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Proactive behaviour implies taking initiative and mastering unexpected situations, and hence, is desirable in different situations. The present thesis includes three empirical studies intended to understand the consequences of proactive behaviour, as well as the factors that contribute to proactive behaviour at work and when facing unemployment. More specifically, whether job design, as measured by objective work task analysis, provides conditions conducive to proactivity in the workplace and when facing unemployment. The results of proactive behaviour during unemployment were also of interest. Study I focused on the influence of job design on individuals’ personal initiative and confidence in their ability when facing unemployment. Participants were employees at a downsizing Swedish assembly plant. Confidence in one’s ability mediated the relationship between job design and personal initiative, and personal initiative affected job search behaviour when advised to be dismissed. Study II, a longitudinal exploration, focused on the predictors of re-employment in the same group as in Study I. Men were more than nine times as likely as women to obtain jobs within 15 months. Individuals without children were more than seven times as likely as those with children to find work within 15 months. The desire to change occupation and willingness to relocate also increased the probability of being re-employed, whereas anonymous-passive job-search behaviour and work-related self-efficacy actually decreased the probability of re-employment. The number of job applications did not impact later re-employment. Study III analysed job design as a predictor of group initiative and self-organisational activities in semiautonomous industrial work groups. An input-process-output model showed that group processes such as reflexivity mediated the impact of job design on proactivity in work groups. Taken together, these studies suggest that work task analysis a useful tool, since it provides access to information that cannot be obtained with self-report measures. Job design indirectly affected proactivity both in the face of unemployment, and in industrial work groups. Further, it is worthwhile to continue identifying the antecedents and consequences of proactivity, as this seems to be an important factor regarding work and unemployment.

Bemanningsbranschen växer och allt fler personer blir anställda via bemanningsföretag. Bemanningsföretagens viktigaste uppgift är att öka flexibiliteten på arbetsmarknaden. De gör det lättare för företagen att snabbt anpassa arbetsstyrkan till efterfrågan. Samtidigt finns problem och risker med att hyra in personal. Flertalet studier kring dessa problem tangerar ämnena motivation och/eller inhyrda medarbetare, men forskningen är begränsad vad gäller inhyrda medarbetares motivation. Under antagandet att graden av motivation, generellt sett, är lägre hos inhyrda medarbetare än hos anställda medarbetare, syftar denna studie till att undersöka vilka motivationsrelaterade skillnader som finns mellan anställda och inhyrda medarbetare på ett bank- och försäkringsbolag; Företaget. Med hänsyn till att ämnet är relativt outforskat genomförs en explorativ fallstudie genom kvalitativa semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sex medarbetare på Företaget. Studien kan liknas vid en pilotstudie, som kan ligga till grund för framtida, mer omfattande forskning. Studien inleds med en deduktiv ansats och tar teoretiskt avstamp från fem olika motivationsteorier: Expectancy Theory och Equity Theory, är att hänföra till Intrinsic Motivation (inre motivation), medan Goal-Setting Theory och Job Design representerar teorier om Extrinsic Motivation (yttre motivation). Slutligen används Self-Determination Theory som är ett hybridperspektiv som fördelar tyngdpunkten jämnt mellan Intrinsic Motivation och Extrinsic Motivation. Därefter övergår studien till en mera induktiv ansats där respondenternas uttalanden i intervjuerna, tillsammans med teorierna, ligger till grund för en kategorisering i sju motivationsfaktorer: Mål, Lön, Uppskattning – utvecklingsmöjligheter och andra belöningar, Samhörighet, Självständighet och eget ansvar, Meningsfullhet samt Omväxling. Skillnaderna i motivation mellan anställda och inhyrda medarbetare på Företaget analyseras därefter med utgångspunkt från dessa sju kategorier. De motivationsrelaterade skillnader som framkommer genom studien är framför allt följande: Inhyrda medarbetare motiveras av karriärutvecklingsmöjligheter i större utsträckning än anställda, Mål är viktigare bland inhyrda än bland anställda medarbetare. Lön är en viktigare motivationsfaktor för inhyrda medarbetare, dock endast på lång sikt. Bland övriga motivationsfaktorer märks inte lika tydliga skillnader. Med anledning av studien föreslås att framtida forskning i ämnet bör ske i form av mera omfattande studier, gärna av kvantitativ karaktär. Forskningen bör omfatta fler respondenter, på fler företag, ur en större variation av yrkesgrupper, med en högre grad av anonymitet för respondenterna

Internationale und europäische Normen (DIN EN ISO 9241-2: 2006; DIN EN ISO 614-2: 2000) fordern die Einhaltung von “Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben” bei der Tätigkeitsgestaltung. Die Gültigkeit dieser Normen wurde allerdings für Arbeitstätigkeiten mit Klienten- oder Kundeninteraktion – etwa 70 Prozent aller Arbeitstätigkeiten in der Bundesrepublik (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2005) noch nicht nachgewiesen. Exemplarisch wurden daher die Arbeitstätigkeiten von knapp 500 Beschäftigten in verschiedenen Branchen und Unternehmensgrößen des Einzelhandels mittels bedingungs- und personenbezogener Verfahren untersucht. Die statistische Auswertung bestand im Vergleich unterschiedlich „gut gestalteter“ Einzelhandelstätigkeiten in Bezug auf wahrgenommene Tätigkeitsmerkmale und erlebte psychische Beanspruchungsfolgen. Die Ergebnisse empfehlen die Anwendung der Normen zu „Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben“ auch für Einzelhandelstätigkeiten, wobei Modifikationen der Normmerkmale – insbesondere des Kernmerkmals „Ganzheitlichkeit“ vs. „Fragmentierung“ – erforderlich sind.

Internationale und europäische Normen (DIN EN ISO 9241-2: 2006; DIN EN ISO 614-2: 2000) fordern die Einhaltung von “Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben” bei der Tätigkeitsgestaltung. Die Gültigkeit dieser Normen wurde allerdings für Arbeitstätigkeiten mit Klienten- oder Kundeninteraktion – etwa 70 Prozent aller Arbeitstätigkeiten in der Bundesrepublik (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2005) noch nicht nachgewiesen. Exemplarisch wurden daher die Arbeitstätigkeiten von knapp 500 Beschäftigten in verschiedenen Branchen und Unternehmensgrößen des Einzelhandels mittels bedingungs- und personenbezogener Verfahren untersucht. Die statistische Auswertung bestand im Vergleich unterschiedlich „gut gestalteter“ Einzelhandelstätigkeiten in Bezug auf wahrgenommene Tätigkeitsmerkmale und erlebte psychische Beanspruchungsfolgen. Die Ergebnisse empfehlen die Anwendung der Normen zu „Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben“ auch für Einzelhandelstätigkeiten, wobei Modifikationen der Normmerkmale – insbesondere des Kernmerkmals „Ganzheitlichkeit“ vs. „Fragmentierung“ – erforderlich sind.

The population is ageing globally due to improved health care, better medication, and good socio-economic progress, therefore leading to the population ageing globally. A decrease in fertility has as well led to a new age structure of fewer younger populations to an older population. The continuous decrease in the potential support ratio is an indication that the ageing population will negatively affect the labour market. Therefore, leaving organisations with limited access to a competent and experienced workforce. The purpose of this study is to develop insight into the approaches to age management practices and how it is applied in Swedish organisations. It will address the potential for organisations to create an enabling environment for older workers. This is a qualitative study. Data collection was done through a process of semi-structured interviews of five personnel from organisations in different parts of Sweden to develop a further understanding of age management in Swedish organisations. The collected data was then compared with previous literature theories, analysed, and discussed. The findings did not show any distinction in the older workforce in the Swedish organisation since Sweden as a country does not differentiate or give special attention to a particular age group but rather treats all persons equal; therefore, engagement of the workforce is basically dependent on the competence and capabilities, and not age. But nonetheless, the older workforce is a considerable part of the age group and therefore is covered.

Although much is known about employee empowerment and work designs, numerous companies and management practitioners struggle to implement empowerment initiatives effectively because it is not known which approach best facilitates individual levels of psychological empowerment. Traditional job design theory focuses on the role of managers and portrays employees as passive grantees of empowerment. Employees may influence their own empowerment by taking an active role in work design. The primary purpose of this correlational study was to examine whether job crafting or idiosyncratic deals are more or less empowering than job design and how work locus of control influences these relationships. It was hypothesized that job crafting would be the strongest correlate with psychological empowerment. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was designed with measures adapted from existing instruments. A sample of 150 adults, drawn from various industries in the United States, completed a voluntary, online survey. Data analysis, which used Pearson correlations, revealed that job crafting had a stronger relationship with psychological empowerment than did idiosyncratic deals and management-driven job design for employees with high internal work locus of control. Findings from this study may help organizational leaders understand how employees with high internal tendencies are psychologically empowered when actively engaged in designing their own work. Employees may then feel empowered to advance the company's social agenda and make personalized contributions to the greater society, essentially becoming goodwill ambassadors for the organization.

Pharmacists experience high levels of stress at work, especially from factors intrinsic to their jobs and management roles. In South Africa, the public sector is confronted with situational difficulties such as a shortage of staff and poor working conditions Accordingly, a comparative survey was conducted using a self–constructed questionnaire to obtain individual responses from the pharmacists in the public, as well as the private sector. The focus population was the pharmacists in the public, as well as the private hospitals in the North–West Province. The public sector consists of 30 hospitals and the private sector of 20. By using the convenient sampling method, 100 samples were taken. The questionnaire measured six factors of job satisfaction, namely: job design, salary/remuneration satisfaction, performance management, working arrangements, organisational climate, and professional development. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 pharmacists in total, and a response rate of 66% was obtained. The only medium practical significance shown in the results was between the averages of the private sector (2.89) in contrast with the public sector (3.38). This indicates that the public sector demonstrates less satisfaction with their performance management than the private sector. The data also indicated that the public sector pharmacists are less satisfied with job design, performance of management, professional development, and their working arrangements. The private sector showed only a small difference in the means, when compared to the public sector. It is clear that both sectors illustrate a moderate level of job satisfaction. Recommendations, therefore, included the revisiting of the job design by increasing job rotation and task identity. The need for self–actualization has to be acknowledged and the opportunity for promotion needs to be provided. The link between the actual activity and the bonus, with regards to performance management, has to be re–established, and there has to be transparency throughout. Decision–making control is extremely important and seeing that 82% of the pharmacists were female, the employer can consider accommodating family responsibilities, compressed working weeks, flexible working hours, job sharing, and part–time work. Professional development is also very important within any company and it is vital that the employer deposits time, money and skill into the staff. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Pharmacists experience high levels of stress at work, especially from factors intrinsic to their jobs and management roles. In South Africa, the public sector is confronted with situational difficulties such as a shortage of staff and poor working conditions Accordingly, a comparative survey was conducted using a self–constructed questionnaire to obtain individual responses from the pharmacists in the public, as well as the private sector. The focus population was the pharmacists in the public, as well as the private hospitals in the North–West Province. The public sector consists of 30 hospitals and the private sector of 20. By using the convenient sampling method, 100 samples were taken. The questionnaire measured six factors of job satisfaction, namely: job design, salary/remuneration satisfaction, performance management, working arrangements, organisational climate, and professional development. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 pharmacists in total, and a response rate of 66% was obtained. The only medium practical significance shown in the results was between the averages of the private sector (2.89) in contrast with the public sector (3.38). This indicates that the public sector demonstrates less satisfaction with their performance management than the private sector. The data also indicated that the public sector pharmacists are less satisfied with job design, performance of management, professional development, and their working arrangements. The private sector showed only a small difference in the means, when compared to the public sector. It is clear that both sectors illustrate a moderate level of job satisfaction. Recommendations, therefore, included the revisiting of the job design by increasing job rotation and task identity. The need for self–actualization has to be acknowledged and the opportunity for promotion needs to be provided. The link between the actual activity and the bonus, with regards to performance management, has to be re–established, and there has to be transparency throughout. Decision–making control is extremely important and seeing that 82% of the pharmacists were female, the employer can consider accommodating family responsibilities, compressed working weeks, flexible working hours, job sharing, and part–time work. Professional development is also very important within any company and it is vital that the employer deposits time, money and skill into the staff. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

本文以實地實證研究方法，探討「非財務性績效衡量指標」與「工作設計」此二項誘因工具對員工績效的影響。實地研究對象為一家商業銀行，研究期間為1993-1997；該行於1995年7月開始採用非財務性績效衡量指標，並自1996年1月選擇五家分行實施徵、授信分工。 本文首先利用個案銀行17位授信員連續60個月所構成的縱查資料（panel data），以固定影響模型（fixed-effects model）分析非財務性績效衡量指標誘因工具對員工績效的影響，發現銀行授信人員之績效考核制度中，加入授信不良率與脫落率非財務性衡量指標後，雖然授信員努力的重分配導致其授信金額與利息收入財務績效變差，但授信員的授信不良率與脫落率非財務績效變佳，整體而言，授信利潤有顯著的改善。 本文另以實施徵、授信分工前後，51名授信員的績效資料，採中斷的時間序列設計（interrupted time-series design），檢定非財務性績效衡量指標與工作設計配合採用後，員工的績效是否較佳。分析結果顯示，存在非財務績效衡量指標之獎酬制度下，配合實施徵、授信分工的授信員，其授信金額及授信不良率績效顯著較徵、授信合一之授信員為佳。 / This thesis reports the results of a longitudinal field study examining the impact of nonfinancial performance measures and job design on employee performance. A commercial bank was the research site. The bank adopted nonfinancial performance measures in July 1995 and redesigned jobs in retail banking credit underwriting at five branches in January 1996. Prior to the job redesign, sales representatives were jointly responsible for all credit underwriting functions including credit extension and credit servicing. After the change, sales representatives were only responsible for credit extension while credit servicing was handled by credit decidion-makers. Panel data for 17 sales representatives over 60 months (1993 through 1997) were obtained to assess the effects of adopting nonfinancial measures on employee performance. Using fixed-effects regression analysis, the results are consistent with the predictions of agency theory: although loan volume and interest revenue decreased following adoption of nonfinancial measures to evaluate and compensate the performance of sales representatives, loan profit increased significantly. This thesis also hypothesizes that employee performance increases with the fit between incentive systems based on nonfinancial measures and job design. The empirical tests of this prediction rely on an interrupted time-series design, using performance data of 51 sales representatives in the 1995-1997 period. After the change in job design-separation of the credit underwriting jobs-alogn with introduction of incentive systems based on nonfinancial measures, the treatment group demonstrated greater improvements in productivity and quality performance. This result supports the hypothesis developed.