The emotional dimension of organisational work when cultural sponsorship relationships are dissolved

Abstract

The emphasis of current research into cultural sponsorship has been on understanding the key factors required for successful sponsorship relationships and also understanding the causal factors of relationships ending prematurely or relationships fading. This paper considers the importance of the interpersonal ties that develop between the employees of the sponsoring and the sponsored organisation. Then, by utilising research on the ending of business relationships and drawing on Fiske's (1992) Relational Models Theory with its extension into the discussion of ‘taboo trade-offs’, the paper examines the nature and management of emotions when such sponsorship relationships end. We find that boundary-spanning agents employ behavioural and cognitive defence mechanisms to ameliorate pressures faced at this time, which are evidenced in their attempts to resist management calls to end the relationship.

Keywords:

• sponsorship relationships
• emotional work
• relational models
• taboo trade-offs

Notes

¹Fiske's Relation Models Theory has received little attention in the management literature.