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a social influence analysis of perceived organizational support

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to employees with whom they have high-quality exchange relationships, thus reinforcing such<br />

employees’ beliefs that the organization cares for them and values their contributions. Results <strong>of</strong><br />

a study <strong>of</strong> 1,413 salaried employees from across the U.S. by Wayne, Shore, and Liden (1997)<br />

were consistent with this hypothesis, as were results <strong>of</strong> a later study by Wayne, Shore, Bommer<br />

and Tetric (2002) involving 211 employee-supervisor dyads.<br />

Research on the relationship between supervisory relationships and POS is important to<br />

the relationship between coworkers and similarity in POS because it demonstrates that<br />

individuals can <strong>influence</strong> POS. However, research on supervisor <strong>support</strong> and leader-member<br />

exchange views the supervisor as a representative <strong>of</strong> the organization. Thus, it has only<br />

considered the relationship between formal <strong>organizational</strong> representatives and POS. In this<br />

proposed study, I explore the possibility that informal relationships – coworker relationships –<br />

can play a role in shaping employees’ POS. However, the perspective presented in this<br />

dissertation differs from extant research because I do not view coworkers as an agent <strong>of</strong> the<br />

organization, but rather as a source <strong>of</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>influence</strong>. The information that coworkers provide<br />

to a focal employee regarding their beliefs about their relationship with the organization, not the<br />

treatment that they provide to a focal employee, will shape the POS <strong>of</strong> the focal employee.<br />

Human Resource Practices. Human resource practices that are <strong>perceived</strong> as an<br />

investment in human capital are expected to lead to high or low levels <strong>of</strong> POS because they<br />

signal to employees that they are valued. Consistent with this proposition, developmental<br />

experiences, training and feedback - investments in employees that convey to them that the<br />

organization values them - are positively related to POS (Hutchison, 1997; Wayne et al., 1997).<br />

Researchers have also investigated the relationship between autonomy and POS.<br />

Autonomy is a signal provided by the organization to employees that the organization trusts them<br />

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