E-Mail Privacy and Psychological Contract Violation, and Their Influence on Trust in Top Management and Affective Commitment

Abstract

This study used communication privacy management and psychological contract (PC) theory to see if employee concerns about e-mail privacy would influence their feelings of PC violation and trust in top management. In addition, this study examined the impact of perceived PC violations on employees’ feelings of trust in top management and affective organizational commitment. A total of 251 participants filled out a Web questionnaire. Results were consistent with the theoretical perspective, as feelings of email privacy were linked to perceived PC violations and trust in top management. These perceptions, in turn, were related to employees’ feelings of affective commitment.

Keywords: affective commitment, communication privacy, electronic mail, psychological contracts, trust