ABSTRACT
This introduction presents the overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides conceptual clarity regarding the concept of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) in the workplace. The rise of i-deals in organizations has been spurred by a number of societal trends, including the increased power of groups of employees who have valuable skills that organizations desire to attract or retain. The book disentangles the role of i-deals within the broader employment relationship between the employee and the organization through focusing on areas of career development trajectories and the role of the organization and its human resource (HR) systems. It then provides understanding regarding the conceptualization and application of i-deals, and will in detail explore the role of co-workers in the i-deal making process. The book highlights the key issues regarding the conceptualization and applications of i-deals in the workplace.
