Reflecting on the case study discussed in class, critically explore why the psychological contract is central to the employer-employee relationship. Critically analyse the breaches of the psychological contract presented in the case and discuss the negative impact on both employee and organisational performance.
2. Provide a critical review and academically underpinned rationale of the steps you would advise the case study company to take in making the redundancies to minimise negative perceptions of Organisational Justice. Drawing upon Cropanzano, Bowen & Gilliland (2007), discuss the relative importance of Distributive Justice, Procedural Justice, and Interactional Justice in the management of perceptions of justice in organisations.
3. Critically explore the antecedents of work-life conflict experienced by Oliver and Amira in the case study, drawing upon Humbert & Lewis (2008), McMillan, Morris & Atchley (2011), as well as theories and frameworks introduced in the lecture.
4. Present an argument that explores the relationship between stress and employee performance with regard to Nede’s role. Your answer should draw upon challenge and hindrance stressors, utilise models of stress introduced in the module and be based on the reading by Mark & Smith (2006). Additionally, you may wish to discuss the role of stress management.
5. With respect to the Rising Star case study, critically review how role congruity theory may help to explain why women are often not considered for certain promotions and are under-represented in leadership roles. To support your answer, draw upon Hoobler, Wayne & Lemmon (2009), Ibarra, Ely & Kolb (2013) and Elsesser & Lever (2011).
6. Organisations use images of diversity or information about diversity initiatives in their recruitment advertising to attract job candidates from under-represented groups. Drawing upon Avery (2003), Martins & Parsons (2007), and Williamson et al. (2008), identify three factors that have been shown to influence job applicants’ reactions to this type of advertising and explain how they do so.
7. According to the rational actor model of hiring decisions, employers will change their stereotyped beliefs about minority job applicants after having positive experiences with
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members of that minority group. According to Pager & Karafin’s (2009) study, what do employers do in real life?
8. “Emotions are now often seen as central to certain organisational roles.” Critically assess this statement, with reference to emotional labour by Hochschild (1983), as well as drawing upon Brook (2009), Williams (2003), and Nguyen, Besson & Stinglhamber, (2022).
