Downsizing: employee threat or opportunity? An empirical study on external and internal reorientation practices in Belgian companies
Abstract
This paper reports on a study of the employment implications of different downsizing approaches using 19 case studies of Belgian organizations recently confronted with downsizing. Based on the results of this empirical study, a two‐dimensional categorization model is developed. The first continuum of the model represents the timeframe (reactive to proactive) of downsizing strategies, while the second continuum represents the focus of reorientation practices towards the internal or external labour market. Based on this categorization scheme, the employment implications were explored. Further theoretical, managerial and governmental implications are also suggested.
Keywords
Citation
Dewettinck, K. and Buyens, D. (2002), "Downsizing: employee threat or opportunity? An empirical study on external and internal reorientation practices in Belgian companies", Employee Relations, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 389-402. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450210435536
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited