It’s all in the mind: Leadership, moral and the psychological contract

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

At the end of the seventeenth century, John Locke was the talk of London and the more intellectual parts of Europe following the publication of his Second Treatise on Government (1692), where he laid out his thoughts on how people would, and should, act given free will in society. His ideas, along with those such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau almost a century later, centered around a “social contract” where citizens would voluntarily join together to form a neutral government to prevent fear and promote benefits of acting as a society. This form of tacit consent will be familiar to all, and can be especially relevant to deeper understanding of the inner workings of modern firms.

Practical implications

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Citation

(2017), "It’s all in the mind: Leadership, moral and the psychological contract", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 16-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-03-2017-0042