Dimensions, Processes and Outcomes

This section presents some basic characteristics and dimensions of psychological contracts. The issue most widely discussed is the emergence of the new psychological contract. However, this research contribution largely takes a process perspective and the terms of the psychological contract, whether old or new, are treated as a given. So the aim of this section is not to develop a prescriptive model of the mutual obligations that organisations should attempt to establish. Rather, this section provides an overview of possible obligations that may form part of psychological contracts and the typical patters of obligations that can be found. This allows an estimation of the range of issues involved as well as the magnitude of possible inter-organisational and intraorganisational differences.