Thesis
Vulnerable workers in insecure jobs: A meta-synthesis of qualitative findings
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
05/2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004291
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/125210
Abstract
Job insecurity is a widespread workplace stressor that has been extensively investigated using quantitative (primarily correlational) approaches. However, scholars have also used qualitative methods to understand it. Using a critical organizational psychology framework, this meta-synthesis aimed to investigate vulnerable employees’ perceptions of job insecurity. Qualitative evidence suggested that there are meaningful differences across three categories of vulnerable employees (i.e., women, immigrants, and employees working for organizations with certain characteristics). Specifically, males perceived job insecurity as threatening their identity, while females were more concerned with deteriorating working conditions (i.e., qualitative job insecurity). Managers highlighted specific threats to their job as a function of certain organization’s characteristics and highlighted individual coping strategies, while rank-and-file employees were more concerned with powerlessness. Immigrants noted how job insecurity trickles down to their life outside of their jobs as well as the intersections of job insecurity and the legal system. Qualitative studies also investigated individual actions that participants used to attain security and corporate strategies that enhanced job insecurity. Taken together, these results challenge two neoliberal assumptions, namely (a) corporations enact strategies that increase job insecurity only as a reaction to financial exigency and (b) employment relations are overall harmonious.
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Details
- Title
- Vulnerable workers in insecure jobs
- Creators
- Andrea Bazzoli
- Contributors
- Tahira Probst (Advisor) - Washington State University, Psychology, Department of
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Identifiers
- 99900896401101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis