This qualitative research explores the psychological contract (PC) of a sample of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) working in the French hospitality sector, focusing on PC evaluation as well as reactions to PC breach and feelings of violation. The authors found evidence of a psychological contract type not discussed before in empirical studies. The employer in this research intentionally disrupts the exchange relationship, creating a destructive PC. In these cases, it is assumed that employees would exit such an employment relationship, but instead the study found a mix of dysfunctional behavior in the form of neglect, workplace deviance and revenge cognitions. Accounting for the limitations of the study the authors highlight the implications of the findings for theory, practice and future research.
AldrichPDietzGClarkTHamiltonP (2015) Establishing HR professionals’ influence and credibility: Lessons from the capital markets and investment banking sector. Human Resource Management54(1): 105–130.
2.
BalMBrookesA (2022) How sustainable is human resource management really? An argument for radical sustainability. Sustainability14(7): 4219.
3.
BankinsS (2015) A process perspective on psychological contract change: Making sense of, and repairing, psychological contract breach and violation through employee coping actions. Journal of Organizational Behavior36(8): 1071–1095.
4.
BarronP (2008) Education and talent management: Implications for the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management20(7): 730–742.
5.
BlauPM (1964) Exchange and Power in Social Life. New York: Wiley & Sons.
6.
BordiaPRestubogSLDTangRL (2008) When employees strike back: Investigating mediating mechanisms between psychological contract breach and workplace deviance. Journal of Applied Psychology93(5): 1104–1117.
7.
BressonV (2021) Pourquoi l’hôtellerie-restauration ne séduit plus les travailleurs. Slate, 15October. Available at: www.slate.fr
8.
BundersonJS (2001) How work ideologies shape psychological contracts of professional employees: Doctors’ responses to perceived breach. Journal of Organizational Behavior22(7): 717–741.
9.
CerdinJ-LSelmerJ (2014) Who is a self-initiated expatriate? Towards conceptual clarity of a common notion. International Journal of Human Resource Management25(9): 1281–1301.
10.
ClarkDAltmanY (2015) Home, family and the Self-Initiated Expatriate experience: Living with uncertainty, complexity and change. In: MäkeläLSuutariV (eds) Work and Family Interface in the International Career Context. New York: Springer, pp. 139–157.
11.
CohenDRoeske-ZummerK (2021) With so many people quitting, don’t overlook those who stay. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1October, pp. 1–7.
12.
ConwayNBrinerRB (2005) Understanding Psychological Contracts at Work: A Critical Evaluation of Theory and Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
13.
ConwayNBrinerRB (2009) Fifty years of psychological contract research: What do we know and what are the main challenges? In: FordJK (ed.) International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 71–130.
14.
Coyle-ShapiroJAKesslerI (2002) Exploring reciprocity through the lens of the psychological contract: Employee and employer perspectives. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology11(1): 69–86.
15.
Coyle-ShapiroJA-MCostaSPDodenWChangC (2019) Psychological contracts: Past, present, and future. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior6: 145–169.
16.
CropanzanoRMitchellMS (2005) Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management31(6): 874–900.
17.
Dares (2015) Plus d’un tiers des CDI sont rompus avant un an. Publication de la direction de l’animation de la recherche. Des études et des statistiques. Février, pp. 1–10.
18.
De VosABuyensDSchalkR (2003) Psychological contract development during organizational socialization: Adaptation to reality and the role of reciprocity. Journal of Organizational Behavior24(5): 537–559.
19.
DeerySJIversonRDWalshJT (2006) Toward a better understanding of psychological contract breach: A study of customer service employees. Journal of Applied Psychology91(1): 166–175.
20.
DiFonzoNAlongiAWieleP (2020) Apology, restitution, and forgiveness after psychological contract breach. Journal of Business Ethics161: 53–69.
21.
DoddsF (2021) What if a fast-food restaurant paid $17 an hour?Entrepreneur50(4): 64–72.
22.
DohertyN (2013) Understanding the self-initiated expatriate: A review and directions for future research. International Journal of Management Reviews15(4): 447–469.
23.
FlanaganJC (1954) The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin51(4): 327–358.
24.
FreeseCSchalkR (2008) How to measure the psychological contract? A critical criteria-based review of measures. South African Journal of Psychology38(2): 269–286.
25.
FullerJKerrW (2022) The Great Resignation didn’t start with the pandemic. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles.
26.
GandiniA (2018) Labour process theory and the gig economy. Human Relations72(6): 1039–1056.
27.
GhiselliRFLa LopaJMBaiB (2001) Job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and turnover intent among food-service managers. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly42(2): 28–37.
28.
GouldnerAW (1960) The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review25: 161–178.
29.
GovoniSJ (1992) To catch a thief. CFO, February, pp. 24–32.
30.
GreenbergJ (1990) Employee theft as a reaction to underpayment inequity: The hidden cost of pay cuts. Journal of Applied Psychology75(5): 561–568.
31.
GriepYBankinsS (2022) The ebb and flow of psychological contract breach in relation to perceived organizational support: Reciprocal relationships over time. Economic and Industrial Democracy43(1): 344–361.
32.
GriepYCooperCRobinsonS, et al. (2019) Psychological contracts: Back to the future. In: GriepYCooperC (eds) The Handbook on Psychological Contract Research. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 397–414.
33.
HansenHVugtsY (2022) Bagagemedewerkers eisen meer loon, gaat KLM ze dat geven?NOS, 26April. Available at: www.nos.nl
34.
HarounyanS (2017) Cash investigation: à Lidl, l’émission a ouvert la brèche. Libération, 28September. Available at: www.liberation.fr
35.
HirschmanAO (1970) Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Responses to Decline in Firms, Organisations, and States. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
36.
JantaHLugosiPBrownLLadkinA (2012) Migrant networks, language learning and tourism employment. Tourism Management33(2): 431–439.
37.
JollyCLainéFBreemY (2012) Document de travail: L’emploi et les métiers des immigrés. Centre d’analyse Stratégique 2012-01.
38.
KallebergAL (2021) Precarious lives: Filling the gaps. Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews50(2): 114–118.
39.
KelloggKCValentineMAChristinA (2020) Algorithms at work: The new contested terrain of control. Academy of Management Annals14(1): 366–410.
40.
KickulJLesterSWFinklJ (2002) Promise breaking during radical organizational change: Do justice interventions make a difference?Journal of Organizational Behavior23(4): 469–488.
41.
KingN (1998) Template analysis. In: SymonGCassellC (eds) Qualitative Methods and Analysis in Organisational Research: A Practical Guide. London: Sage, pp. 118–134.
42.
KingN (2004) Using templates in the thematic analysis of text. In: CassellCSymonG (eds) Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. London: Sage, pp. 256–270.
43.
KotterJP (1973) The psychological contract: Managing the joining-up process. California Management Review15(3): 91–99.
44.
KraakJMAltmanYLaguecirA (2018) Psychological contract meets cultural theory: A study of self-initiated expatriates. International Studies of Management and Organization48(4): 386–402.
45.
KraakJMLakshmanCGriepY (2020) From top gun to the daily grind: Contextualizing psychological contract breach for military pilots. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology29(2): 243–261.
46.
LapointeÉVandenbergheCFanSX (2022) Psychological contract breach and organizational cynicism and commitment among self-initiated expatriates vs. host country nationals in the Chinese and Malaysian transnational education sector. Asia Pacific Journal of Management39: 319–342.
47.
LeeCH (2005) A study of underemployment among self-initiated expatriates. Journal of World Business40(2): 172–187.
48.
Legifrance (2017) Code du travail. Paris: République Française.
49.
LoKIHWongIKAYamCMRWhitfieldR (2012) Examining the impacts of community and organization embeddedness on self-initiated expatriates: The moderating role of expatriate-dominated private sector. International Journal of Human Resource Management23(20): 4211–4230.
50.
LubXBijvankMNBalPM, et al. (2012) Different or alike? Exploring the psychological contract and commitment of different generations of hospitality workers. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management24(4): 553–573.
51.
LugosiPJantaHWilczekB (2016) Work(ing) dynamics of migrant networking among Poles employed in hospitality and food production. The Sociological Review64(4): 894–911.
52.
MaligorneC (2017) Cash investigation: Lidl affirme que le reportage ne reflète pas ses pratiques. Le Figaro, 27September. Available at: www.lefigaro.fr
53.
MerrittACEffronDAMoninB (2010) Moral self-licensing: When being good frees us to be bad. Social and Personality Psychology Compass4(5): 344–357.
54.
MillerDTEffronDA (2010) Psychological license. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology43: 115–155.
55.
MorrisonEWRobinsonSL (1997) When employees feel betrayed: A model of how psychological contract violation develops. Academy of Management Review22(1): 226–256.
56.
O’DonohueWNelsonL (2009) The role of ethical values in an expanded psychological contract. Journal of Business Ethics90(2): 251–263.
57.
O’Leary-KellyAHendersonKAnandVAshforthB (2014) Psychological contracts in a nontraditional industry: Exploring the implications for psychological contract development. Group and Organization Management39(3): 326–360.
58.
ParzefallMRHakanenJ (2010) Psychological contract and its motivational and health-enhancing properties. Journal of Managerial Psychology25(1): 4–21.
59.
PascualJ (2022) Emploi: le recours aux saisonniers étrangers en forte hausse. Le Monde, 3August. Available at: www.lemonde.fr
60.
PattonMQ (1990) Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
61.
PayneSCCulbertsonSSLopezYP, et al. (2015) Contract breach as a trigger for adjustment to the psychological contract during the first year of employment. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology88(1): 41–60.
62.
Puncheva-MichelottiPHudsonSJinG (2018) Employer branding and CSR communication in online recruitment advertising. Business Horizons61(4): 643–651.
63.
ReicheBSPudelkoM (2016) Editorial: International management research – Quo vadis?European Journal of International Management10(1): 1–9.
64.
RestubogSLDZagenczykTJBordiaP, et al. (2015) If you wrong us, shall we not revenge? Moderating roles of self-control and perceived aggressive work culture in predicting responses to psychological contract breach. Journal of Management41(4): 1132–1154.
65.
RigottiT (2009) Enough is enough? Threshold models for the relationship between psychological contract breach and job-related attitudes. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology18(4): 442–463.
66.
RobinsonSL (1996) Trust and breach of the psychological contract. Administrative Science Quarterly41(4): 574–599.
67.
RobinsonSLMorrisonEW (2000) The development of psychological contract breach and violation: A longitudinal study. Journal of Organizational Behavior21(5): 525–547.
68.
RobinsonSLKraatzMSRousseauDM (1994) Changing obligations and the psychological contract: A longitudinal study. Academy of Management Journal37(1): 137–152.
69.
RousseauDM (1989) Psychological and implied contracts in organizations. Employee Responsibilities & Rights Journal2(2): 121–139.
70.
RousseauDM (1995) Psychological Contracts in Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
71.
RousseauDMMcLean ParksJ (1993) The contracts of individuals and organizations. In: CummingsLLStawBM (eds) Research in Organizational Behavior. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, pp. 1–47.
RousseauDMTijoriwalaSA (1998) Assessing psychological contracts: Issues, alternatives and measures. Journal of Organizational Behavior19(1): 679–695.
74.
RousseauDMWade-BenzoniKA (1994) Linking strategy and human resource practices: How employee and customer contracts are created. Human Resource Management33(3): 463–489.
75.
RusbultCEFarrellDRogersGMainousAGIII (1988) Impact of exchange variables on exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect: An alternative model of responses to declining job satisfaction. Academy of Management Journal31(3): 599–627.
76.
SchalkRRoeRE (2007) Towards a dynamic model of the psychological contract. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour37(2): 167–182.
77.
SolingerONHofmansJBalPMJansenPGW (2016) Bouncing back from psychological contract breach: How commitment recovers over time. Journal of Organizational Behavior37(4): 494–514.
78.
StakeRE (1995) The Art of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
79.
Strumińska-KutraMKoładkiewiczI (2018) Case study. In: CiesielskaMJemielniakD (eds) Qualitative Research in Organization Studies. Abingdon: Routledge.
80.
SundbergM (2019) Work practices, normative control and ascetic responsibilization in Cistercian monasteries. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion16(5): 397–412.
81.
TaylorMLSøndergaardM (2017) Unraveling the Mysteries of Case Study Research. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
82.
TekleabAGOrvisKATaylorMS (2013) Deleterious consequences of change in newcomers’ employer-based psychological contract obligations. Journal of Business Psychology28(3): 361–374.
83.
TharenouP (2015) Researching expatriate types: The quest for rigorous methodological approaches. Human Resource Management Journal25(2): 149–165.
84.
ThompsonJABundersonJS (2003) Violations of principle: Ideological currency in the psychological contract. Academy of Management Review28(4): 571–586.
85.
TomprouMRousseauDMHansenSD (2015) The psychological contracts of violation victims: A post-violation model. Journal of Organizational Behavior36(4): 561–581.
86.
TurnleyWHFeldmanDC (1999) The impact of psychological contract violations on exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect. Human Relations52(7): 895–922.
87.
TurnleyWHFeldmanDC (2000) Re-examining the effect of psychological contract violations: Unmet expectations and job dissatisfaction as mediators. Journal of Organizational Behavior21(1): 25–42.
Van DoornN (2017) Platform labor: On the gendered and racialized exploitation of low-income service work in the ‘on-demand’ economy. Information, Communication and Society20(6): 898–914.
VictorBCullenJB (1987) A theory, measure of ethical climate in organizations. In: KurtinesWGewirtzJ (eds) Morality, Moral Behaviour and Moral Development. New York: Wiley, pp. 201–281.
92.
WalkerAHuttonDM (2006) The application of the psychological contract to workplace safety. Journal of Safety Research37(5): 433–441.
93.
WeishaarHB (2008) Consequences of international migration: A qualitative study on stress among Polish migrant workers in Scotland. Public Health122(11): 1250–1256.
94.
ZhangKYRientiesB (2017) Unpacking differences in psychological contracts of organizational and self-initiated expatriates. Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research5(1): 93–108.
95.
ZhaoHWayneSJGlibkowskiBCBravoJ (2007) The impact of psychological contract breach on work-related outcomes: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology60(3): 647–680.
96.
Zoghbi Manrique-de-LaraPAltmanYGuerra BaezRColasH (2021) Compassionate in nature? Exploring hotel staff third-party interventions in instances of (in)justice. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research45(6): 1069–1091
