The use of the concept ‘‘entitlement’’ in management literature: A historical review, synthesis, and discussion of compensation policy implications

Individuals’ perceptions of what they are entitled to have long been regarded as an important area of debate. We examine the various uses of entitlement perceptions across fields to develop a typology that identifies two dimensions: employee entitlement perceptions and reciprocity in the employee– employer relationship. We discuss how our typology informs management practice. In particular, we describe the implications of our typology on employee reactions to different pay plans. Directions for future research are suggested. D 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.