Organizational Behavior 2E Chapter 2
Peter works for HR Associates. He is asked to present a report on the importance of organizational commitment and explain how managers can increase employees' organizational commitment. Create an outline for Peter's presentation.
1. Organizational commitment reflects the extent to which an individual identifies with an organization and commits to its goals. 2. Organizational commitment exists to the degree that a person's values generally match the values that undergird a company's organizational culture. 3. Three general best practices and approaches are: " Hire people whose personal values align with the organization's values. " Make sure that management does not breach its psychological contracts. " Explicitly and conscientiously enhance the level of trust throughout the organization.
Jane hates the idea of child labor. She works for a company that claims that it doesn't employ children. However, news reports accuse the company of employing young children overseas. ______ is the psychological discomfort that Jane is experiencing since she heard this news. A. Cognitive dissonance B. Emotional labor C. Behavioral intention D. Emotional dissonance E. Intelligence disunity
A
Jason is working at Sushow Motors. The position, as originally described, involved conducting research with customers. Instead, Jason is answering phones and filing. He's very unhappy and thinks he should find another job. This thought process is A. withdrawal cognitions. B. employee review. C. perceived stress. D. organizational behavior. E. job dissatisfaction.
A
Lennie loves her job at Vail Corporation. She is even a community ambassador. Lennie exhibits all of the following qualities except A. pessimism. B. urgency. C. focus. D. intensity. E. enthusiasm.
A
Samuel values his tradition and conformity. Not surprisingly, family time is very important to him. His employer, Stillman & Sons, expects him to work on holidays. Stillman & Sons and Samuel do not share the values of A. conservation. B. self-direction. C. self-transcendence. D. openness to change. E. self-enhancement.
A
Schwartz's model suggests that A. values may conflict with each other. B. values are important, but have no direct effect on motivation. C. values are unstable. D. we are always aware of our values and how they influence us. E. values are formed when we are in our early adulthood.
A
The head of ABC Company announces that the company is going to start a weekend project teaching self-defense techniques to underprivileged kids in the neighborhood. Thomas decides to register for the project, as he is a trained kickboxer. This action of Thomas reflects the __________ component of his attitude. A. behavioral B. affective C. cognitive D. normative E. intellectual
A
The idea of perceived organizational support is that if treated well, employees are motivated by A. the norm of reciprocity. B. cognitive dissonance. C. met expectations. D. the psychological contract. E. dispositional factors.
A
You value achievement and your employer rewards people for accomplishing goals, so you are very committed to the company. _____ fit is the consistency between personal and company values. A. Person-culture B. Person-behavioral C. Employee-employer D. Values-attitude fit E. Intrinsic-extrinsic
A
_____ is defined by order, self-restriction, preservation of the past, and resistance to change. A. Conservation B. Security C. Conformity D. Traditionalism E. Stability
A
Monica leads a team of six people hired to implement a new onboarding technology at High Systems & Co. Everyone has their assignment, but Stephen (who is in charge of researching and updating company policies) who has been lax in submitting his information. This delay can jeopardize the due date. Using Ajzen's model of planned change, explain how Monica can better manage Stephen.
Ajzen developed and refined a model depicted in Figure 2.3 focusing on intentions as the key link between attitudes and planned behavior. Managers may be able to influence behavioral change by doing or saying things that affect the three determinants of employees' intentions to exhibit a specific behavior: attitude toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. In the workplace, one of the simplest levers managers can use to change behavior is information. Monica can try to create a positive attitude toward contributing high-quality work. She can explain the importance of the project deadline to everyone, and how it can impact Stephen personally. She can ensure that all other team members are doing their job. And she can ask Stephen about any obstacles getting in the way of high-quality work and discuss solutions for overcoming them.
As a senior student representative on the ethics advisory board of your university, you feel strongly that cheating on college exams is unethical. You never cheated on any exam. However, this semester your best friend was desperate for your help, and you allowed him to take a quick "peek" at your answer sheet. Since then, you feel uncomfortable every time you think of the situation. Which of the following concepts best explains your psychological discomfort? A. job detachment B. cognitive dissonance C. emotional labor D. emotional dissonance E. affective detachment
B
The components of attitudes include A. values, beliefs, and emotions. B. affective, cognitive, and behavioral. C. personal and workplace. D. perceived and real. E. public and personal.
B
The president of American Systems announces that all employees will be going on a trip to San Francisco. Some employees like the idea and some don't. According to the _________ component of attitudes, these evaluations reflect the feelings of the employees. A. behavioral B. affective C. cognitive D. normative E. intellectual
B
Trevor is an overachiever. His brother calls him ambitious and power hungry. Trevor exemplifies the _______ dimension. A. self-transcendence B. self-enhancement C. self-awareness D. self-management E. self-leadership
B
Which of the following is not a factor in contributing to employee engagement? A. high levels of conscientiousness B. high levels of stress C. charismatic managers D. recognition E. motivating jobs
B
______ is an individual's overall thoughts and feelings about quitting. A. Withdrawal attitudes B. Withdrawal cognitions C. Withdrawal values D. Cognitive dissonance E. Psychological dissonance
B
______ is one element that allows employees to balance their work lives and family lives. A. Flextime B. Telecommuting C. Stress management D. Job involvement E. Cognitive dissonance
B
________ is the harnessing of organization members' selves to their work roles. A. Employee involvement B. Employee engagement C. Organization commitment D. Job satisfaction E. Organizational citizenship behavior
B
According to research, the relationship between job performance and job satisfaction is best summarized by which of the following statements? A. Higher levels of job satisfaction lead to higher job performance. B. Higher levels of job performance lead to higher job satisfaction. C. Both variables indirectly influence each other. D. These variables are both caused by personality factors. E. There is no relationship between job performance and job satisfaction.
C
Angela works for a company that does not provide good health benefits or career opportunities. Her _____ is most likely to be negative. A. OCB B. CWB C. POS D. TPB E. OB
C
Counterproductive work behavior (CWB) harms other employees, the organization as a whole, and/or organizational stakeholders such as customers and shareholders. Which of the following is an example of CWB? A. constantly arriving late for meetings B. gossiping about a co-worker C. presenting poor financial results at the quarterly meeting D. checking social media at work E. putting lunch with a friend on your expense account
C
Elaine often volunteers to help others when they run into problems with their projects. She is very positive, always on time, and never calls in sick. Exhibiting ________ is likely to create positive impressions among Elaine's colleagues and manager. A. TPB B. CWB C. OCB D. POS E. OB
C
Horatio loves extreme sports and works as white-water rafting instructor. This reflects the values in the ____________ dimension of Schwartz's model. A. conservation B. self-enhancement C. openness to change D. self-transcendence E. hedonism
C
Juliet often takes office supplies home for her personal use. This is an example of A. OCB. B. COW. C. CWB. D. POS. E. EEG.
C
Maria focuses on community volunteerism, while Anna focuses on getting a promotion at work. _____ are represented by Maria's and Anna's focuses. A. Personal attitudes B. Workplace attitudes C. Endpoints of one of the dimensions of values D. Cognitions E. Behaviors
C
Research shows that when an organization breaches a psychological contract, A. employees are likely to be less committed and satisfied, but their performance and intentions to quit are not affected. B. employees are likely to be less committed and satisfied, without their performance being affect, but they are also more likely to quit. C. employees are likely to be less committed and satisfied and more likely to quit, and their performance is likely to be lower. D. employees are likely to be less committed and satisfied and have lower job performance, but are not more likely to quit. E. this has no effect on employee satisfaction, commitment, intentions to quit, or job performance.
C
The idea underlying the __________ model is that satisfaction is tied to how fairly an individual is treated at work. A. met expectations B. need fulfillment C. equity D. value attainment E. dispositional components
C
Tony believes that cell phone use-even in restaurants-helps people manage their busy lives. Tony's belief reflects the __________ component of his attitude. A. behavioral B. objective C. cognitive D. normative E. affective
C
Waco Company monitors employees' perceptions of fairness by quarterly surveys and occasional focus groups. Management is following the _____ model. A. met expectations B. need fulfillment C. equity D. value attainment E. dispositional components
C
The self-transcendence part of Schwartz's model is composed of A. self-direction and stimulation. B. security and conformity. C. power and achievement. D. universalism and benevolence. E. achievement and hedonism
D
________ are physiological or psychological deficiencies that arouse behavior. A. Attitudes B. Values C. Cognitions D. Needs E. Expectations
D
_________ is the psychological discomfort a person experiences when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting cognitions. A. perceived stress B. counterproductive work behavior C. psychological dissonance D. cognitive dissonance E. affective discomfort
D
Carla will graduate from her business program next month. She is happiest in jobs where she doesn't know what will be waiting for her when she gets to work, and she excels at problem solving. Carla needs a career that involves A. security. B. benevolence. C. tradition. D. power. E. stimulation.
E
Chris, a manager, knows that one of his employees values achievement and power. Chris should assign the employee to a job that includes A. high social value. B. high security. C. high self-direction. D. high conformity. E. high influence over others
E
Janice creates advertising slogans for the advertising firm that employs her. She works with beliefs, perceptions, and informal obligations about what she is entitled to receive in return for what she provides to the organization. A(n) ________ represents Janice's beliefs. A. high level of emotional labor B. employment contract C. high normative commitment D. high affective commitment E. psychological contract
E
Job satisfaction across the United States has gone up, according to a national survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management. The top three facets of satisfaction include A. feeling safe at work, having good relationships with coworkers, and substantial vacation time. B. solid health care, having good relationships with coworkers, and a clear career path. C. opportunities for advancement, good pay, and having a good relationship with an immediate supervisor. D. feeling safe at work, good pay, and good benefits. E. feeling safe at work, having good relationships with coworkers, and having a good relationship with an immediate supervisor.
E
Which of the following is not a key workplace attitude that managers should track? A. job satisfaction B. employee engagement C. perceived organizational support D. organizational commitment E. turnover
E
According to the Ajzen model, someone's intention to engage in a particular behavior is necessarily a strong predictor of that behavior.
FALSE
Managers should attempt to reduce the negative effects of stress by improving job satisfaction and by encouraging employees to take work home.
FALSE
. In Schwartz's model, conformity and tradition are in the same wedge, but conformity is seen as less extreme than tradition.
TRUE
Personal attitudes affect behavior via intentions.
TRUE
Discuss what research has found about the relationship between job performance and job satisfaction.
This is more complicated than it might first appear. OB experts have identified at least eight ways in which these variables are related. The dominant theories are either that satisfaction causes performance or performance causes satisfaction. A team of researchers recently attempted to resolve this controversy, and made two key findings: (1) Job satisfaction and performance were moderately related. This is an important finding because it supports the belief that employee job satisfaction is a key workplace attitude which managers should consider when attempting to increase employees' job performance. (2) The relationship is complex. It is not that one directly influences the other or vice versa. Rather, researchers now believe that both variables indirectly influence each other through a host of personal factors and environmental characteristics.
30. Values represent beliefs that influence behaviors _____________; attitudes relate to behavior __________. A. across all situations; toward specific targets B. toward specific targets; across all situations C. across all situations; toward people D. toward specific objects; toward specific people E. toward specific people; toward specific objects
A
As demonstrated by research, ___________ is positively related to organizational citizenship behavior. A. higher performance ratings and lower organizational costs B. higher performance ratings and higher turnover C. lower customer satisfaction and lower turnover D. higher absenteeism and turnover E. lower efficiency and higher customer satisfaction
A
Carlos works at Tyner Construction Company as an assistant project manager. His manager assured him that if his projects came in on time and under budget, he would be promoted within a year. At nine months, Carlo is promoted to project manager. This is an example of A. met expectations. B. need fulfillment. C. equity. D. value attainment. E. dispositional components.
A
Eleanor wants to be sure that the final team project in a senior capstone course is of top quality. Jerome, another team member, just wants to get it done quickly. Using Alzen's model, what can Eleanor do to try and encourage Jerome to work hard? A. Create a positive attitude. B. Use emotional blackmail. C. Show behavioral intent. D. Express emotional dissonance. E. Enforce cognitive dissonance
A
The two basic dimensions of Schwartz's model of values are A. self-enhancement/self-transcendence and openness to change/conservation. B. strengths/weaknesses and opportunities/threats. C. personal attitudes/work attitudes and cognitions/behaviors. D. commitment/engagement and satisfaction/dissatisfaction. E. involved/engaged and motivated/not motivated
A
Genevieve is a very religious person who does volunteer work for her church on weekends. When it came to selecting who would chair the United Fund drive for the department, her manager immediately thought of her and asked her to serve. The manager's action reflects the __________ model of job satisfaction. A. dispositional components B. value attainment C. met expectations D. need fulfillment E. equity
B
In some cases, coworkers or friends remain satisfied in situations where others always seem dissatisfied. This is a reflection of the _____ model. A. need fulfillment B. dispositional/genetic C. value attainment D. equity E. met expectation
B
Kim lives and works in a small town, even though she prefers life in a bigger city. She is quite dissatisfied with her current job and is thinking of leaving the organization. She is worried, however, about her ability to find other employment that pays as well as her current job. Additionally, she is concerned about finding another organization that offers college tuition reimbursement. Based on this information, Kim is experiencing A. inequity. B. withdrawal cognitions. C. emotional detachment. D. affective dissonance. E. unmet expectations.
B
Letitia reports to work at Apex Inc. This is her first day. Human resources tells Letitia to report to a conference room so that she can review the company's mission statement and policies, go over her job description, and learn about the technology systems in use. This type of experience is an ______ program. A. incoming B. onboarding C. involvement D. introductory E. engagement
B
Low job satisfaction and low employee engagement can lead to A. lower employee turnover. B. low task performance. C. increased task performance. D. increased commitment. E. improved communication.
B
Mason is highly satisfied with his job. He receives consistently strong evaluations and volunteers to train new employees. Mason exhibits positive job performance and A. community involvement. B. organizational citizenship behaviors. C. genetic components. D. withdrawal cognitions. E. personal motivation.
B
______ is the extent to which an individual identifies with an organization and commits to its goals. A. Perceived organizational support B. Organizational commitment C. Organizational satisfaction D. Job involvement E. Job satisfaction
B
_________ are both elements of hedonism. A. Achievement and stimulation B. Self-enhancement and openness to change C. Self-transcendence and openness to change D. Stimulation and self-direction E. Stimulation and power
B
Tanya believes that people should be kind to each other. She notices that Ellie is picking on a new employee, Michele. Tanya asks Ellie to stop bullying Michele, but Ellie's behavior doesn't change. Tanya confronts Ellie and a heated argument ensues, after which Tanya suggests that Ellie transfer to another department. In this case, Tanya's ________ are different from her values. A. intentions B. abstract ideals C. personal beliefs D. personal goals E. cognitions
C
When Daniel's daughter got seriously ill, his boss Kyle and fellow employees went to the HR department and arranged to donate some of their sick leave to him so he could spend more time with his family. Daniel is most likely to be experiencing A. job satisfaction. B. OCB C. POS D. engagement. E. value attainment.
C
Which of the following is not one of the predominant models of the causes of job satisfaction? A. Value attainment B. Dispositional factors C. Cognitive dissonance D. Equity E. Met expectations
C
What is CWB? Why does this matter to managers? Now provide an example of how CWB applies to your life currently.
Counterproductive work behavior (CWB) has a strong, negative relationship with job satisfaction. This means that it is important for managers to find ways to reduce CWB. This can be done in three key ways: (1) Organizations can limit CWBs by hiring individuals who are less prone to engage in this type of behavior. (2) Organizations should ensure they are motivating desired behaviors and not CWBs, for example, by designing jobs that promote satisfaction and by preventing abusive supervision. (3) If an employee does engage in CWBs, the organization should respond quickly and appropriately, defining the specific behaviors that are unacceptable and the requirements for acceptable behavior.
24. ______ is defined by restraint of actions, inclinations, and impulses likely to upset or harm others and violate social expectations or norms. A. Benevolence B. Security C. Tradition D. Conformity E. Universalism
D
Claire works for Content Consultants. She telecommutes and has great flexibility in her work schedule. In return, Content Consultants expects to have satisfied clients who hire them again. Claire receives consistently high evaluations. Despite that, the company now wants her to work out of the main office. Claire feels that Content Consultants has breached a(n) A. employee engagement. B. job involvement. C. organizational citizenship behavior. D. psychological contract. E. cognitive expectation.
D
Dawn is at the playground with her four-year-old daughter. The father of another child is yelling and cursing at him. Dawn decides to tell the father to stop the verbal abuse or leave the playground, or she will call the authorities. Dawn's behavior reflects the _______ component of her attitude. A. intellectual B. affective C. cognitive D. behavioral E. value
D
Discretionary individual behavior that promotes the effective functioning of the organization is called organizational citizenship behavior. ______ is an example of OCB. A. Expressing criticism of management decisions B. Focusing on your job and letting other people handle their projects C. Allowing new staff to learn about the company on their own D. Respecting the spirit as well as the letter of housekeeping rules E. Usually attending staff meetings on time
D
Kiki is a manager of a small boutique gift store. She only has two employees, Tim and Sandra. Tim is a part-time student and is happy with the amount of work he has at the store. Sandra works full-time, but seems to be less interested and increasingly remote at work. Kiki asks Sandra if anything is wrong, and Sandra says she is bored and thinking of leaving. Kiki knows that Sandra paints as a hobby and suggests that she might want to take over the store and window displays. Sandra is really excited about the opportunity. This is an example of a manager who is A. focusing on customer service. B. motivated to move up in the organization. C. addressing the employee's stress levels. D. enhancing the employee's job satisfaction. E. confronting an employee about her problems.
D
The _________ model suggests that managers should structure the work environment and rewards to match employees. A. met expectations B. need fulfillment C. equity D. value attainment E. dispositional components
D
Mark marches to the beat of his own drummer, while Simon plans on following in his father's footsteps. Mark is open to change, while Simon embraces A. conformity. B. traditionalism. C. power. D. benevolence. E. conservation.
E
PWCB is a large management consulting firm, created as a result of the merger of two smaller companies. The corporate culture was different in both of the original companies. Despite addressing this difference, turnover is higher than expected and productivity is lower than anticipated. What can management do to address employee engagement?
Employee engagement is defined as "the harnessing of organization members' selves to their work roles; in engagement, people employ and express themselves physically, cognitively, and emotionally during role performance." Gallup estimates that when an organization's employees are highly engaged, it can achieve 12 percent higher customer satisfaction/loyalty, 18 percent more productivity, and 12 percent greater profitability. One way to increase employee engagement is to make sure that the inputs in the Organizing Framework are positively oriented. Organizations do this by measuring, tracking, and responding to surveys of employee engagement. Then, management can address some of the more significant issues.
The components of engagement are urgency, being focused, intensity, and job satisfaction
FALSE
The idea that satisfaction results from the perception that a job allows for fulfillment of an individual's important values is called "met expectations."
FALSE
The two basic dimensions of Schwartz's value theory are self-enhancement/self-transcendence and ethical/unethical.
FALSE
There is only one model of the causes of job satisfaction.
FALSE
Turnover is always bad for organizations.
FALSE
The energy industry is under pressure from increased government regulations and environmental agency scrutiny. As a result, Sampson Coal Co. has suffered financial setbacks and reduced benefits and hours. Sampson Coal Co. suffers from low productivity, a high absence rate, pilfering, and increased turnover. Management sends out an employee satisfaction survey, but receives few responses (even though the survey is anonymous). What is the overall state of job satisfaction at Sampson? What steps can management take?
Job satisfaction essentially reflects the extent to which an individual likes his or her job. Formally defined, job satisfaction is an affective or emotional response toward various facets of one's job. A person can be relatively satisfied with one aspect of her or his job and dissatisfied with one or more other aspects. Because employees didn't respond to the survey, management can start with "listening sessions" to enhance engagement. Then consider: 1. How can you get a higher survey response? (A raffle? Free coffee? Time to answer the survey at work?) 2. Can you address the big picture concerns (for example, worry about the future of the coal industry), as well as company-specific concerns? 3. Address the concerns in terms of (1) need fulfillment, (2) met expectations, and (3) equity. 4. Management can also commit to sending updates on their plans to protect workers.
Describe the need fulfillment models of job satisfaction. Discuss research support for these models.
Need fulfillment models propose that satisfaction is determined by the extent to which the characteristics of a job allow an individual to fulfill her or his needs. Needs are physiological or psychological deficiencies that arouse behavior. All of us have different needs, which means that managers need to learn about employees' needs if they want to increase job satisfaction. Research generally supports the conclusion that need fulfillment is correlated with job satisfaction.
What is OCB? Why does it matter to managers? Now provide an example of how OCB applies to your life in college.
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is defined as individual behavior that is discretionary, not directly or explicitly recognized by the formal reward system, and that in the aggregate promotes the effective functioning of the organization. This definition highlights two key points: OCBs are voluntary; and OCBs help work groups and the organization to effectively achieve goals. OCBs have a moderately positive correlation with job satisfaction. Moreover, OCBs are significantly related to both individual-level consequences and organizational-level outcomes. These are important for two reasons. (1) Exhibiting OCBs is likely to create positive impressions among colleagues and managers. In turn, these impressions affect ability to work with others, manager evaluations of performance, and ultimately promotability. (2) The aggregate amount of employees' OCBs affects important organizational outcomes.
What is "perceived organizational support"? How does it impact employees? How can managers foster POS? Can you describe a personal experience in which your POS was positive negative?
Perceived organizational support (POS) reflects the extent to which employees believe their organization values their contributions and genuinely cares about their well-being. People are willing to work hard and commit to their organizations when they believe that the company "truly" cares about their best interest. We are motivated by the norm of reciprocity when someone treats us well. POS can be increased by treating employees fairly, by avoiding political behavior, by providing job security, by giving people more autonomy, by reducing stressors in the work environment, and by eliminating abusive supervision.
Explain Schwartz's model of values. Identify two of your own values. Are these values adjacent, farther apart or opposing? Describe a situation that you faced and how your resolution reflects these values.
Schwartz proposed that broad values motivate our behavior across any context. He categorized these values into two opposing or bipolar dimensions, as outlined in Table 2.1. The first dimension ranges from concern for the welfare of others (which Schwartz calls self-transcendence) to pursuit of one's own interests (self-enhancement). The second dimension ranges from self-directed independence (which Schwartz calls openness to change) to conformity (conservation). Schwartz stressed that it is the relative importance we give to these two dimensions of opposing values that drives our behavior. For example, if you value achievement (self-enhancement) over universalism (self-transcendence), you will spend your evening studying hard to get an A in this class rather than attending a meeting about fighting climate change.
Bullying includes various behaviors. It can be acts of physical aggression, such as pushing, pinching, or cornering. It can be verbal taunts and threats, such as name calling, jokes at someone's expense, and humiliation. It can be relational aggression, such as gossip, rumors, and social isolation. It can be cyber-aggression, such as posting negative or derogatory images, text messages, or e-mail. Describe a situation of bullying that you have seen or experienced. What happened? How could you have dealt with this situation better? What was the end result?
Short-term effects of being bullied include increased anxiety, panic attacks, health-related symptoms, and counterproductive behavior along with decreased job satisfaction, self-esteem, attendance at work, and job performance. Long term, bullying can lead to employee turnover, depression, symptoms akin to post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. If you are a target of bullying, you can: " Keep a record. " Plan your interactions. " Confront the bully. " Escalate the situation. " Stay calm, but take care of yourself.
Viola works as a paralegal for a successful personal injury firm. The firm is now advertising on television, and she is asked to handle the research for three partners. Viola suggests that they hire an additional paralegal, but the partners want to wait until the next year. Viola is experiencing headaches on a daily basis. She can't sleep at night, worrying about how she's going to get her work down. Viola is beginning to think that she needs to find a new job. The partners want to keep Viola with the firm. Analyze this situation and make recommendations to the partners.
Stress has negative effects on many different OB-related outcomes. For instance, stress is positively related to absenteeism, turnover, coronary heart disease, and viral infections. As expected, perceived stress has a strong, negative relationship to job satisfaction. Perceived stress also was found to be negatively associated with employee engagement. Managers should attempt to reduce the negative effects of stress by improving job satisfaction and by encouraging employees to detach from work during off-job time (i.e., stop thinking about work, and "don't take it home with you").
Based on Schwartz's Value Theory, if you value achievement over universalism, you will spend your evening working hard on your term paper so that you can get a good grade, rather than volunteering at the soup kitchen.
TRUE
Johan believes that saving the earth is our most important responsibility. He will be strongly committed to an employer who issues hybrid cars to all sales people, emphasizes recycling, and supports volunteerism to clean up the local river.
TRUE
The basic idea of POS is that people are willing to work hard and commit to their organizations when they believe that the organization truly cares about their best interests.
TRUE
The first step in combating bullying is to document the event in writing, particularly if the bully is your boss.
TRUE
Describe the dispositional/genetic models of job satisfaction. Discuss the research support for these models. Now, think about your own personal traits and genetic factors. What are your two strongest traits? How do these traits correlate to activities that you find satisfying?
This model posits that job satisfaction remains partly a function of both personal traits and genetic factors. Although few studies have tested these propositions in depth, a review of existing literature reveals a more nuanced understanding. Dispositional factors were significantly associated with only selected aspects of job satisfaction. Dispositions had stronger relationships with intrinsic aspects of a job (e.g., having autonomy) than with extrinsic aspects of work (e.g., receipt of rewards). Genetic factors also were found to significantly predict life satisfaction, well-being, and general job satisfaction. Overall, researchers estimate that 30 percent of an individual's job satisfaction is associated with dispositional and genetic components.
Berto manages a staff of 10 at a local restaurant. Based on customer satisfaction surveys and YELP reviews, he knows that some of his staff are not providing adequate customer service. Berto lost his summer help and is already short-staffed. He is torn between finding enough qualified servers and meeting customer expectations. Under what circumstances is organizational turnover good or bad?
Turnover: Consider the pros and cons of turnover. Turnover can be a good thing when a low-performing person quits or is fired. In contrast, losing a good employee is bad because the organization loses valuable human and social capital, and it can be costly. Job satisfaction has a moderately strong, negative relationship with turnover. Managers can reduce voluntary turnover if they: (1) Hire people who "fit" within the organization's culture. (2) Spend time fostering employee engagement. (3) Provide effective onboarding. (4) Recognize and reward high performers because they are more likely to quit than average performers.
Wanderlust Tech Group creates new video games. The staff consists of young, tech-savvy college graduates. Over 80 percent of employees in this close-knit company are recognized "gamers." They have fun together in and out of work. Recently, management has noticed increased turnover and teams have missed several project deadlines. The company changed its hiring criteria about eight months ago to include values associated with self-transcendence and conservation. Human Resources feels that these traits are consistent with the company's vision and goals. A recent employee attitude survey showed that younger employees prefer to work in autonomous teams in which they have more latitude over how the work gets done. While management likes the value of autonomy, it believes that teams need a team leader. The survey further showed that employees desire more recognition and more career paths. The company is relatively small and there are not many managerial positions that can be used for promotions. Results confirmed high levels of employee commitment and perceived organizational support. Some of the more tenured employees have become disgruntled about the salaries paid to new hires. New hires are making only a few thousand dollars a year less than more experienced people. The company feels that it's progressive policy about telecommuting allows employees to work from home and should allay any complaints about pay. Using the 3-Step Problem-Solving Approach, describe how management can address these issues.
Wanderlust hires young graduates who love excitement, need stimulation and are self-directed. Of course, there is a normal amount of turnover in first jobs within a year or so. But that hasn't been the case here in the past. Using the Organizing Framework: Step 1. Define the problem: Is it attitudes toward work? Well-being/flourishing? Step 2. Identify the causes: Consider changes in personal values and attitudes. What about the situation factors? Step 3. Make recommendations: How can management change the attitudes and maintain staff?
___________ are the key links between ___________ in Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior. A. Attitudes; intentions and planned behavior B. Intentions; attitudes and planned behavior C. Norms; intentions and planned behavior D. Intentions; norms and attitudes E. Perceived behaviors; intentions and planned behavior
B
Which of the following is not a suggestion for managers who want to reduce voluntary turnover? A. Foster employee engagement. B. Create effective orientation programs. C. Reward all employees equally. D. Hire people who "fit" the organization's culture. E. Provide clear expectations of the job.
C
_________ is the psychological process that arouses our interest in doing something. A. Involvement B. Engagement C. Motivation D. Citizenship E. Commitment
C
Luis has just learned that Brian, who has less experience and who does less work, receives a higher salary. Since learning this, Luis has been very unhappy and has started to look for another job. What model of job satisfaction best explains Luis's reactions? A. dispositional components B. value attainment C. met expectations D. need fulfillment E. equity
E
Sally doesn't complain to a man smoking in the nonsmoking section of a restaurant because it doesn't bother her. This lack of irritation reflects the ______ component of her attitude. She is neutral toward people smoking in restaurants. A. behavioral B. intellectual C. cognitive D. normative E. affective
E
One of the top five drivers of employee engagement for organizations in North America is pay.
FALSE
Stress can have positive effects on certain OB-related outcomes. For instance, it is negatively related to absenteeism because people feel they have to work harder to meet management expectations.
FALSE
Why is it important for managers to pay attention to workplace attitudes? In your personal experience, is there one attitude that is more important than others? Describe the attitude and provide an example.
Managers should track a limited number of workplace attitudes to gauge how the organization is doing. Savvy managers will track four key workplace attitudes: organizational commitment, employee engagement, perceived organizational support, and job satisfaction. That is because these attitudinal measures serve a dual purpose. First, they represent important outcomes that managers may be working to enhance directly. Second, they link to other significant outcomes that managers will want to improve where possible.
Describe the met expectations models of job satisfaction. Provide a specific example of needs that are met and of those that are not met.
These models propose that satisfaction results from how well expectations are met. Met expectations represent the difference between what an individual expects to receive from a job, such as good pay and promotional opportunities, and what the individual actually receives. When expectations are greater than what is received, a person will be dissatisfied. In contrast, this model predicts that an individual will be satisfied when he or she attains outcomes above and beyond expectations. Research strongly supports the conclusion that met expectations are significantly related to job satisfaction.
