Date of Award
3-21-2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Department of Systems Engineering and Management
First Advisor
Alexander J. Barelka, PhD
Abstract
Downsizing can be a traumatic event for any organization. Using Affective Events Theory (AET), this study examined how the emotional reactions of employees to downsizing can impact organizational outcomes. It concludes that the use of downsizing activities decreases organizational commitment while increasing perceived psychological contract violation. Further, it shows that these constructs have a respective positive and negative relationship with knowledge sharing behavior. It also concludes that these relationships hold true not only for individuals most vulnerable to downsizing, but also for those who the organization would consider immune to such actions. These results suggest that organizational downsizing activities not only negatively impact the emotional state of employees, but that such feelings translate into negative organizational outcomes and undesirable employee behavior. More importantly it shows that the negative effect of a downsizing event can impact an entire organization despite attempts to insulate most employees from these effects.
AFIT Designator
AFIT-GIR-ENV-08-M26
DTIC Accession Number
ADA482952
Recommended Citation
Willis, Ward G., "Risk Propensity and Knowledge Sharing Intentions of Individuals in a Downsized Organization" (2008). Theses and Dissertations. 2867.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/2867