The bright side of indebtedness

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show that indebtedness can have a positive meaning for people who are embedded in social relationships in organizations if it is meant in the light of the notion of gratitude, gift-giving and generalized reciprocity. Design/methodology/approach The study reviews the literature on the common notion of indebtedness and integrates it with the literature on gratitude, gift-giving and generalized reciprocity. Findings The study reveals that through the notion of gratitude, gift-giving and generalized reciprocity people may conceive their indebtedness as gratitude for having received something, so triggering giving behaviors that does not necessarily aim to repay the debt, but to develop and feed their social relationships. Originality/value In the past indebtedness has been conceived as a negative feeling. This study reveals that it may have also a bright side when it is applied to people in flesh and bones, as they are immersed in good quality social relationships.