This study examined five sets of work process variables with respect to their relationship with role conflict and role overload among samples of public sector nurses and engineers. The findings suggest that managerial strategies appropriate for minimizing role conflict are not necessarily appropriate for minimizing role overload. The findings also suggest that, in the context of public sector employment, some work process predictors of role conflict and overload may be similar across professions. Finally, in contrast with some of the assumptions of recent job design theory, the findings indicate that for public sector professionals, managerial strategies that reflect professional ethos may not reduce role conflict and role overload.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aiken, M.
, & Hage, J. (1966). Organizational alienation: A comparative analysis. American Sociological Review, 31, 497-501.
2.
Bacharach, S.
, & Aiken, M. (1976). Structural and process constraints on influence in organizations: A level-specific analysis. Administrative Science Quarterly, 21, 623-642.
3.
Bacharach, S.
, Bamberger, P., & Conley, S. (1990). Negotiating the “see saw” of managerial strategy: A resurrection of the study of professionals in organizational theory. In S. Barley & P. Tolbert (Eds.), Research in the sociology of organizations: Special issue on the sociology of the Professions. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
4.
Bacharach, S.
, Bauer, S., & Conley, S. (1986). Organizational analysis of stress: The case of elementary and secondary schools. Work and Occupations, 13, 7-32.
5.
Bacharach, S.
, & Mitchell, S. (1982). The quality of working life of professional, technical, and scientific employees of New York State. Report to the Joint Labor-Management Committee on Professional Development and QWL. Ithaca, NY: NYSSILR, Cornell University.
6.
Bamberger, P.
, Bacharach, S., & Dyer, L. (1990). Human resource management and organizational effectiveness: High technology entrepreneurial startup firms in Israel. Human Resource Management Journal.
7.
Bartunek, J.
, & Reynolds, C. (1983). Boundary spanning and public accountant role stress. Journal of Social Psychology, 121, 65-72.
8.
Bedeian, A.
, & Armenakis, A. (1981). A path-analytic study of the consequences of role conflict and ambiguity. Academy of Management Journal, 24, 417-424.
9.
Beehr, T.
, Walsh, J., & Taber, T. (1976). Relationship of stress to individually and organizationally valued states: Higher order needs as a moderator. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61, 41-47.
10.
Blau, P.
, & Scott, W. (1962). Formal organizations. San Francisco: Chandler.
11.
Camman, C.
, Fichman, M., Jenkins, D., & Klesch, J. (1979) The Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire Unpublished manuscript, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
12.
Caplan, R.
(1971). Organizational stress and individual strain. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. (University Microfilm No. 72-14882)
13.
Cohen, S.
, & Wills, M. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310-357.
14.
Conley, S.
, Bacharach, S., & Bauer, S. (1989). The school work environment and teacher career dissatisfaction. Education Administration Quarterly, 25, 58-81.
15.
Cook, J.
, Hepworth, S., Wall, T., & Warr, P. (1981). The experience of work. London: Academic Press.
16.
Corwin, R.
(1969). Patterns of organizational conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly, 14, 507-520.
17.
Fisher, C.
, & Gittelson, R. (1983). A meta-analysis of the correlates of role conflict and ambiguity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 68(2), 320-333.
18.
Gouldner, A.
(1956). Cosmopolitans and locals: Toward an analysis of latent social roles, I. Administrative Science Quarterly, 2, 281-306.
19.
Gouldner, A.
(1957). Cosmopolitans and locals: Toward an analysis of latent social roles, II. Administrative Science Quarterly, 2, 444-480.
20.
Greene, C.
(1978). Identification modes of professionals: Relationship with formalization, role strain and alienation. Academy of Management Journal, 21, 486-492.
21.
Hackman, J.
, & Oldham, G. (1980). Work redesign. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
22.
Hage, J.
, & Aiken, M. (1967). Relationship of centralization to other structural properties. Administrative Science Quarterly, 12, 72-92.
23.
Hall, R.
(1968). Professionalization and bureaucratization. American Sociological Review, 33, 92-104.
24.
House, R.
, & Rizzo, J. (1972). Role conflict and ambiguity as critical variables in a model of organizational behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 7, 467-505.
25.
Jackson, S.
(1983). Participation in decision making as a strategy for reducing job-related strain. Journal of Applied Psychology, 68 (1) 3-19.
26.
Jackson, S.
, & Schuler, R. (1985). A meta-analysis and conceptual critique of research on role ambiguity and role conflict in work settings. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 36, 16-78.
27.
Jackson, S.
, Schwab, R., & Schuler, R. (1986). Toward an understanding of the burnout phenomenon. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(4), 630-640.
28.
Kahn, R.
(1980). Conflict, ambiguity, and overload: Three elements in job stress. In D. Katz, R. Kahn, & J. Adams (Eds.), The study of organizations (pp. 418-428). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
29.
Kahn, R.
, Wolf, D., Quinn, R., Snoek, J., & Rosenthal, R. (1964). Organizational stress: Studies in role conflict and ambiguity. New York: Wiley.
30.
Katz, D.
, & Kahn, R. (1978). The social psychology of organizations. New York: Wiley.
31.
Kemery, E.
, Bedeian, A., Mossholder, K., & Touliatos, J. (1985). Outcomes of role stress: A multi-sample constructive replication. Academy of Management Journal, 28(2), 363-375.
32.
Kemery, E.
, Mossholder, K., & Bedeian, A. (1987). Role stress, physical symptomology and turnover intentions: A causal analysis of three alternative specifications. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 8, 11-23.
33.
Kornhauser, W.
(1962). Scientists in industry: Conflict and accommodation. Westport, CT: Greenwood.
34.
Leifer, R.
, & Huber, G. (1977). Relations among perceived environmental uncertainty, organizational structure and boundary spanning behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, 22, 235-247.
35.
March, J.
, & Simon, H. (1958). Organizations. New York: Wiley.
36.
Miles, R.
(1975). An empirical test of causal inference between role perceptions of conflict and ambiguity and various personal outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60, 334-339.
37.
Miles, R.
(1976). Role requirements as sources of organizational stress. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61(2), 172-179.
38.
Miles, R.
, & Perreault, W. (1980). Organizational role conflict: Its antecedents and consequences. In D. Katz, R. Kahn, & J. Adams (Eds.), The study of organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
39.
Mowday, R.
, Porter, L., & Steers, R. (1982). Employee-organization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism, and turnover. New York: Academic Press.
40.
Newton, T.
, & Keenan, A. (1987). Role stress reexamined: An investigation of role stress predictors. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 40, 346-368.
41.
Rizzo, J.
, House, R., & Lertzman, S. (1970). Role conflict and ambiguity in complex organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 15, 150-163.
42.
Rogers, D.
, & Molnar, J. (1976). Organizational antecedents of role conflict and ambiguity in top-level administrators. Administrative Science Quarterly, 21, 598-610.
43.
Smith, F.
(1976). Index of organizational reactions (IOR). JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 6(1), Item 54, No. 1265.
44.
Thompson, J.
(1967). Organizations in action. New York: McGraw-Hill.
45.
Zeitz, G.
(1984) Bureaucratic role characteristics and member affective response in organizations. Sociological Quarterly, 25(3), 301-318.
