ABSTRACT
This chapter applies the psychological contract perspective to shed light on the complexity of a whistleblowing process with respect to the different parties involved, the dilemmas raised, and why the process unfolded as it did. A psychological contract refers to the employees’ perceptions about the reciprocal relationship with their employer and colleagues. Psychological contracts are relational, transactional, ideological, and/or normative. The aim of the chapter is to show how psychological contract theory can explain the steps taken in the whistleblowing process from the whistleblower, the board, the managers, and the colleagues’ sides. The analysis of critical incidents in the whistleblowing narrative showed that violation, or fear of violation, of all types of psychological contracts influenced the decision-making of central actors and affected the outcomes of the whistleblowing process.
