Page 96 - Psychological Management of Individual Performance

work design and individual work performance: empirical studies 75
much stronger and more consistent effects of work design have been obtained for at-
titudinal outcomes such as job satisfaction and internal work motivation than for job
performance (see Griffin, Welsh, & Morehead, 1981; Fried & Ferris, 1987; Kelly, 1992;
Kopelman, 1985). For example, based on their review of the link between perceived task
characteristics and employee performance, Griffin et al. (1981) concluded that the link
between performance and task perceptions is inconsistent. Some studies show no signif-
icant relationship between task perceptions and performance (e.g., Hackman & Oldham,
1976), while other studies have shown significant relationships (e.g., Griffin, 1982). In
a later review, Stone (1986) found that job scope (i.e., a job with high levels of core
work characteristics) was positively correlated to job performance in 11 field studies,
but had a negative correlation in three laboratory studies. At about the same time, Fried
and Ferris (1987) found a correlation of .23 between job scope and performance (see
also Berlinger, Glick, & Rodgers, 1988).
One important point worth making is that many of the studies included in the above
reviews and meta-analyses have methodological weaknesses. For example, the Fried
and Ferris (1987) review focused mostly on laboratory studies that typically use students
carrying out tasks of limited duration. Laboratory studies offer control and measurement
advantages, but lack external validity (e.g., they typically ignore the economic exchange
aspectofwork;Kelly,1992).Notsurprisingly,comparisonsoflaboratoryandfieldstudies
on work design show different results (Stone, 1986; Berlinger et al., 1988). Another
problem is the dominance of cross-sectional field studies in work design research. These
studies have the advantage of external validity, but do not allow conclusions to be made
about the direction of causality. In many cases, the studies focus on naturally occurring
variations in job content rather than change, yet an employee who has experienced work
redesign is likely to react differently to the same job carried out by someone recruited
into the post.
A methodological improvement is the longitudinal field survey or field experiment
in which the effects of work redesign are tracked over time. Such studies offer advan-
tages, although they often lack control groups which means that one cannot be certain
whether work design or some other change caused the outcomes. Ideally, longitudinal
field experiments involve comparing the effects of an intervention group (i.e., people
who experience work design) against a control group (i.e., people who do not experience
work design). Although providing a high level of methodological rigour, one problem
with the longitudinal field experiments is that they have mostly been conducted over
relatively short periods. An exception is the study by Griffin (1991) which investigated
the effects of work redesign (e.g., increased skill variety and job autonomy) on the
attitudes, perceptions, and performance of 526 bank tellers over a two-year time period.
Job satisfaction and organizational commitment improved in the first six months, but then
declined to initial levels. In contrast, performance (assessed via supervisory ratings) did
not increase in the first six months after the work redesign but significantly improved
after 24 and 48 months. This study therefore not only established a link between work
redesign and performance, but it demonstrated the value of looking at patterns of change
over extended periods. Had only a six-month study been conducted, for example, the
conclusion would have been that the work redesign did not enhance performance.
In an effort to overcome the problems associated with weaker studies, Kelly (1992)
reviewed 31 methodologically rigorous studies concerned with the link between per-
formance or productivity and job perceptions, job satisfaction, or job motivation. Kelly