Date of Award

1991

Publication Type

Doctoral Thesis

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

Keywords

Psychology, Industrial.

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

The potential of two variables, performance-outcome instrumentalities and self-efficacy, to mediate the relationships between employees' participation in decision making (PDM) and the outcomes of PDM, job satisfaction and work performance, were investigated within the framework of Dachler and Wilpert's (1978) conceptual model of participation. Sixty-two direct-care workers on eight residences in a large Provincial residential facility for developmentally delayed persons completed the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Weiss, Dawis, England & Lofquist, 1967), two scales constructed for the present research to measure instrumentalities and self-efficacy, the Work Locus of Control Scale (Spector, 1988), and a perceived skill-utilization scale (Dowling & O'Brien, 1980). Residence supervisors rated the work performance of residential workers who participated in the research. Two weeks later semi-structured interviews and a perceived group influence scale (adapted from Moch, Cammann, & Cooke, 1983) were administered to subjects in order to classify the eight residential work groups according to the level of PDM used in their routine decision making procedures. Two residences (n = 15) that had been involved in a participation intervention two years prior to the present research were classified as Formal Participation residences. Three residences (n = 25) were classified as Informal Participation residences and the remaining three residences (n = 22) were classified as Non Participation. Results provided qualified support for positive relationships between PDM and both employees' intrinsic job satisfaction and work performance. No support was found for the potential of instrumentalities to mediate the relationship between PDM and intrinsic job satisfaction, or for employees' self-efficacy beliefs about performing their work to mediate the relationship between PDM and work performance. Ancillary analyses showed statistically significant correlations between intrinsic job satisfaction and both perceived group influence, and skill-utilization. These findings are discussed within the context of Dachler and Wilpert's (1978) convergent conceptual model of participation.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1991 .C458. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-09, Section: B, page: 4988. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1991.

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