(The Mediating Role of Perceived Organizational Support on the Effect of Psychological Contract Breach on Job Embeddedness)

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among psychological contract breach, perceived organizational support (POS) and job embeddedness. Specifically, this study tests a mediation model wherein psychological contract breach predicts job embeddedness through POS. The model basically draws on conservation of resources theory (COR). Based on COR, this study proposes that psychological contract breach to be associated with low POS and consequently with reduced job embeddedness. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from a variety of organizations in Turkey. The sample included 642 fulltime employees with at least one-year tenure. We tested our research hypotheses using structural equation modeling, bootstrapping and ANOVA. Findings – The results provide support for our mediation hypothesis suggesting that psychological contract breach predicts employees’ job embeddedness through their POS. Our findings also show that age, organizational tenure and job position are positively and significantly related to job embeddedness. Furthermore, our findings indicate that job embeddedness measure is valid construct in the context of Turkey. Discussion – As this study is the first to link psychological contract breach to job embeddedness, it expands the harmful consequences of psychological contract breach on both employee and organization. Theoretical and practical implications and limitations are discussed, and directions for future research are proposed.