Implications of Method-Based Differences in Measuring Job Characteristics
Abstract
The overall objective of this study was to examine if and how workers' self-reports of job characteristics were related to independently rated characteristics for those jobs. Ratings of job characteristics by 223 workers in sixteen jobs were obtained on scales developed by Hackman and Oldham (1975) and Zaccaro and Stone (1988). Independently rated characteristics were derived from job analysts' ratings on the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ; McCormick, Jeanneret, & Mecham, 1969). After assessing interrater agreement on the PAQ ratings, characteristics derived from the PAQ ratings were related by canonical correlation analysis to characteristics reported by workers. Three significant canonical functions were interpreted. The three PAQ-derived variates predicated 60% of the variance in worker-reported characteristics; and the three variates derived from workers' job perceptions predicted 51% of the variance in the PAQ- derived characteristics. Results suggested that (a) characteristics in addition to those proposed by Hackman and Oldham (1975) were useful for defining job characteristics, (b) self-reported job characteristics were related to independently measured PAQ job characteristics, and (c) further research is needed on the use of behavior-based job characteristics in job redesign.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196398
Entities
People
- Richard S. Tallarigo Sr.
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology