Partially testing a process model for understanding victim responses to an anticipated worksite closure

Abstract

This study partially tested a recent process model for understanding victim responses to worksite/function closure (W/FC) proposed by Blau [Blau, G. (2006). A process model for understanding victim responses to worksite/function closure. Human Resource Management Review, 16, 12–28], in a pharmaceutical manufacturing site. Central to the model are the Kubler-Ross [Kubler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying. New York: Macmillan] grieving stages, which have not been formally measured and applied to downsizing research. Following Blau (2006), individual grieving stages were successfully measured and clustered into more general grieving categories, i.e., negative (denial, anger, bargaining depression) and positive (exploration, acceptance). Across four waves of data 53 respondents constituted the complete data sample. The Time 1 personal factors had minimal impact on any type of response. However, Time 1 situational factors did have an impact, paced by higher perceived contract violation leading to greater strain, work incivility, organizational deviance, and intent to sue employer, and lower transactional obligations and employer endorsement. Earlier Time 2 grieving stages were used as individual antecedents in regression analyses to explain Time 3 ( N = 77) victim responses (general strain, work incivility, interpersonal deviance, organizational deviance, transactional obligations, relational obligations) and also Time 4 ( N = 53) prior to closure responses (intent to sue employer, employer endorsement). Within negative grieving, results indicated that greater anger was the most influential grieving stage, since it led to greater strain, work incivility, organizational deviance, and intent to sue, as well as lower transactional obligations and lower endorsement. Within positive grieving acceptance was the most influential, since it led to lower strain, lower work incivility, lower organizational deviance, and lower intent to sue. Study limitations and future research issues are discussed.