Understanding psychological contract in pharmaceutical and FMCG industry: a comparative analysis

Abstract

The influence of factors outside the boundaries of organization is largely ignored in the examination of psychological contract. The objective of the current research is to empirically examine the association between industry/sector and psychological contract. The article examines the variation in the psychological contract among employees working in pharmaceutical and FMCG sectors. The cross sectional study gathered data from survey. Total 1000 employees participants from 14 organizations, 7 organization from pharmaceutical (N=500) and 7 organizations from FMCG sector (N=500). The findings suggest that employees of pharmaceutical and FMCG sector hold different psychological contract. The article has implications for both researchers and practitioners. The findings will contribute to researchers and scholars interested in the area of psychological contract in understanding the influence of external factors on psychological contract and the complexity associated with these factors. The practitioners can use the information in diagnosing the prevalent psychological contract and managing relationship with their employees.