Organizational Behaviour
The Individual
Attitudes Job Satisfaction
Attitudes
• Fairly stable emotional tendency to
respond consistently toward specific
targets (a function of what we think and
feel)
• BELIEFS (our perceptions)
+
• VALUES (a broad tendency to prefer certain
states of affairs over others)
>>>>>>>>>> ATTITUDES
>>>>>>>>>> BEHAVIOURS
Defining Job Satisfaction
• An attitude toward one’s job
• An individual’s cognitive and affective
reactions toward one’s job
• Can include both facet satisfaction and
overall satisfaction
Theoretical explanations for
dissatisfaction/ satisfaction:
• Discrepancy Theory or Value Theory –
The more people receive the outcomes
that they value, the more satisfied they will
be. The less people receive the outcomes
that they value the more dissatisfied they
will be.
Theoretical explanations for
dissatisfaction/ satisfaction:
• Fairness
– Distributive Fairness – From equity theory.
If people receive what they think they
deserve (inputs & outcomes comparison is
equitable) they are satisfied. If they do not
receive what they think they deserve
(inequitable) then dissatisfaction occurs.
– Procedural Fairness – if the process used
to distribute outcomes is considered
reasonable then people are satisfied. If the
process is considered unreasonable then
dissatisfaction occurs.
Theoretical explanations for
dissatisfaction/ satisfaction:
• Disposition – Some people’s personality is
more positive and other’s personality more
negative. The more positive your
personality the more satisfied, the more
negative the personality the less satisfied
The riddle of the satisfaction –
performance relationship
• Questions
1. Why is there no specific link between
satisfaction and performance?
1. What makes employees happy?
2. Why would employees be
performing but not happy?
2. How do you create a relationship
between satisfaction and performance?
Satisfaction and withdrawal:
• Absenteeism - A weak relationship to
satisfaction. Dissatisfaction tends to lead
to absenteeism.
– Satisfaction is a better predictor of the number
of times absent
– Increasing satisfaction will only decrease
absenteeism when this is the specific reason
for the absenteeism.
Satisfaction and withdrawal:
• Turnover – a moderate relationship to
satisfaction. Dissatisfaction tends to lead
to turnover.
– Turnover is more strongly tied to economic
conditions and the availability of an alternative
job.
Cognitive dissonance
• Attitude change
• Feelings of tension which exist when
certain cognitions (ideas/thoughts) are
inconsistent with one another (can
contradict our basic beliefs about
ourselves). To reduce dissonance
1) downplay the importance
2) create additional cognitions to help reduce the
tension
3) change the cognitions to bring it into line with
the other, so that the inconsistency is reduces
Do theories translate
across cultures?
• Reinforcement theory?
• Goal setting theory?
• Need theories?
– Maslow’s need hierarchy
– Alderfer’s ERG
– McClelland’s theory of needs
• Equity theory?
• Expectancy theory?
Values Across Cultures
• Work Centrality
• Hofstede
– Power distance = acceptance of unequal
distribution of power
– Uncertainty avoidance = comfort with ambiguity
– Masculinity/femininity = recognition of
differentiated gender roles
– Individualism/collectivism = individual
independence vs loyalty to the group