitical support, access to information, and a participative unit climate is found to be associated with managerial perceptions of empowerment, as is working for a boss who has a wide span of control. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Psychological aspects, Social aspects, Executives, Industrial psychology, Delegation of authority, Industrial-organizational psychology

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Psychological empowerment in the workplace: dimensions, measurement, and validation

Article Abstract:

This research begins to develop and validate a multidimensional measure of psychological empowerment in the workplace. Second-order confirmatory factor analyses were conducted with two complementary samples to demonstrate the convergent and discriminant validity of four dimensions of empowerment and their contributions to an overall construct of psychological empowerment. Structural equations modeling was used to examine a nomological network of psychological empowerment in the workplace. Tested hypotheses concerned key antecedents and consequences of the construct. Initial support for the construct validity of psychological empowerment was found. Directions for future research are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Research, Work environment

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