Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Co-workers’ perceptions of and reactions to employee’s involuntary demotion

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Hennekam, S.
    Ananthram, Subra
    McKenna, Stephen
    Date
    2019
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Hennekam, S. and Ananthram, S. and McKenna, S. 2019. Co-workers’ perceptions of and reactions to employee’s involuntary demotion. Employee Relations. 41 (4): pp. 740-757.
    Source Title
    Employee Relations
    DOI
    10.1108/ER-07-2018-0192
    ISSN
    0142-5455
    Faculty
    Faculty of Business and Law
    School
    School of Management and Marketing
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/82708
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individuals perceive and react to the involuntary demotion of a co-worker in their organisation.

    Design/methodology/approach: The authors draw on 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews (23 dyads) with co-workers of demoted individuals.

    Findings: The findings suggest that an individual’s observation of the demotion of a co-worker has three stages: their perception of fairness, their emotional reaction and their behavioural reaction. The perception of fairness concerned issues of distributive, procedural, interpersonal and informational justice. The emotional responses identified were feelings of disappointment/disillusion, uncertainty, vulnerability and anger. Finally, the behavioural reactions triggered by their emotional responses included expressions of voice, loyalty, exit and adaptation.

    Originality/value: Perceptions of (in)justice perpetrated on others stimulate emotional and behavioural responses, which impacts organisational functioning. Managers should therefore pay attention to the way a demotion is perceived, not only by those directly concerned, but also by co-workers as observers.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Involuntary and voluntary demotion: employeereactions and outcomes
      Hennekam, Sophie; Ananthram, Subra (2020)
      Demotion has received little attention from scholars and practitioners alike. The purpose of this study was to assess empirically the reaction to, and outcomes of, both involuntary and voluntary demotion. Drawing on 49 ...
    • Perceptions of demotion decisions: A social capital perspective
      Hennekam, S.; McKenna, Stephen ; Richardson, Julia ; Ananthram, Subra (2019)
      © 2019 Elsevier Ltd This article examines how demotees and co-workers understand involuntary demotion decisions, using a social capital lens. Drawing on data based on semi-structured in-depth interviews from 23 demotees ...
    • Managers, mates and the role of social exchange : a multilevel model of safety climate and proactive safety behaviour
      Geddes, Fiona Rae (2012)
      The issue of safety in the workplace may be described as an area of both chronic and acute significance to workers, organisations, families and communities. The aim of my research was to develop and test a work-level model ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.