PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACTS, ORGANIZATIONAL AND JOB COMMITMENT

Increased use of time-limited contracts as the mainstay of employer-em ployee relations has implications for the psychological character of t he exchange relationship. To investigate this, the current study is fr amed by Rousseau's (1995) psychological contract model (PCM). The psyc hological contract pertains to beliefs held by individuals about their contractual terms and conditions. The findings yield evidence for Rou sseau's distinction between two types of contractual belief (relationa l and transactional), as well as the explanatory potential of the PCM over and above the concept of organizational commitment. As predicted, temporary workers were more transactional than relational in their co ntractual orientation. The findings are discussed with reference to a need to develop a theoretical basis for research on organizational inv olvement.