Andrew D. Szilagyi

Role Dynamics, Locus of Control, and Employee Attitudes and Behavior

A study of interrelationships among role variables, locus of control, and subordinate satisfaction and performance revealed that: (a) internals perceived less role conflict, were neither more satis...

Leader reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance.

Abstract This study found that in a hospital environment, leader reward behavior was factorable into two components: positive reward behavior and punitive reward behavior. The relationships between each component of leader reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance were studied across four main classifications of occupational skills: administrative, professional, technical, and service. Consistent positive relationships across the four skill groups were found between positive reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction. The relationships between punitive reward behavior and subordinate satisfaction and performance were different, however, among the four skill groups. It was proposed that variations in the findings from skill group to skill group may be due in part to the nature of the task performed by each group.

Job characteristic relationships: individual and structural moderators

Abstract This research investigated the question of how characteristics of the individual moderated the relationships between perceptions of job characteristics and employee expectancies, satisfaction, and performance. The results generally confirmed the previous conclusions of Hackman and Lawler (1971) that individuals who have higher self-actualization need strength are potentially better candidates for job enrichment. In addition, this research found that locus of control ( Rotter, 1966 ) generally did not moderate the job characteristic and satisfaction/performance relationships. Also, the influence of occupational level was investigated as a moderator of the job characteristic relationships. The lower occupational levels generally indicated lower levels of the job characteristic measures and a stronger relationship between variety and satisfaction. The highest occupational level indicated higher role ambiguity, and weaker relationships between variety and satisfaction, but stronger relationships between feedback and satisfaction. The nature of task requirements at different occupational levels and the influence on job characteristic relationships were discussed.

Antecedents of Work Related Expectancies

This research investigated the environmental antecedents of expectancy I and expectancy II. Expectancy II was found to be strongly related to supervisory variables and, to a lesser extent, to organ...

Boundary-Spanning Activity and Employee Reactions: An Empirical Study

Boundary-spanning activity was studied in a large manufacturing company through a sample of 192 managers, engineers, and supervisors. Contrary to prior theory and research, this study found boundary-spanning activity unrelated to role conflict or ambiguity and positively related to job satisfac-tion for the total sample. Boundary-spanning activity was also positively related to a number of job characteristics for the total sample. Marked dif-ferences in boundary-spanning activity and its relationships with other variables, however, were found across occupational levels. While managers and engineers generally had boundary-spanning activity related to high levels of job satisfaction and job characteristics, first-level supervisors had boundary-spanning activity related to higher role conflict and lower job satisfaction with opportunities for promotion.

Research Notes: A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE SUPERVISORY BEHAVIOR DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SBDQ) AND THE REVISITED LEADER BEHAVIOR DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE (LBDQ-FORM XII)

The article examines a study of the concurrent validity of two Ohio State leadership scales, the supervisory behavior description questionnaire and the revised leader behavior description questionn...

Reward behavior by male and female leaders: A causal inference analysis

Abstract This research investigated causal inferences between leader reward behavior (positive and punitive) and subordinate goal attainment, absenteeism, and work satisfaction over a 3-month period in a merchandise distribution center ( n = 252). Four groups were studied: (a) male supervisors-male subordinates, (b) male supervisors-female subordinates, (c) female supervisors-female subordinates, and (d) female supervisors-male subordinates. Using the techniques of tests of mean differences and corrected cross-lag correlations, the results revealed that: (a) No significant differences attributed to sex were found between the four groups with the perceptions of leader reward behavior or subordinate outcome measures, and (b) the causal inference analysis suggested that the relationships between leader reward behavior and subordinate attitudes and behavior were independent of the effects of sex of supervisor or subordinate. Implications for research on sex stereotypes and leadership were discussed.

Job characteristics of research and development personnel: Relationships with satisfaction and role variables

Four core dimensions (variety, autonomy, task identity, feedback) and two interpersonal dimensions (dealing with others and friendship opportunities) of job characteristics were studied in a sample of 363 research and development professional personnel. It was hypothesized that the core dimensions would be positively related to intrinsic job satisfaction, while the interpersonal dimensions were hypothesized to be positively related to socially derived satisfactions. These hypotheses were supported by data from the total sample. All job characteristics were also hypothesized to be negatively related to role conflict and ambiguity. The data from the total sample supported this hypothesis fully with regard to role ambiguity, but only partially with regard to role conflict. Data were also separated and analyzed for supervisors and nonsupervisors. Implication for the management of research and development personnel are included.

Antecedents of employee satisfaction in a hospital environment.

Employee satisfaction may be important both because of its possible relationship to turnover and absence rates and because of its potential impact upon employee productivity.