| Since China joined the WTO, the degree of its economic opening-up has been higher and higher. As China’s economy is taking a faster step to blend itself into the world’s economic system, it has become an integral part of global economic system. Although it is delightful that China’s economy is taking off, we should notice that the influence of global economy, especially the influence of the economic well-being of the developed countries, on China’s economy is greater and greater. Meanwhile, the pressure of global competition, accompanied by ever-changing demand conditions, has forced enterprises to examine their cost structures which include those related with HR. Under the influence of the above two factors, Chinese enterprises, due to the influence of the financial crisis of developed economies or the need to actively adjust human resource structure, start to take the action which was incredible during the planned economy period-downsizing. The2007subprime crisis in the U.S. is closely followed by the2011European debt crisis, which exerts a negative influence on the whole world. During this process, China’s economy cannot set itself apart. Many Chinese enterprises, not only costal export-oriented private enterprises but also some large corporations like Midea Co., Ltd and Li Ning Co., Ltd., have to announce layoffs.The influence of downsizing on laid-off employees is huge, let alone their futures. However, as for another group of people-downsizing survivors, should we pay more attention to them? Since they continue to work in those downsizing enterprises, how will the atmosphere and pressure affect them? This thesis intends to investigate the influence of downsizing on survivors from the perspective of employee creativity. Our focus is employee creativity rather than ordinary productivity. Since in today’s society, creativity has increasingly become the motivation of social progress and employee creativity has become the trump of enterprises, high-tech and R&D ones in particular, so that they can remain invincible in competitions. Therefore, we choose employ creativity as the focus of this study.Apart from survivors of downsizing, we pay close attention to employee creativity, especially the factors which affect it. We, by means of an overall review, found two variables which are rarely considered in studies of creativity and downsizing-Team-Member Exchange (TMX) and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX). Previous literature home and abroad does not provide sufficient analysis of these two relatively new variables. Therefore, in this study, we intend to further investigate them. Besides, threat opportunity perception is also a new concept in studies of creativity which deserves our further investigation.Based on established variables and relevant theories, we put forward our theoretical framework whose core is mediating effect. We have carried out researches on three software companies in Nanjing. Our study investigated several variables which were poorly considered in previous researches and proved part of the mediating effect of downsizing survivors’threat opportunity perception on LMX, TMX and employee creativity. Downsizing enterprises are usually in weak state and their survivors tend to possess psychological sense of threat and lack of creativity. Therefore, it is necessary to figure out how these factors impede survivors’creativity and how to keep the negative influence on employee creativity at a satisfying low level.Through the test of the mediating effect, we finally found the establishment of high quality LMX and TMX can effectively comfort and motivate employees and moderate employees’threat opportunity perception which consequently contribute to survivors’work and creativity. Thus, enterprises should properly make arrangements for survivors during downsizing. Only in this way can employee creativity be kept at a high level. |
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