Searle, Rosalind H. and Ball, Kirstie S.
(2004).
| DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link: | http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1108/02683940410559392 |
|---|---|
| Google Scholar: | Look up in Google Scholar |
Abstract
This paper explores the development and maintenance of trust and distrust in an organization undergoing a merger. Using a longitudinal study we examined the sense-making of retained staff by comparing two sets of in-depth interviews with six survivors and detailed field notes. Four central themes were identified revealing differences between trust and distrust. The themes included: the importance of perceived changes to the psychological contract, organizational justice, reputations of individuals and risk management. By analysing the sense-making the need for congruence between what was done and how it was done was revealed. As distrust grew staff balanced this disequilibrium through their trust in the familiar, however, this finding calls into question the role of rationality as the basis for risk management. We discuss the implications of these findings for the successful management of mergers.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
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| Copyright Holders: | Emerald Group Publishing Limited |
| ISSN: | 0268-3946 |
| Funders: | British Academy |
| Keywords: | acquisitions and mergers; employees; sensory perception; trust |
| Academic Unit/Department: | Social Sciences > Psychology in the Social Sciences Open University Business School |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: | Centre for Citizenship, Identities and Governance (CCIG) |
| Item ID: | 1944 |
| Depositing User: | Users 12 not found. |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Jun 2006 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Jun 2012 15:08 |
| URI: | http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/1944 |
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