Abstract : This work focused upon a number of processes involved during organizational change and assimilation of members into organizations. Paper 1 addresses a series of organizational redesign interventions. Study is made not only of how members reacted to these changes but, more importantly, how their focus of attention mediated these reactions. Paper 2 also studies employee focus of attention. In this paper, it is demonstrated that the direction of magnitude of employee focus of attention influence the manner in which employees react to variations in leader behavior. Paper 3 examines the development of organizational commitment for a group of employees. These employees are studied prior to entering the organization and for one year subsequent to entry. Paper 4 also explores worker reactions to organizational change. Studies from two different organizations are reported, each utilizing a quasi-experimental design. The manner in which employees react to change (alternative work schedules) is studied over a 7-12 month period.

The roles that users' individual and organizational characteristics play in technology acceptance were examined. Perceived work group characteristics was considered an organizational characteristic; attitude toward change and job stress were considered individual characteristics. User satisfaction with system characteristics was considered a consequence of technology acceptance. Data were collected from a sample of 236 Korean expatriates in information technology (IT) industries who were assigned to work in the United States. Perceived work group characteristics, attitude toward change, and job stress were related to one of the technology acceptance variables, perceived ease of use of the IT system. Ease of use was, in turn, related to perceived usefulness of the IT system, the other technology acceptance variable. Both perceived ease of use and usefulness were related to user satisfaction.

Management and Organizational Behavior: An Integrated Perspective blends traditional management and organizational behavior topics in a unique, integrative model. The text emphasizes how managers must understand the organization, the management process, individuals as members, and the deep interrelationship among all of these areas.

The authors report a series of 9 studies (N = 2,734) in which they evaluated the construct definition, measurement, and validation of organizational commitment (OC). An integrated examination of a wide range of antecedents of the various dimensions of OC was conducted. Results support the existence of 3 major OC dimensions (affective, continuance, and normative), with 2 subdimensions (personal sacrifice and lack of alternatives) for the continuance dimension. Results suggest that the widely used Organizational Commitment Questionnaire assesses primarily the affective dimension. Results provide various levels of support for the set of proposed antecedents. Implications for construct definition, measurement, and future research are discussed.

Behavioral plasticity theory is offered as an explanation for the moderating effects of self-esteem on role perception-employee response relationships. According to this theory, because individuals with low self-esteem are more reactive than their counterparts with high self-esteem, they are more susceptible to adverse role conditions, such as role conflict, ambiguity, and overload, and a poor work environment and poor supervisory support. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses revealed significant moderating effects for organization-based self-esteem on role condition-response relationships, thereby providing support for predictions based on behavioral plasticity theory.

This article describes the Bonferroni multiple-comparison procedure, and makes a case for researchers’ more frequent and appropriate use of it. The procedure is discussed as a test that facilitates investigation of precise and powerful a priori multiple comparisons. Characteristics of the Bonferroni procedure are described in relation to the more familiar Scheffe post hoc multiple-comparison method, and a step-by-step guide for comparing and choosing between the two is provided. The Bonferroni procedure is discussed in detail in the context of one-factor analysis-of-variance designs. Application of the technique is then considered in the context of factorial designs, analyses of covariance, univariate repeated-measures analyses, multivariate analyses of variance, and recent sequential hypothesis-testing extensions. To aid the presentation, an example from the field of management is included.

This investigation examined police officers' responses to a change from a forward rotating 8-hour-shift schedule to a 12-hour compressed shift schedule. As predicted, significant improvements were observed in the areas of schedule-related interference with personal activities, work-schedule attitudes, general affect, and stress and fatigue. In addition, organizational effectiveness improved, but general work attitudes remained unchanged.

This study examines the attitudes of 110 employees of a financial service organization before and after the introduction of a flexible benefit plan. A large, statistically significant increase in benefit satisfaction was observed following implementation, as was a smaller significant increase in overall satisfaction. Employee understanding of the benefit package also increased significantly. No significant relationships were found between demographic characteristics and responses to the flexible plan. Potential confounds due to the complexity of the intervention are discussed. Future research is called for to examine the processes through which flexible benefits impact worker reactions and to examine the impact of flexible benefits on behavioral responses such as attraction and retention.

This investigation examined police officers' responses to a change from a forward rotating 8–hour-shift schedule to a 12-hour compressed shift schedule. As predicted, significant improvements were ...

This paper introduces a multifaceted construct labelled ‘employee focus of attention’. Conceptual and operational definitions for the construct are provided. Evidence from four different studies is presented to establish content, construct and face validity for the operationalization. Data support the general hypothesis that the degree to which employees think about various targets in their work environment affects their reactions to those targets. It is concluded that with further development the focus of attention construct may provide a viable way to enhance explanations of employee reactions to their work environments. Suggestions for future research on the focus of attention construct are provided.

The article introduces the construct “organization-based self-esteem” and its measurement. We developed a partial nomological network resulting in a set of hypotheses that guided efforts to validat...

Two separate longitudinal field studies were conducted to assess the relationship between personal control and job satisfaction and performance. In the first study, a sample of nursing service personnel from a variety of functional and hierarchical levels who were working in a hospital were utilized; in the second study, clerical workers in two regional offices of an insurance company were employed. After statistically controlling for locus of control, it was found that personal control significantly predicted job satisfaction and performance. Time lag analyses suggest that control may also be an outcome of these variables. The implications of these results for theories of motivation are discussed.

This study tracked the development of organizational commitment from a pre-employment period through the first three months of employment. All major linkages in the Mowday, Porter and Steers (1982) model of the determinants of organizational commitment were tested and supported. Commitment had a strong association with behavioral intentions to turnover, which in turn were significantly associated with subsequent turnover behavior.