Redisining work design theories: the rise of relational and proactive perspectives (1/2)

Question 1

Describe the job characteristics model (JCM)

Answer 1

Question 2

What are some critiques on the Job characteristics (JCM) model? (3)

Answer 2

(1) Weak relationship between job characteristics and objective performance
(2) Socially constructed nature of work
(3) Enriched jobs might only be preferred if accompanied by pay increase

Question 3

What is the current view of the job characteristics model (JCM)?

Answer 3

(1) It was not wrong but a little small minded
(2) Jobs not only vary in job/task characteristics but also in knowledge characteristics

Question 4

What are the 2 new perspectives on work design and to which recent developments in work to they respond?

Answer 4

(1) Relational perspectives –> as response to interdependence
(2) Proactive perspectives –> as response to uncertainty

Question 5

Why has research on social perspectives diminished around the 70’s - 80’s? (2)

Answer 5

(1) Social characteristics of jobs were weak predictors of motivational outcomes
(2) Cognitive revolution ahd begun to dominate organizational scholarship, leaving researchers more interested in studying psychological processes in the heads instead of social structures

Question 6

Why is research on social perspectives blooming currently? (4)

Answer 6

(1) Use of teams means internal relations are more vital and pervasive
(2) Teams need to collaborate more beyond their own boundaries
(3) External relationships are more widespread than eve before
(4) Uprise of merger and acquisitions as well as matrix/network organizations

Question 7

Describe the relational work design model and it’s components

Answer 7

Question 8

What are the 6 components of social characteristics in the relational work design model?

Answer 8

(1) Support and undermining
(2) interpersonal interaction
(3) impact on others
(4) Task interdependence
(5) Interpersonal feedback
(6) Display rules

Question 9

What is the demand-control model by Karasek?

Answer 9

Question 10

What is social undermining and when is social support viewed as undermining? (4)

Answer 10

Negative social support (having work. relationships or reputation hindered by others)
(2) if it is unwanted
3) When happening in a competitive working situation
(4) When it is ineffective

Question 11

How can the combination of positive/negative feedback from the same person lead to lower well-being, commitment and self-efficacy?

Answer 11

Because it requires a considerable amount of energy to produce tand cope with the perceived inconsistencies

Question 12

What are the contextual moderators in the relational work design model? (4)

Answer 12

(1) Group diversity
(2) goals and rewards
(3) Trust and support
(4) Task characteristics

Question 13

What are the relational and emotional mechanisms in the relational work design model (7)

Answer 13

(1) relational coordination
(2) interpersonal cohesion
(3) perceived impact
(4) perceived social worth
(5) affective interpersonal commitment
(6) perspective taking
(7) emotional dissonance

Question 14

What are the individual moderators in the relational work design model

Answer 14

(1) Extraversion
(2) Agreeableness
(3) Conscientiousness
(4) prosocial values

Question 15

What are the outcomes in the relational work design model (5)

Answer 15

Motivation and performance
absenteeism and turnover
Attitudes and burnout
Creativity
Customer reactions

Question 16

Interaction with customers or clients can be described by 2 different perspectives. What are they?

Answer 16

(1) Emotional labour and burnout perspectives
(2) Relational job design perspective -

Question 17

How is the emotional labour and burnout perspective related to employee health (2)

Answer 17

(1) interactions outside of org expose employees to emotional display demands.
(2) Burnout is more prevalent in service work

Question 18

How is the relational job design perspective related to employee motivation? (3)

Answer 18

(1) jobs high in task significance makes employees more likely to be aware of the impact of their actions on beneficiaries
(2) Structuring a job to provide employees with beneficiaries is beneficial
(3) Because it will lead to more affective commitment and awareness, encouraging higher levels of effort and helping behavior

Question 19

What is the organizational support theory and how it is related to health or performance? (3)

Answer 19

(1) Building on social exchange theory
(2) employees are attentive to cues if they are supported by organization or manager
(3) If organization support is felt, affective commitment and performance increase and withdrawal decreases

Question 20

What are the 3 different perspectives on task interdependance?

Answer 20

(1) Type-contingent perspective
(2) Disposition-contingent perspective
(3) Context-contingent perspetive

Question 21

What is the type-contingent perspective in task interdependence?

Answer 21

(1) Effects of task interdependence depend on the type of interdependence

Question 22

What is the disposition-contingent perspective on task interdependence (2)

Answer 22

(1) effects of task interdependence depend on individual traits and preferences
(2) Task interdependence is only associated with higher satisfaction if employees prefer group work

Question 23

What is the context-contingent perspective on task interdependence (3)

Answer 23

(1) Effect of task interdependence depends on context
(2) Task interdependence is more likely to boost performance in diverse groups compared to homogeneous groups
(3) Task interdependence in diverse groups encourages cooperation and information sharing

Question 24

What is are outcomes of received, initiated and reciprocal task interdependence

Answer 24

1. Received - negative outcomes because it reduces autonomy
2. Initiated - more motivation and job satisfaction because it leads to more felt responsibility for others’ work and autonomy
3. reicprocal - cultivate highest level of felt responsibility thus extra role-helping and citizenship behavior

Question 25

Why is feedback less effective in improving task motivation and learning bevavior if the recipient is praised?

Answer 25

(1) Because it draws attention to the self and away from the task

Question 26

How does feedback affect employees in different task characteristics?

Answer 26

(1) Works best for memory tasks
(2) Works better for simple or novel tasks
(3) less effective in physical and role-following tasks