Values, Attitudes, & Work Behaviour

Question 1

Define values

Answer 1

A broad tendency to prefer certain states of affairs over others

Question 2

Describe values

Answer 2

They are very general preferences for what we think is important or how things should be. They run deep and are unconscious

Question 3

Explain how people can have different values

Answer 3

Different past experiences and different societies influence values. People will view work differently; they will have different expectations and will want different things out of work

Question 4

What is one of the most important sources of differences in values?

Answer 4

Culture

Question 5

How can culture cause problems at work?

Answer 5

There are basic differences in work-related values across cultures, in negotiations, teamwork, and conflict

Question 6

What are the four basic dimensions for work-related values? (Holfstede’s Study)

Answer 6

1. Power distance
2. Uncertainty avoidance
3. masculinity/femininity
4. Individualism/collectivism

Question 7

Describe lower power distance

Answer 7

When it’s not acceptable for managers to threaten/use their power to get things done. More emphasis is put on working together

Question 8

Describe high power distance

Answer 8

When people are ok with a boss that’s more authoritarian

Question 9

Describe low uncertainty avoidance

Answer 9

When there is less concern for the rules and for conformity. Risk taking is accepted and valued

Question 10

Describe high uncertainty avoidance

Answer 10

When there is a high importance placed on rules and regulations. Conformity and security are emphasized

Question 11

Define power distance

Answer 11

The extent that people accept differences in power

Question 12

Define uncertainty avoidance

Answer 12

The extent to which people are uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguous situations

Question 13

Define masculinity/femininity

Answer 13

The degree to which there are strong, differentiated gender roles

Question 14

Describe feminine cultures

Answer 14

When there are more fluid gender roles, and there is more emphasis on equality and quality of life

Question 15

Describe masculine cultures

Answer 15

When the culture supports the dominance of men, and emphasis is placed on dollars and performance (less likely to be worried about work/life balance)

Question 16

Define individualism/collectivism

Answer 16

The extent to which people value the group versus individual freedoms

Question 17

Describe individualism

Answer 17

When emphasis is put on independence and privacy

Question 18

Describe collectivism

Answer 18

When emphasis is put on interdependence and loyalty to the group

Question 19

What are the implications for you in accommodating different value differences?

Answer 19

The biggest contributor to failure when someone works in another country is a person’s inability to adjust to a new culture; however, this provides great opportunities for people who can understand and adapt to different cultures

Question 20

Describe the values of traditionalists

Answer 20

Respectful of authority and a high work ethic

Question 21

Describe the values of boomers

Answer 21

Optimistic workaholics

Question 22

Describe the values of Gen X

Answer 22

Cynical, less loyal, work-life balance

Question 23

Describe the values of Gen Y

Answer 23

Confident, social, autonomous, and somewhat unfocused

Question 24

Define attitudes

Answer 24

An attitude is a fairly stable evaluative tendency to respond consistently to some specific object, situation, person, or category of people

Question 25

Which are more specific; attitudes or values?

Answer 25

Attitudes. They involve enduring evaluations directed towards specific targets

Question 26

What are the three components of attitudes?

Answer 26

1. Cognitive component (what we think)
2. Affective component (what we feel)
3. Behavioural component (what we tend to do)

Question 27

Are thoughts/feelings the ultimate indicator of behaviour?

Answer 27

No; thoughts and feelings will affect and predict how people behave towards the target, but they are not the ultimate behavioural indicator

Question 28

Define job satisfaction

Answer 28

A collection of attitudes that workers have about their jobs

Question 29

What are the two aspects of satisfaction?

Answer 29

1. General = job in general

2. Facets = specific aspects of the job

Question 30

What happens when people don’t like their job?

Answer 30

You are less inclined to put your full effort in and go above and beyond (both at work and at home). We try to rationalize why we hate our job, which reinforces our negative feelings. Things that wouldn’t bother you normally now add up to reinforce why you don’t like your job

Question 31

What are some consequences of job satisfaction?

Answer 31

1. Better/more: task performance, organizational citizenship
2. Less/reduced: absenteeism, tardiness, turnover
3. Less/reduced: theft, sabotage, abuse, harassment

Question 32

Define discrepancy theory

Answer 32

A theory that job satisfaction stems from the discrepancy between desired job outcomes and the outcomes that one perceives

Question 33

Define equity theory

Answer 33

A theory that job satisfaction stems from a comparison of the inputs one invests in a job and the outcomes one receives in comparison to the inputs and outcomes of another person or group

Question 34

According the equity theory, when will equity be perceived? (formula)

Answer 34

My outcomes / my inputs = other’s outcomes / other’s inputs

Question 35

What are inputs in OB?

Answer 35

Anything that people give up, offer, or trade to their organization in exchange for outcomes

Question 36

What are outputs in OB?

Answer 36

Factors that an organization distributes to employees in exchange for their inputs

Question 37

How does justice/fairness affect job satisfaction? (i.e. perceived justice)

Answer 37

We think better of our own work and actions than other people’s; we are more likely to see how hard we work than how hard other people work. We might think we are better at our job than others so we should get more, when we are actually slightly worse than others. We are not as happy with our job because we think we should be getting more than we are

Question 38

What are the three basic kinds of fairness?

Answer 38

1. Distributive fairness
2. Procedural fairness
3. Interactional fairness

Question 39

Describe distributive fairness

Answer 39

Dependant on outcomes (eg. pay)

Question 40

Describe procedural fairness

Answer 40

Dependant on processes (eg. opportunity)

Question 41

Describe interactional fairness

Answer 41

Dependant on interpersonal (eg. respect)

Question 42

Define organizational commitment

Answer 42

An attitude about strength of the link between employee and organization

Question 43

What are the three types of organizational commitment?

Answer 43

1. Affective commitment
2. Continuance commitment
3. Normative commitment

Question 44

Describe affective commitment

Answer 44

When an employee has an emotional attachment and identification to the job. They want to stay

Question 45

Why would someone have affective commitment?

Answer 45

Interesting work, job satisfaction, enriched jobs, role clarity, fairness, etc.

Question 46

Describe continuance commitment

Answer 46

When an employee stays because of the costs that would be incurred in leaving an organization and the lack of alternative employment. They need to stay

Question 47

Why would someone have continuous commitment?

Answer 47

Leaving will hurt you, good pension, dependant on benefits, tenure, etc.

Question 48

Describe normative commitment

Answer 48

When an employee has a feeling of obligation to an organization. They ought to stay

Question 49

Why would someone have normative commitment?

Answer 49

This is commitment based on ideology or a feeling of obligation to an organization

Question 50

What do all three forms of commitment have in common?

Answer 50

They reduce turnover intentions and actual turnover

Question 51

How is affective commitment related to performance?

Answer 51

Positively

Question 52

How is continuous commitment related to performance?

Answer 52

Negatively