TITLE:
The Implications of Psychological Contract on Employee Job Performance in Education Service Delivery: A Study of Ebonyi State University
AUTHORS:
Henry Adeyemi Aluko, Ayodele Aluko, Funke Ogunjimi
KEYWORDS:
Public Personnel Management, Psychological Contract, Job Performance, Education Service Delivery, Employment Relations, Relational Contract, Social Exchange Theory
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.10 No.2,
March
31,
2022
ABSTRACT: This paper examined the implications of psychological contract on
employee job performance in Ebonyi State University Abakaliki. The paper
adopted descriptive research design, based on primary and secondary empirical
data exploration to deal concretely with the
phenomena of public personnel management as it bothers on psychological
contract in employment relations and the implication on employee job
performance. The study queried the psychological contract enigma in education
service delivery organizations such as Ebonyi State University Abakaliki,
Nigeria. Primary data were drawn from structured questionnaire administered on
a sample size of 346, with secondary data sourced from empirical academic
journals, newspaper publications, other
internet materials, etc. In testing the research hypotheses, weighted mean
and z-test statistical tools were utilized. In other to depict a clear
narrative from the theoretical and
empirical point of view, the paper employed the “Social
Exchange Theory”, propounded by the renowned American Sociologist George C. Homans
(August 11, 1910-May 29, 1989). The paper revealed that the efficient and
effective job performance of Ebonyi State University employees has been
inhibited by breach of psychological contract, particularly on the part of the
employer (i.e., the state government). The paper indicated that psychological
contract problem has a serious inefficiency and brain drain implication for the
University as well as incapability of the University in delivering on its mandate and mission statement “to provide
a conducive atmosphere for teaching, learning, research and rapid
development in order to transform the
untapped, abundant unskilled, human resources in Ebonyi state into skilled power”. The paper called on the
state government to further create humane work environment (i.e.,
favorable organizational climate) that would facilitate
appropriately remunerated promotions, provide adequate training and
opportunities for career advancement, and stimulate a climate that accommodates
cooperation, consensus and employees’ participation in decision making.