The boomerang effect of rumour denials: An attributional analysis. Rumours can have many harmful consequences. They may lead to damaged reputations, reduced morale, panic, stress and loss of interpersonal trust. Furthermore, they are very hard to manage. A simple denial of a rumour can often result in increased belief in the rumour. This boomerang effect makes it very difficult to combat harmful rumours. The proposed research applies causal attribution theory to explain the causes behind the boo ....The boomerang effect of rumour denials: An attributional analysis. Rumours can have many harmful consequences. They may lead to damaged reputations, reduced morale, panic, stress and loss of interpersonal trust. Furthermore, they are very hard to manage. A simple denial of a rumour can often result in increased belief in the rumour. This boomerang effect makes it very difficult to combat harmful rumours. The proposed research applies causal attribution theory to explain the causes behind the boomerang effect. It uses a combination of laboratory and field experiments and aims to develop and test strategies to overcome this effect.Read moreRead less
The initiation and maintenance of plasma and platelet donation in Australia: An analysis of the role of donor identity and commitment. Australia strives to be self-sufficient in the provision of plasma and platelets in a context where demand is forecast to grow. Our research will be of significant social and applied benefit to Australia in identifying the key psychosocial determinants of plasma and platelet (apheresis) donation initiation and maintenance. In addition, our research will design an ....The initiation and maintenance of plasma and platelet donation in Australia: An analysis of the role of donor identity and commitment. Australia strives to be self-sufficient in the provision of plasma and platelets in a context where demand is forecast to grow. Our research will be of significant social and applied benefit to Australia in identifying the key psychosocial determinants of plasma and platelet (apheresis) donation initiation and maintenance. In addition, our research will design and assess practical interventions to facilitate the recruitment and retention of apheresis donors. Greater understanding of the determinants of apheresis donor behaviour will help to increase the numbers of Australians choosing to become regular apheresis donors. This will allow Australia to ultimately meet its goal of self-sufficiency in providing critical medical resources.Read moreRead less
Older workers & psychological contracts: A dynamic perspective. This project aims to track the trajectories of older workers’ psychological contracts that shape their give-and-take with the organisation. Little is understood about how these psychological contracts change as older workers continue to pursue work through their fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth decades of life. This project tracks older workers over intensive, repeated in-depth interviews and a large-scale longitudinal panel study. ....Older workers & psychological contracts: A dynamic perspective. This project aims to track the trajectories of older workers’ psychological contracts that shape their give-and-take with the organisation. Little is understood about how these psychological contracts change as older workers continue to pursue work through their fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth decades of life. This project tracks older workers over intensive, repeated in-depth interviews and a large-scale longitudinal panel study. The outcomes fill significant gaps in our understanding of older workers’ needs and orientation toward work, and identify the age-related changes and organisational practices that spur older workers to sustain a strong trajectory of productive participation in the workforce.Read moreRead less
Competent but Less Likeable: Social Stereotypes and Strategic Choices in Negotiation. Women may be disadvantaged by the greater opportunities for negotiating employment conditions that Work Choices provides. Relative to their male peers, women receive lower starting salaries and smaller increases. This is costly for women, who leave the workforce with less financial security. The gender gap is also costly for organisations, who face increased dissatisfaction and turnover. Woman can improve the ....Competent but Less Likeable: Social Stereotypes and Strategic Choices in Negotiation. Women may be disadvantaged by the greater opportunities for negotiating employment conditions that Work Choices provides. Relative to their male peers, women receive lower starting salaries and smaller increases. This is costly for women, who leave the workforce with less financial security. The gender gap is also costly for organisations, who face increased dissatisfaction and turnover. Woman can improve their outcomes through negotiation, but the assertive tactics that improve their economic outcomes are likely to generate social reprisals in the workplace. This project will benefit employers and employees alike, by identifying strategies that assist women to improve their economic outcomes while buffering them from social reprisals.Read moreRead less
The Dynamics of Trust in Negotiation: Implications for Strategy and Outcomes. Despite the benefits of cooperation, negotiators frequently choose competitive strategies. This reduces their ability to build enduring solutions that meet both negotiators' needs. In this project, we investigate the role of trust in fostering cooperation. Although trust is a pre-requisite for cooperation, negotiation research is yet to systematically explore how trust is built, sustained and violated. We test h ....The Dynamics of Trust in Negotiation: Implications for Strategy and Outcomes. Despite the benefits of cooperation, negotiators frequently choose competitive strategies. This reduces their ability to build enduring solutions that meet both negotiators' needs. In this project, we investigate the role of trust in fostering cooperation. Although trust is a pre-requisite for cooperation, negotiation research is yet to systematically explore how trust is built, sustained and violated. We test how first impressions establish trust and how patterns of communication sustain trust. We also test how salient events punctuate negotiations and alter trust. Our goal is to identify those processes that facilitate trust and cooperation in negotiation.Read moreRead less
Rudeness, social undermining and interpersonal mistreatment in the workplace. Workers who are mistreated by colleagues, be it thoughtless rudesness or more intentional undermining, are more likely than others to leave their job, suffer from poor emotional and physical health, and engage in increasingly aggressive retalitory actions. By providing greater understanding of the contributing factors and processes involved, this project will inform the development of interventions to reduce these coun ....Rudeness, social undermining and interpersonal mistreatment in the workplace. Workers who are mistreated by colleagues, be it thoughtless rudesness or more intentional undermining, are more likely than others to leave their job, suffer from poor emotional and physical health, and engage in increasingly aggressive retalitory actions. By providing greater understanding of the contributing factors and processes involved, this project will inform the development of interventions to reduce these counterproductive behaviours and their harmful effects. Providing a unique opportunity for widespread documentation of the incidence and nature of interpersonal mistreatment across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, the research will identify types of people or workplaces that are at high risk of being targeted.Read moreRead less
A Relational Model of Strategic Choice in Negotiation. Poorly managed negotiations have negative consequences for both individuals and organisations. They create negative emotions, damage relationships, and may require costly and time-consuming third-party interventions. An important, yet neglected, aspect of negotiations is the underlying relationship between the parties. In this project, we examine how risks to the underlying relationship, specifically, perceived trustworthiness or its lack, ....A Relational Model of Strategic Choice in Negotiation. Poorly managed negotiations have negative consequences for both individuals and organisations. They create negative emotions, damage relationships, and may require costly and time-consuming third-party interventions. An important, yet neglected, aspect of negotiations is the underlying relationship between the parties. In this project, we examine how risks to the underlying relationship, specifically, perceived trustworthiness or its lack, affect negotiators' strategy choices. Each of the risks that we identify can be offset by selecting appropriate strategies. We develop and test a model that helps negotiators identify these risks and make strategic choices that protect their interests without damaging the relationship. Read moreRead less
Understanding employee-employer relationships during bridge employment: A psychological contract perspective. Bridge employment (paid employment after retirement from a career job) has several advantages for the individual (financial benefits, feeling of social connectedness, sense of accomplishment), employing organisations (access to experienced and skilled workers), and the government (lower burden on pension and benefits schemes). The proposed research will study the employee-employer relati ....Understanding employee-employer relationships during bridge employment: A psychological contract perspective. Bridge employment (paid employment after retirement from a career job) has several advantages for the individual (financial benefits, feeling of social connectedness, sense of accomplishment), employing organisations (access to experienced and skilled workers), and the government (lower burden on pension and benefits schemes). The proposed research will study the employee-employer relationship in bridge employment, with a focus on their perceptions of mutual obligationsin form of the psychological contract. An understanding of the psychological contract will make it more likely that the employment relationship fulfils the needs of the employees and employers and leads to a more successful bridge employment relationship.Read moreRead less
The two faces of leadership: Constructive and destructive leadership and their consequences for employees. This proposal is designed to strengthen Australia’s social and economic fabric by enhancing understanding of the impact of both constructive and destructive leadership on follower and organisational outcomes. This research enables us to identify ways in which organisations can reduce tangible (e.g., low production levels, reduced performance) and intangible losses (e.g., reduced psychologic ....The two faces of leadership: Constructive and destructive leadership and their consequences for employees. This proposal is designed to strengthen Australia’s social and economic fabric by enhancing understanding of the impact of both constructive and destructive leadership on follower and organisational outcomes. This research enables us to identify ways in which organisations can reduce tangible (e.g., low production levels, reduced performance) and intangible losses (e.g., reduced psychological health), which have wider societal implications. Our focus on developing a training program to build constructive leadership and minimise destructive leadership is a key strategy designed to promote a healthier and more productive work environment.Read moreRead less
The high cost of bad bosses: Reactions of employees, co-workers, and employees' partners to abusive supervision. Abusive supervision has serious consequences for individuals and organisations. It is detrimental to employee well-being, reduces productivity, and may even result in litigation. We examine the negative effects of abusive supervision not only on employees but also on those around them: their co-workers and families. Our proposed intervention is a major step towards empowering employee ....The high cost of bad bosses: Reactions of employees, co-workers, and employees' partners to abusive supervision. Abusive supervision has serious consequences for individuals and organisations. It is detrimental to employee well-being, reduces productivity, and may even result in litigation. We examine the negative effects of abusive supervision not only on employees but also on those around them: their co-workers and families. Our proposed intervention is a major step towards empowering employees to effectively manage the aftermath of supervisory mistreatment. The outcomes of this research will demonstrate the need for organisations and governmental agencies to invest more resources in the prevention of these harmful supervisory practices.Read moreRead less