| An Integrative Model of Work Flow Interdependence and Performance |
| | Doerr, Kenneth Howard | U. of Miami | kdoerr@exchange.sba.miami.edu | (305) 284-1333 |
| | Mitchell, Terence R. | U. of Washington | trm@u.washington.edu | (206)-543-6779 |
| | Freed, Tali | U. of Miami | talifreed@miami.edu | (305)-284-1738 |
| | Zhou, Tracy X. | U. of Miami | tzhou@miami.edu | 305-284-5846 |
| | This paper presents a model of work flow interdependence on a flow line. Both the operations management and the organizational behavior
literature are integrated into the model, which is more detailed than earlier models, both in terms of operational context, and specific behavioral
consequences of operational policies. Structural interdependence is shown to have a generally negative impact on the performance of
production flow lines, moderated by within and between worker differences (variability). The level of within and between worker variability is also
shown to critically affect the relative performance of different production flow lines. It is hypothesized that cognitive interdependence moderates
this relative performance, as mediated by motivation. |
| | Keywords: Interdependence; Production-Flow-Lines; Worker-Ability |
| All in a Day's Work: Micro Role Transitions and the Workplace |
| | Ashforth, Blake E. | Arizona State U., Main | blake.ashforth@asu.edu | (602) 965-0917 |
| | Kreiner, Glen E. | Arizona State U., Main | glen.kreiner@asu.edu | (602)-727-6267 |
| | Fugate, Mel | Arizona State U., Main | mel.fugate@asu.edu | 602-965-4790 |
| | The paper focuses on the dynamics of everyday role transitions involving the domains of work, home, and so-called "third places."
We argue that a given pair of roles can be arrayed on a continuum ranging from high segmentation to high integration.
High segmentation decreases role blurring but increases the magnitude of role change, fostering the transition obstacle of crossing role boundaries.
Crossing is often facilitated by personal and collective rites of passage that signal a change in roles and their identities.
Conversely, high integration decreases the magnitude of role change but increases role blurring, fostering the transition obstacle of creating and maintaining role boundaries.
This obstacle is often surmounted by personal and collective boundary work that serves to buffer the roles. |
| | Keywords: Role transitions; Role theory; Home/work interface |
| Job Complexity and Employee Substance Use: The Moderating Effects of Cognitive Ability |
| | Gordon, Benjamin I. | U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | b-gordon@uiuc.edu | (217)-333-0984 |
| | Oldham, Greg R. | U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign | g-oldham@uiuc.edu | (217)-333-6340 |
| | This study examined the possibility that individuals' general cognitive ability influenced relations between the complexity of their jobs and their use of four different substances: cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Based on previous research and theory, we expected positive relations between job complexity and use of these substances for individuals with relatively low cognitive ability. Conversely, we predicted negative relations between job complexity and substance use for those with high cognitive ability. Hypotheses were tested using two data sets. The first included 7112 individuals and measures of all four substances; the second included 8548 individuals and a measure of alcohol consumption only. Results involving three of the substances (cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana) provided general support for our hypotheses. However, results showed that cognitive ability did not influence the association between job complexity and cocaine use. Implications of the results for future research and practice were discussed. |
| | Keywords: Jobs; Substances; Ability |