WHEN TOUGH TIMES MAKE TOUGH BOSSES - MANAGERIAL DISTANCING AS A FUNCTION OF LAYOFF BLAME

A scenario study and a field survey were used to investigate why manag ers often lay off employees in a curt, abrupt fashion. The extent to w hich mismanagement (versus external conditions) caused the need for la yoffs was found to affect managers' reported feelings of discomfort an d the time designated for dismissal meetings with employees. Further r esults showed that mismanagement was also related to managers' anticip ation of negative consequences from actions by layoff victims, such as hostile confrontations and sabotage.