Effects of Technology on Experienced Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction.

Abstract

This research studies the relationships between the technological characteristics of Navy jobs, psychological characteristics of the jobs and reenlistment intentions. Measurements were made of three dimensions of technology involving the nature of the raw material or input, the operations and equipment used to process the input, and the knowledge or skill required of the workers to perform their jobs. Psychological characteristics included job challenge, the extent to which workers feel personal responsibility for their work and the extent to which they can see that they have produced something of consequence. Measures of overall satisfaction included duty station, job, and career satisfaction measures. Analyses are described for a sample of 3,000 Navy enlisted men who have jobs in the Electrician's Mate, Engineman and Gunner's Mate ratings. Results indicate that a general attitude toward the organization--overall career satisfaction--is the best predictor of reenlistment intention. The effects of experienced job characteristics on career satisfaction are mediated by overall job satisfaction. Measures of job context such as pay, allowances, and living quarters, were generally related to satisfaction with duty station or directly related to career satisfaction. Contrary to expectations, the highest correlations of the technology measures were with the measures of overall satisfaction rather than with experienced job characteristics.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA090126

Entities

People

  • Edward E. Lawler Iii
  • Jeffrey T. Walsh
  • John A. Drexler Jr.
  • Michael K. Lindell

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Applied Psychology
  • Business Administration
  • Employment
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Factor Analysis
  • Information Processing
  • Job Analysis
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Research
  • Naval Operations
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Students
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Occupational Health and Safety.
  • Organizational Psychology.