Individual differences and reactions to job characteristics.

Abstract

Three different methods of measuring individual differences were evaluated as moderators of employee reactions to job characteristics. The three methods are urban versus rural background, strong versus weak belief in the Protestant Work Ethic, and high versus low strength for needs. Each of these three methods was used as a moderator of the relationships between job characteristics on the one hand, and specific job facet satisfaction, overall job satisfaction, and job behavior on the other hand. Based on the job results, higher order need strength is the most useful way to measure this type of individual difference, followed by the Protestant Work Ethic, and lastly by urban versus rural background of the worker. There were no differences among the three individual differences as moderators of the job characteristics and job behavior relationship. Although certain job characteristics tend to be more satisfying to employees than others, there are wide individual differences in reactions to them. This research is an examination of three different methods for measuring individual differences relevant for employee reactions to job characteristics. The three methods are (a) urban versus rural worker background (Hulin & Blood, 1968), (b) strong versus weak belief in the Protestant Work Ethic (Blood, 1969), and (c) high versus low desire for order need satisfaction (Hackman & Lawler, 1971). The framework for comparison among the three individual differences concerns how well each moderates the relationship between the presence of certain job characteristics and reactions to these characteristics.

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