Organizational Behaviour
The Individual
Attitudes Job Satisfaction
Attitudes
• Fairly stable evaluative 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
• Can include both facet satisfaction and
overall satisfaction
Theoretical explanations for
dissatisfaction/ satisfaction:
• Discrepancy Theory – The more people
perceive that the job has want they want
or value the more satisfied they are.
Discrepancy is the difference between
what people want and what they perceive
they obtain.
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
Theoretical explanations for
dissatisfaction/ satisfaction:
• Fairness
– Distributive Fairness – From equity theory.
If people receive what they think they
deserve (the 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.
The riddle of the satisfaction –
performance relationship
• Questions (think expectancy theory!!)
1. Why is there no specific link between
satisfaction and performance?
1. What makes employees happy?
2. When would high performance not
be related to satisfaction?
2. How do you create a relationship
between satisfaction and performance?
The satisfaction/performance
relationship:
• While correlated, there is no direct link between
employee satisfaction and employee performance
(satisfaction does not lead to performance)
• Individuals are satisfied to the extent that they
receive desired outcomes
• Performance can be linked to satisfaction through
reinforcement of desired performance
Performance > Desired Rewards >Satisfaction
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.
Values Across Cultures
• 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
CROSS-CULTURAL VALUE
COMPARISONS
Cognitive dissonance
• Attitude change
• Feelings of tension which exist when
certain cognitions (ideas/thoughts) are
inconsistent with our behaviour (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