Perceived breach of contract for one's own layoff vs. someone else's layoff: Personal pink slips hurt more

In this study we examine how the perception of layoff as a violation of a psychological contract can vary depending upon one's perception of employer contractual obligation. We also investigate how perceptions of layoffs vary depending on whether one is focusing on his/her own layoff or the layoff of someone else. Survey results from 81 layoff victims reveal that respondents perceive their own layoff as a breach of contract more than they do the layoff of someone else. In addition, respondents who believe strongly in employee self reliance perceive their own layoff as less of a contract breach. Ideas for future research and implications for managers are discussed in our conclusions

Determinants of Sovereign Eurobonds Yield Spread

We examine the determinants of sovereign Eurobond spread at issuance covering 1991-2000. The results of the regression models showed that yield spread increases with maturity, issue size and gross fees and decreases with credit rating and the number of managers. Higher-grade issuers also pay a relatively higher spread to borrow long-term funds and for smaller issues. The findings are consistent with the notion of a term structure 'liquidity premium.' Low-grade issuers pay a higher spread than better-rated countries. However, low-grade countries pay high spread for larger funds. Credit rating is found to provide additional information in explaining the spread on sovereign Eurobonds beyond that provided by macroeconomic variables. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2004.

How does distributive justice affect work attitudes? The moderating effects of autonomy

Organizational justice has been a frequently used lens for understanding employee attitudes, particularly towards the fair distribution of rewards. This study of 184 New Zealand employees found distributive justice relating to pay, benefits, and rewards to be significantly linked to job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Further, job autonomy was found to significantly interact with these relationships. While employees with high job autonomy reported higher job satisfaction and lower turnover intentions when distributive justice was high, employees with little job autonomy registered significantly larger changes in work attitudes. The findings highlight the importance of felt independence and autonomy over work in the role that justice perceptions play in organizations