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This new economic era is characterized by organizations managing a diverse workforce across different generations. These generations have different work values, goals, and expectations on their employer, which poses various challenges for human resource managers in managing and retaining employees from different generations. The most recent generation that is currently entering the workforce is generation Y, and they are described as the younger generation with high employee turnover and reluctance to pledge long-term work commitments. Therefore, it is in the interest of organizations to tailor reward schemes that resonate with generation Yers in fostering organizational commitment. Thus, this thesis aims to examine how extrinsic and intrinsic rewards affect organizational commitment in generation Y. To answer these questions, this thesis reviews previous literature and use the self-determination theory to see how the different rewards affect the organizational commitment of generation Y. This study has been conducted through interviews with employees that are born within the age spectrum of generation Y (1980-1999) to understand how reward systems affect organizational commitment in generation Y employees. This thesis found that intrinsic rewards affect organizational commitment in a far more positive manner than extrinsic rewards. Furthermore, intrinsic rewards resonate to a greater extent with the employees from generation Y and should, therefore, be a priority for organizations. Moreover, this thesis concludes that intrinsic rewards can more easily satisfy the basic psychological needs, which are, as according to the self-determination theory, crucial to foster organizational commitment.

This study focuses on the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic work rewards among women and men in 12 post-industrial nations in the Global North. Guiding my analyses was Esping-Andersen’s theoretical framework and the following three main research questions: (1) how individual attributes and national policies influence the salience individuals assign to intrinsic and extrinsic rewards; (2) how individual attributes and national policies differ from each other in relative magnitude as predictors of the value individuals assign to intrinsic and extrinsic rewards; and (3) how individual attributes and national policies impact the importance individuals assign to intrinsic and extrinsic rewards differs by gender. For the micro level analysis, I used data from the 2005 International Social Survey Program Work Orientation Module. The twelve countries included in the analysis are Australia, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States. Macro level policy data are drawn from the 2005 Social Expenditure Database and maternity leave data are from the 2005 International Network on Leave Policy and Research. Analysis was performed using Stata regression with the cluster command. While not all variables included in the model were statistically significant, the general hypotheses were supported with the following results: (1) micro level variables (education, income, and employment) and macro level variables (paid family leave and the percentage of GDP spent on childcare and pre-primary education) increased the importance individual’s assign to intrinsic rewards; (2) the lack of human capital increases an individual’s emphasis on extrinsic rewards; (3) while macro level variables have a far greater impact on the importance individuals assign to intrinsic work rewards, both micro and macro level factors are important for explaining the maximum possible variation in the importance individuals assign to intrinsic work rewards; and (4) gender does not change the value an individual assigns to intrinsic or extrinsic rewards. This study represents a new, more comprehensive approach to studying the relationships among micro-level factors, structural opportunities and constraints, intrinsic and extrinsic work rewards, and gender. A review of the literature shows no other studies of this scope.

There is increasing recognition that informal learning is a crucial component of organizational functioning and a necessary complement to the formal training that employees receive. As jobs evolve and demand more complex skills, workers must use informal learning to adapt to ever-changing work requirements. Informal learning is often dependent on voluntary knowledge sharing behavior, as evident among members of mastermind groups or communities of practice. In order to assist organizations, researchers must seek to understand the factors that motivate employees to engage in knowledge sharing behavior. Empirical research on knowledge sharing is nascent. There exists only a handful of quantitative studies examining organizational factors (e.g., rewards) and individual factors (e.g., learning goal orientation and personality) as they relate to knowledge sharing attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. This body of work is also muddied by inconsistent operationalizations of constructs and a lack of an organizing framework. For instance, rewards have been popularly discussed and implemented as tools for incentivizing employees to perform. However, research has produced mixed findings regarding its effects on knowledge sharing behavior in organizations. There has also been a variety of different rewards examined without clear consistency in the results. The present study addressed several research needs of this area. First, two separate samples were used to assess the psychometric properties (i.e., reliability and factor structure) of new measurement instruments developed for rewards, knowledge sharing behavior, and organizational learning culture. Item content validation was performed with 14 subject matter experts. Scale dimensionality was established using exploratory factor analysis with data from a sample of 230 university students and confirmatory factor analysis with data from a second sample of 569 participants. Hypothesized relationships among dimensions of constructs as well as moderators were examined using regression analyses. Results did not support the popularly conjectured intrinsic versus extrinsic distinction between rewards. Results showed that rewards predicted knowledge asking but did not predict knowledge giving behavior. Non-financial rewards were found to vary in motivational value for knowledge giving depending on an individual’s career stage. Three dimensions of goal orientation exhibited differential relationships with knowledge sharing behavior. Finally, this study demonstrated that the negative relationship between performance avoid orientation and knowledge giving was attenuated in a strong organizational learning culture, providing empirical support for the situational strength theory. The findings from this work can inform organizational decision makers of how to harness the motivational value of rewards by understanding the career concerns of employees. This work also contributes by identifying person and situation factors that interact to facilitate a crucial kind of informal learning activity, knowledge sharing behavior in organizations.

Det finns olika beskrivningar av hur generation Y beter sig på arbetsmarknaden varav en återkommande är att de ofta byter jobb. Det finns även tidigare forskning kring hur arbetstrivsel kan motverka personalomsättning och här nämns bland annat den inverkan som belöning kan ha. Syftet med detta arbete är att uppnå en hermeneutisk förståelsetillväxt för generation Y:s syn på framtida arbetsliv och deras resonemang kring inre och yttre belöning. Lawler och Porters (1967) motivationsteori behandlar belöning och arbetstrivsel och kopplar detta till fenomen som personalomsättning. Likt mycket annan organisationsforskning som berör företagsekonomiska problem utgår de från en mer funktionalistisk, kvantitativ ansats. I denna studie har semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts som sedan tolkats genom tillämpningen av en hermeneutiskt spiral. Utifrån detta tolkningsarbete kunde slutsatsen dras att relationer och utvecklingsmöjligheter kan kopplas, både direkt och indirekt, till arbetstrivsel och spelar en central roll i generation Y:s framtida arbetsliv och deras intentioner att stanna eller lämna ett arbete. Vidare visar studien att det även finns normer kring jobbyte som företeelse vilket generation Y har att förhålla sig till. Studien bidrar till en mer holistisk förståelse kring generation Y och kan ge organisationer en ökad medvetenhet kring normer om jobbyte samt förhoppningsvis leda till en utökad förståelse för dagens och morgondagens arbetskraft. / The behaviour of Generation Y in the labor market has been described in several different ways, one of the recurrent descriptions is that they often change jobs. There are also previous research about how job satisfaction can counteract turnover and amongst other things the impact of rewards are mentioned within this research context. The purpose of our study is to attain a growth of hermeneutic understanding about the future work life of Generation Y and their reasoning about intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Lawler and Porters (1967) theory of motivation deals with topics like rewards and job satisfaction and links these to phenomenon such as turnover. They, as well as much other organizational research, have a functionalist, quantitative point of view while dealing with problems related to business economics. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted and later interpreted through the application of a hermeneutic spiral. Based on this interpretation process we have reached the conclusion that relations and development possibilities can be linked, bothdirect and indirect, to job satisfaction and that they play a central role in Generation Y’sfuture work life and that these elements also influence intentions to stay at or leave a job. Furthermore our study shows that job change is a phenomenon surrounded by norms that Generation Y has to relate to. Our study contributes to a more holistic understanding of Generation Y and can give organizations a raised awareness about norms related to job change and hopefully lead to an extended understanding about the work force of today and tomorrow.

This quantitative study offers the partial results of a research project conducted in a population of medium-sized businesses in Lara State, Venezuela. The objective was to determine whether there is a relationship between the variables of organizational design: centralized decision making and intrinsic rewards. The theoretical framework developed provides a general hypothesis which was tested in a field study. Methodologically, the measurement scales of the studied variables were assessed for its reliability, and content validity and construct. Data processing consisted of statistical correlation analysis and simple regression. Results show that there is a significant negative relationship between a centralized system and the implementation of intrinsic rewards in the organization. / El presente trabajo de naturaleza cuantitativa ofrece los resultados parciales de un proyecto de investigación llevado a cabo en una población de medianas empresas del estado Lara, Venezuela1, y cuyo propósito fue determinar si existe una relación entre las variables de diseño organizativo: centralización de la toma de decisiones y los incentivos intrínsecos.Del desarrollo del marco teórico, se desprende una hipótesis general que fue contrastada a través de un estudio de campo. Metodológicamente, las escalas de medición utilizadas para operacionalizar las variables objeto de este trabajofueron sometidas tanto a la evaluación de su fiabilidad como de su validez de contenido y de constructo. El tratamiento de los datos se realizó mediante la aplicación de análisis estadísticos de correlación y regresión simple. Los resultados muestran que existe una relación negativa y significativa entre la centralización de la toma de decisiones y la implementación en la organización de incentivos intrínsecos. / Este estudo quantitativo apresenta os resultados parciais de uma pesquisa realizada em uma população de médias empresas no estado de Lara, Venezuela. O objetivo foi determinar se existe uma relação entre as variáveis do desenho organizacional: tomada de decisão centralizada e recompensas intrínsecas. O referencial teórico formula uma hipótese geral que foi testada numa pesquisa de campo. Metodologicamente, foram avaliadas a confiabilidade e a validade de conteúdo e construção das variáveis estudadas. O processamento de dados foi realizado utilizando a análise de correlação e regressão simples. Os resultados mostram que existe uma relação negativa significativa entre a tomada de decisão centralizada e as recompensas intrínsecas na organização.

Avhandlingen består av två studier som utgår från projektet ”Det goda arbetet”. Det överordnade syftet med projektet Det Goda Arbetet var att använda tandvård som ett exempel på ett arbete där relationerna med patienterna utgör arbetets kärna. Denna typ av arbete (även kallat människovårdande arbete) har speciella psykosociala arbetsmiljövillkor och känslomässiga krav som måste tas hänsyn till vid organisering av arbetet. Syftet med den första studien var att beskriva bakgrunden och utvecklingen av frågeformuläret ’Svenska och Danska tandläkares uppfattning av ’Det Goda Arbetet’ och att skapa ett mått för generell arbetstillfredsställelse, applicerat på fyra organisatoriska miljöer. Syftet med den andra studien var att introducera konceptet emotionellt arbete i tandvård genom att ge en teoretisk överblick av de emotionella aspekterna av arbetet, villkoren under vilka arbetet utförs och de potentiella effekterna på tandläkarnas välbefinnande. I kappan har kompletterande resultat från projektet Det Goda Arbetet inkluderats i syfte att ge en empirisk illustration av hur tandläkare upplever de emotionella faktorer som relaterar till patient-interaktionen och deras arbetsglädje. Data från 1226 danska och svenska verksamma tandläkare samlades in i November 2008 med en svarsprocent på 68 %. Ett additivt index skapades för att mäta generell arbetstillfredsställelse, och resultaten visade statistiska skillnader i tandläkarnas uppfattning mellan de olika organisatoriska miljöerna (Svenska offentliga/privata och Danska offentliga/privata). De danska offentliga tandläkarna hade den högsta graden av generell arbetstillfredsställelse medan de svenska offentliga hade den lägsta graden. En möjlig förklaring till detta kan vara att danska offentliga tandläkare skiljer sig från de andra tre grupperna i karakteristika vad gäller både tandläkare och patienter. Den låga graden av generell arbetstillfredsställelse hos de offentliga svenska tandläkarna kan möjligtvis vara en effekt av New Public Management-tänkande i sättet att organisera tandvård. Tilläggsresultaten visade att de svenska offentliga tandläkarna hade mycket mindre energi till sina privatliv i jämförelse med de andra tre grupperna och bara hälften av dem förväntade sig att fortsätta arbeta som nu fram till pensionen. Att arbeta med eller på människor handlar mycket om att skapa goda interaktioner och relationer mellan vårdgivaren och patienten. Goda patientrelationer kan vara ett primärt- och/eller sekundärt mål för att göra andra saker, som t.ex. den kliniska behandlingen, lättare. För många vårdgivare är relationerna med patienterna en arena där de kan leva ut sin potential som människor och kan upplevas som en bestående inre glädje av arbetet, kallat eudaimonia. I patientrelationen utför tandläkaren emotionellt arbete som ett sätt att intervenera med patienten för att vägleda denne i en bestämd riktning. Tandläkare har uttalade emotionella arbetsuppgifter i sina interaktioner med patienterna, emellertid har dessa emotionella aspekter av arbetet hitintills varit ett försummat forskningsområde inom odontologin. De emotionella arbetsuppgifterna är betingade eftersom att tandläkarens incitament inte är endimensionella och därför kräver de en hel del emotionell flexibilitet, uppmärksamhet och reflektion av tandläkaren. Påverkan från marknadskrafter och managerialism på de professionella värdena inom tandvård kan av tandläkaren uppfattas som motstridande och utmana villkoren för emotionellt arbete och tandläkarnas välbefinnande. Denna forskning syftar till att starka och uppmuntra olika nivåer av tandvård till att ytterligare undersöka, förstå och stötta dynamiken i de emotionella aspekterna av arbetet för att skapa en hållbar arbetsmiljö där värden och logik kan uppfattas som kompatibla med tandvårdens professionella värden. / The thesis consists of two papers which are based on a research project called ‘Good Work’. The overall aim of the Good Work project was to use dentistry as an example of work which has close relations with patients at its core. This kind of work (also called human service work) has special psycho-social work environment considerations and emotional requirements, which need to be considered when organizing work. The aims of the first study were to describe the background and development of the questionnaire ‘Swedish and Danish Dentists’ Perceptions of Good Work’ and to create a measure of overall job satisfaction, applying the measure in four organizational settings. The aim of the second study was to introduce the concept of emotion work in dentistry by giving a theoretical overview of the emotional aspects of work, the conditions under which it is performed and the potential effects on the dentist’s wellbeing. Additional results from the Good Work project have been included in the thesis with the purpose of giving an empirical illustration of how dentists experience the emotional factors related to patient interaction and their job satisfaction. Data from 1226 Danish and Swedish practising dentists was collected in November 2008, with a 68% response rate. An additive index was created to measure overall job satisfaction showing statistical difference in the dentists’ experience according to affiliation (Swedish public/private, Danish public/private). The Danish public dentists had the highest degree of overall job satisfaction and the Swedish public dentists had the lowest. A reason for this difference might be that Danish public dentistry differs from the other three groups in the characteristics of both dentists and patients. However, the lower job satisfaction for the Swedish public dentists could be an effect of New Public Management thinking in organizing dentistry. The additional results showed that Swedish public dentists had substantially less energy left for their private lives compared with the other three groups and only half of them expected to continue working as they do now until retirement. Working directly with or on people is very much about creating good interactions and relations between the health professional and the patient. Good patient relations can be a primary aim and/or a secondary aim, to make other things, e.g. the clinical treatment, easier. To many health professionals their relations with the patients is an arena in which to activate their human potentials and can be experienced as a lasting intrinsic joy from work, called eudaimonia. In the relation with the patient the dentist performs emotion work as an intervention toolkit to direct the patient in a specific direction. Dentists have extensive emotional work tasks in their patient interactions, however this emotional part of dentists’ work is, so far, a neglected research area of odontology. The emotion work tasks are conditioned because the dentists’ incentives are not one-dimensional and require a great deal of emotional flexibility, attentiveness and reflection by the dentist. The influence of the market and managerialism on the professional values of dentistry may challenge the conditions for these tasks in the patient interaction and the wellbeing of the dentist if they are experienced as contradictory. This research aims to encourage and empower different levels of dentistry to further investigate, understand and support the dynamics of the emotional aspects of work with the aim to constitute a sustainable work environment where values and logics can be experienced as compatible with professional values.