Job redesign has been used in the public and private sectors for at least two decades. This essay examines the use of job redesign techniques in the public sector. The psychological basis of job redesign is briefly reviewed, focusing on motivation theories. Then, several cases are reviewed il lustrating the application of different techniques. Finally, the utility of job redesign in the public sector is assessed, concluding with a call for more rigorous research. An Appendix lists twenty-one cases of various job redesign efforts in the public sector.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bellas, C.L. (1976). "The Dual Track Career System Within the Internal Revenue Service," pp. 116-22 in R. T. Golembiewski and M. Cohen (ed.) People in Public Service. Itasca, Illinois: F. E. Peacock.
2.
Brief, A.P. and R.J. Aldag (1975). "Employee Reactions to Job Characteristics: A Constructive Replication." Journal of Applied Psychology60: 182-186.
3.
Campbell, J.P., M.D. Dunnette, E.E. Lawler III and K. Weick (1973). "Expectancy Theory," in D. Hampton, C. Summer and R. Weber (eds.) Organizational Behavior and the Practice of Management. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Co.
4.
Civil Service Journal (1977a). "NOAA Trains for Advancement." Vol. 17: 29-30.
5.
__ ( 1977b). "Upward Mobility: Making It Work." Vol. 17,
6.
Conference Board (1971). "Job Design for Motivation," Report No. 515. New York: Conference Board.
7.
Delbecq, A., F. Shull, A. Filley and A. Grimes (1969). Matrix Organization. Madison : University of Wisconsin, Graduate School of Business.
8.
EEO Spotlight (1975a). "Stride: Where Is It Now?" Vol. 7.
9.
(1975 b). "Upward Mobility at NASA." Vol. 8.
10.
__ ( 1976a). "Upward Mobility in Boise." Vol. 8.
11.
(1976 b). "Upward Mobility Working in Panama City, Florida." Vol. 8. (1977). "Upward Mobility at FHLBB." Vol. 9.
12.
Fuller, S.H. (1973). "G. M. Zeroes in on Employee Discontent." Business Week: 140-44.
13.
Glassberg, A. (1978). "Organizational Responses to Municipal Budget Decreases." Public Administration Review38: 325-32.
14.
Glaser, E.M. (1975). Improving the Quality of Worklife. Los Angeles: Human Interaction Research Institute.
15.
Gomez L. and S. Mussio (1975). "An Application of Job Enrichment in a Civil Service Setting." Public Personnel Management4:49-54,
16.
Greiner, J. (1973). "Employee Incentives in Local Government." Labor-Management Relations ServiceNewsletter (July).
17.
Gyllenhammar, P. (1975). "Changing Work Organization at Volvo," in W. W. Suojanen, M. J. McDonald and G. L. Swallow (eds.) Perspectives on Job Enrichment and Productivity. Atlanta: Publishing Services Division, Georgia State University.
18.
Hackman, J.R. and E.E. Lawler, III (1971). "Employee Reactions to Job Characteristics ." Journal of Applied Psychology55: 259-286.
19.
Hackman, J.R., G. Oldham, R. Jason and K. Purdy (1974). A New Strategy of Job Enrichment. New Haven: Yale University Press.
20.
Hackman, J.R., and G. Oldham (1976). "Job Characteristics and Internal Motivation: The Moderating Effect of Interpersonal and Individual Variables." Human Relations29: 559-69.
21.
" Motivation Through the Design of Work: Test of a Theory." Organization Behavior and Human Performance16: 250-279.
22.
Hampton, D.R., C.E. Summer, and R.A. Weber (1973). Organizational Behavior and the Practice of Management . Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Co.
23.
Herzberg, F. (1966). Work and the Nature of Man. Cleveland: World.
24.
__ ( 1973). "One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees," in D. R. Hampton, C. E. Summer and R. A. Weber (eds.) Organizational Behavior and the Practice of Management. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Co.
25.
Herzberg, F. and E. Rafalko (1975). "Efficiency in the Military: Cutting Cost with Job Enrichment." Personnel52: 42-46.
26.
Homans, G.C. (1961). Social Behavior: Its Elementary Forms. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World.
27.
Hulin, C.L. and M.R. Blood (1968). "Job Enlargement, Individual Differences and Worker Responses." Psychological Bulletin69: 41-55.
28.
Katz, D. and R.L. Kahn (1966). The Social Psychology of Organizations. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
29.
Katzell, R. and D. Yankelovich (1978). "Improving Productivity and Job Satisfaction," in R. T. Golembiewski, F. Gibson and G. Miller (eds.) Managerial Behavior and Organizational Demands. Itasca : F. E. Peacock.
30.
Lawler, E.E. Iii (1969). "Job Design and Employee Motivation." Personnel Psychology22 (Winter).
31.
Litwin, G.H. and R.A. Stringer, Jr. (1968). Motivation and Organizational ClimateBoston: Harvard University Press.
32.
Locke, E., D. Sirota and A. Wolfson (1976). "An Experimental Case Study of the Successes and Failures at Job Enrichment in the Public Sector." Journal of Applied Psychology61.
33.
McClelland, D.C. (1961). The Achieving Society. Princeton : Van Nostrand.
34.
McNemar, T. (1973). "White Collar Job Enrichment: The Pay Board Experience ." Public Administration Review33: 563-68.
35.
Miller, D.C. (1977). Handbook of Research Design and Social Measurement . New York: David McKay Co.
36.
Murray, H.A. (1938). Explorations in Personality. New York: Oxford University Press.
37.
Myers, M. Scott (1976). "Job Enrichment," in R. T. Golembiewski and M. Cohen (eds.) People in Public Service. Itasca: F. E. Peacock.
38.
Nord, W.R. (1978). "Beyond the Teaching Machine: The Neglected Area of Operant Conditioning in the Theory and Practice of Management," in R. T. Golembiewski, F. Gibson and G. Miller (eds.) Managerial Behavior and Organizational Demands. Itasca, Illinois: F. E. Peacock.
39.
Porter, L.W. and E.E. Lawler, III (1968). Managerial Attitudes and PerformanceHomewood, Illinois: Irwin.
40.
Prenting, T.O. (1978). "Job Enrichment: How Important Is The Work Itself? " in R. T. Golembiewski, F. Gibson, and G. Miller (eds.) Managerial Behavior and Organizational Demands . Itasca, Illinois: F. E. Peacock .
41.
Scott, W.E. (1966). "Activation Theory and Task Design." Organizational Behavior and Human Performance1: 3-30.
42.
Slesinger, J.A. (1961). Personnel Adaptations in the Federal Junior Management Assistant Program. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan.
43.
Smith, M.B. (1973). "Political Attitudes," in J. Knutson (ed.) Handbook of Political Psychology. (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass).
44.
Smith, P.C. (1969). The Measurement of Satisfaction in Work and Retirement: A Strategy for the Study of Attitudes. Chicago: Rand McNally Co.
45.
Special Task Force of the Secretary of theDepartment of Health, Education and Welfare (1976). "Problems of American Workers," in R. T. Golembiewski and M. Cohen (eds.) People in Public Service. Itasca, Illinois: F. E. Peacock.
46.
Srivastra, S. (1977). Job Satisfaction and Productivity. Kent: Comparative Administration Research Institute, Kent State University.
47.
Staw, B.M. (1976). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. Morristown, N. J.: General Learning Press.
48.
Stecich, M. (1976). "Job Enrichment for Court Clerks." Judicature59: 394-99.
49.
Steers, R.M. (1975). "Effects of the Need for Achievement on the Job Performance: Job Attitude Relationship." Journal of Applied Psychology60: 678-682.
50.
Steers, R.M. and R. Mowday (1977). "The Motivational Properties of Tasks." Academy of Management Review2 (October).
51.
Stewart, J. (1973). "Job Restructuring." Civil Service Journal13: 30-33.
52.
Stone, E.F., R.T. Mowday and L.W. Porter (1977). "Higher Order Need Strength as a Moderator of the Job-Scope: Job Satisfaction Relationship." Journal of Applied Psychology62: 466-71.
53.
Thompson, J.D. (1967). Organizations in Action. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
54.
Trist, E., G.W. Higgin, H. Murray and A.B. Pollack (1963). Organizational Choice. London : Tavistock.
55.
Turner, A. and P. Lawrence (1965). Industrial Jobs and the WorkerCambridge: Harvard University.
56.
U. S. General Accounting Office (1977). Upward Mobility Using Job Restructuring. Washington : U. S. Government Printing Office.
57.
Vroom, V. (1964). Work and Motivation. New York : Wiley.
58.
Whittset, D.A. and E.K. Winslow (1967). "An Analysis of Studies Critical of the Motivator-Hygiene Theory." Personnel Psychology20: 391-415.
59.
Winpisinger, W.W. (1973). "Job Enrichment: A Union View." Monthly Labor Review96 (Part I).
60.
Woodward, R. (1978). "Want to Swap Jobs?" Civil Service Journal18: 34-35.
61.
Zagoria, S. (1975). "Improving Job Satisfaction in Local Governments ," in W. Suojanen (eds.) Perspectives on Job Enrichment and Productivity. Atlanta : Publishing Services Division, Georgia State University .
