The effects of employment externalization on the climate of flexibility: Evidence from Spanish firms
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the consequences of externalization from the perspective of the employees. The paper contributes to this line of research by examining how externalization influences internal employees’ perceptions of flexibility.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested with data collected from 249 internal workers in five organizations. To contrast the hypotheses, the paper used hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
The results of the study indicate that externalization has a negative and significant effect on the climate of flexibility among internal workers. These negative consequences decrease in a context of group potency, but increase among employees with greater supervisory responsibility.
Originality/value
The results obtained add evidence to the small body of theoretical research that has studied the negative effects of externalization on internal employees’ perceptions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work has been developed with funding and collaboration of the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the European Union, R&D Project ECO2010-15885.
Citation
Javier Lloréns-Montes, F., Teresa Ortega-Egea, M. and Ruiz-Moreno, A. (2013), "The effects of employment externalization on the climate of flexibility: Evidence from Spanish firms", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 34 No. 7, pp. 813-828. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-03-2012-0057
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited