Task characteristics, organizational responses and experienced role stress / BEBR No. 484

Abstract

"Based on the view of organizations as complex webs of interdependencies, several possible sources of role stress are investigated. Dependent measures of role stress include role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and role fairness. Task characteristics (workflow centrality, interdependence, task feedback, and task autonomy) were analyzed as determinants of role stress, mediated by organizational responses (centralization, formalization, influence, and contacts) and supervisor behavior (feedback and goal clarification). Differential patterns of role stress were observed for different type employees (managers, professionals, and technicians). Analyses focussed on task characteristics and organizational responses reported by one type employee and the consequent effects of these variables on the role stress experienced by the other groups of employees. Substantial amounts of variance in role stress was explained for professionals and technicians. Results also indicate that factors increasing role stress for one type employee can even decrease role stress experienced by other types of employees. Results are discussed in terms of the organic versus mechanistics nature of organizations."