Values, Attitudes, & Work Behaviour Flashcards
Define values
A broad tendency to prefer certain states of affairs over others
Describe values
They are very general preferences for what we think is important or how things should be. They run deep and are unconscious
Explain how people can have different values
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
What is one of the most important sources of differences in values?
Culture
How can culture cause problems at work?
There are basic differences in work-related values across cultures, in negotiations, teamwork, and conflict
What are the four basic dimensions for work-related values? (Holfstede’s Study)
- Power distance
- Uncertainty avoidance
- masculinity/femininity
- Individualism/collectivism
Describe lower power distance
When it’s not acceptable for managers to threaten/use their power to get things done. More emphasis is put on working together
Describe high power distance
When people are ok with a boss that’s more authoritarian
Describe low uncertainty avoidance
When there is less concern for the rules and for conformity. Risk taking is accepted and valued
Describe high uncertainty avoidance
When there is a high importance placed on rules and regulations. Conformity and security are emphasized
Define power distance
The extent that people accept differences in power
Define uncertainty avoidance
The extent to which people are uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguous situations
Define masculinity/femininity
The degree to which there are strong, differentiated gender roles
Describe feminine cultures
When there are more fluid gender roles, and there is more emphasis on equality and quality of life
Describe masculine cultures
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)
Define individualism/collectivism
The extent to which people value the group versus individual freedoms
Describe individualism
When emphasis is put on independence and privacy
Describe collectivism
When emphasis is put on interdependence and loyalty to the group
What are the implications for you in accommodating different value differences?
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
Describe the values of traditionalists
Respectful of authority and a high work ethic
Describe the values of boomers
Optimistic workaholics
Describe the values of Gen X
Cynical, less loyal, work-life balance
Describe the values of Gen Y
Confident, social, autonomous, and somewhat unfocused
Define attitudes
An attitude is a fairly stable evaluative tendency to respond consistently to some specific object, situation, person, or category of people
Which are more specific; attitudes or values?
Attitudes. They involve enduring evaluations directed towards specific targets
What are the three components of attitudes?
- Cognitive component (what we think)
- Affective component (what we feel)
- Behavioural component (what we tend to do)
Are thoughts/feelings the ultimate indicator of behaviour?
No; thoughts and feelings will affect and predict how people behave towards the target, but they are not the ultimate behavioural indicator
Define job satisfaction
A collection of attitudes that workers have about their jobs
What are the two aspects of satisfaction?
- General = job in general
2. Facets = specific aspects of the job
What happens when people don’t like their job?
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
What are some consequences of job satisfaction?
- Better/more: task performance, organizational citizenship
- Less/reduced: absenteeism, tardiness, turnover
- Less/reduced: theft, sabotage, abuse, harassment
Define discrepancy theory
A theory that job satisfaction stems from the discrepancy between desired job outcomes and the outcomes that one perceives
Define equity theory
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
According the equity theory, when will equity be perceived? (formula)
My outcomes / my inputs = other’s outcomes / other’s inputs
What are inputs in OB?
Anything that people give up, offer, or trade to their organization in exchange for outcomes
What are outputs in OB?
Factors that an organization distributes to employees in exchange for their inputs
How does justice/fairness affect job satisfaction? (i.e. perceived justice)
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
What are the three basic kinds of fairness?
- Distributive fairness
- Procedural fairness
- Interactional fairness
Describe distributive fairness
Dependant on outcomes (eg. pay)
Describe procedural fairness
Dependant on processes (eg. opportunity)
Describe interactional fairness
Dependant on interpersonal (eg. respect)
Define organizational commitment
An attitude about strength of the link between employee and organization
What are the three types of organizational commitment?
- Affective commitment
- Continuance commitment
- Normative commitment
Describe affective commitment
When an employee has an emotional attachment and identification to the job. They want to stay
Why would someone have affective commitment?
Interesting work, job satisfaction, enriched jobs, role clarity, fairness, etc.
Describe continuance commitment
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
Why would someone have continuous commitment?
Leaving will hurt you, good pension, dependant on benefits, tenure, etc.
Describe normative commitment
When an employee has a feeling of obligation to an organization. They ought to stay
Why would someone have normative commitment?
This is commitment based on ideology or a feeling of obligation to an organization
What do all three forms of commitment have in common?
They reduce turnover intentions and actual turnover
How is affective commitment related to performance?
Positively
How is continuous commitment related to performance?
Negatively
