Abstract

While downsizing has become an increasingly popular organizational tool in the achievement and/or maintenance of competitiveness and increased productivity, the negative side effect known as survivor syndrome continues to plague many post-downsizing organizations. This thesis is an exploratory study with the aim of producing an instrument, the Realistic Downsizing Preview (RDP), which can be effectively used, before the downsizing is implemented, to prevent survivor syndrome in the aftermath of the downsizing. As such, a model is created based on lessons from the literature on downsizing and survivor syndrome. The revision/validation of the model is based on the data gathered from focused interviews and questionnaires presented to nine case organizations. All but a few of the items proposed in the model are either already in practice or considered desirable by the interviewees, supporting the value of implementing an intervention to address survivor syndrome prior to the downsizing. As a result, the final RDP model is the product of both best practices proposed in the literature and the feedback of real life downsizing organizations. The implications of using this model for managers and management are discussed. Future research suggestions are also provided.