‘You try to be a fair employer’: regulation and employment relationships in medium-sized firms

Atkinson, C.; Mallett, O.; Wapshott, R.

doi:10.1177/0266242614541992

‘You try to be a fair employer’: regulation and employment relationships in medium-sized firms

Atkinson, C.; Mallett, O.; Wapshott, R.

Authors

C. Atkinson

O. Mallett

R. Wapshott

Abstract

In this article, we explore the dynamic, indirect effects of employment regulation through a qualitative study of three medium-sized enterprises and their ongoing, everyday employment relationships. Whereas owner–manager prerogative is generally associated with informality in small and medium-sized enterprises, we identify instances of formal policies and procedures implemented in response to regulation being instrumental in exerting this prerogative. Furthermore, employees reinforced this process by making judgements regarding the employment relationship in terms of their perceived informal psychological contract rather than external regulatory obligations. This article extends understanding of dynamic, indirect regulatory effects in relation to the interplay of informality and formality within psychological contracts in medium-sized enterprises.

Citation

Atkinson, C., Mallett, O., & Wapshott, R. (2016). ‘You try to be a fair employer’: regulation and employment relationships in medium-sized firms. International Small Business Journal, 34(1), 16-33. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242614541992

Journal Article Type	Article
Online Publication Date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2016
Deposit Date	Jul 14, 2014
Publicly Available Date	Jul 17, 2014
Journal	International Small Business Journal
Print ISSN	0266-2426
Electronic ISSN	1741-2870
Publisher	SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	34
Issue	1
Pages	16-33
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242614541992
Keywords	Medium-sized enterprises, Employment relationships, Regulation, Psychological contract.
Public URL	https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1426456

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