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Antecedents and consequences of idiosyncratic deals: A frame of resource exchange

Abstract

This study examines the antecedents and consequences of both timing and content of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) for attracting and retaining valuable employees. A resource exchange frame theorizes the influence pattern of personal individualism value, social skill, and perceived insider status on i-deals timing. Individualism and social skill are expected to relate to both ex ante and ex post i-deals; perceived insider status is anticipated to relate only to ex post i-deals. The frame also suggests that i-deals’ content and personal development relate primarily to relational and balanced psychological contracts; the other ex post i-deals, flexibility and workload reduction relate to transactional psychological contracts. The frame was tested with data collected from 289 Chinese employees in the telecommunication industry.

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Correspondence to Cynthia Lee.

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Lee, C., Hui, C. Antecedents and consequences of idiosyncratic deals: A frame of resource exchange. Front. Bus. Res. China 5, 380–401 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11782-011-0136-1

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