Intrusions, or interruptions by others, are a common phenomenon in the modern workplace (Grove, 1983; Jett & George, 2003), particularly in the computing and information-technology (CIT) industry, as cross-specialty, and cross-team collaborations become more common (Beck et al., 2001). The present study examines the relationship between day-to-day intrusions (measured Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) and strain reactions and perceived job performance over the week (measured on Thursday) among 150 CIT employees. Using a number of resource-based theories (i.e., Conservation of Resources, Ego Depletion Model, Cognitive Fatigue Model), I hypothesize that participants experiencing more frequent intrusions on a day-to-day basis will experience greater levels of overall strain reactions (i.e., fatigue, self-regulation failure, and cognitive failure), and lower levels of overall perceived job performance for the week. To test these hypotheses, I applied a micro-macro multi-wave design, such that intrusions were measured at the end of three consecutive workdays (Level-1 Predictors) and strain reactions and performance measured on the fourth day (Level-2 Outcomes). Using Structural Equation Modeling and the technique put forth by Croon and van Veldhoven (2007), I specified four models to test my hypotheses, wherein level-1 variables (i.e., day-to-day intrusions) predicted level-2 outcomes (i.e., week-level fatigue, self-regulation failure, cognitive failure, and perceived performance). I found that day-to-day intrusions were significantly positively associated with fatigue, self-regulation failure, and perceived performance. However, day-to-day intrusions were not significantly associated with cognitive failure. These results suggest that intrusions may consume time and self-regulatory resources but may not consume cognitive resources, and that although intrusions cause impairment from a physical and self-regulatory perspective, they may not inhibit cognitive functioning. Future research should further investigate the relationship between intrusions and cognitive functioning. The present study is one of the first to explicitly study intrusions and recognize it as a stressor that influences both strain and performance variables. This is critical as intrusions become a more prominent fixture in the American workplace. This study also contributes to our understanding of the use of micro-macro approaches to statistical analyses, and provides additional insight into how occupational health psychologists can test long-held assumptions; namely day-to-day stressors contribute to long-term strain.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 C37 / Master of Science

Ip, Chung Yan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-153). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iii / CONTENTS --- p.v / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Empirical Puzzle and Theoretical Questions / Chapter 1.2 --- Casing a Case: The Life Insurance Industry as a Critical Case to Study the Labor Process in Interactive Service Work Organizations / Chapter 1.3 --- Literature Review and Theoretical Framework / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Marxist Labor Process Theories / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Labor Control in Interactive Service Work / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Emotional Labor in Interactive Service Work Context / Chapter 1.3.4 --- The Deterministic Description on the Negative Consequences of Emotional Labor / Chapter 1.3.5 --- The Missing Subject in Labor Process Theory / Chapter 1.3.6 --- "Gender, Work, and Identity" / Chapter 1.4 --- The Research / Chapter 1.5 --- Overview of the Thesis / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- An Overview of Life Insurance Industry in Hong Kong --- p.27 / Chapter 2.1 --- Life Insurance Market in Hong Kong / Chapter 2.2 --- Organizational Structure: Agency Management System / Chapter 2.3 --- The Commission System / Chapter 2.4 --- Nature of Services and Public Perception of the Industry / Chapter 2.5 --- My Cases: Mutual Trust and Synergy / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- Ideological Control in Life Insurance Industry --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1 --- Comprehensive and Ail-Round Training: Teaching Practical Sales Techniques and Cultivating a Mind of Success / Chapter 3.2 --- Money and Motivation: Transforming Labor Power into Labor / Chapter 3.3 --- Dedicatory Ethics: Serving Your Clients and Contributing the Society / Chapter 3.4 --- Missionary Sales Personnel: Maximizing Exploitation and Minimizing Resistance / Chapter 3.5 --- Entrepreneurial Spirit and Partnership Metaphor: Securing Profits and Obscuring Control / Chapter 3.6 --- Altruistic Work Culture: Releasing Work Stress and Retaining Agents / Chapter 3.7 --- """Love, Care, and Concern"": Eliciting Cooperation and Generating Consent" / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- Managing the Selves in Selling Life Insurance --- p.76 / Chapter 4.1 --- Impression Management or Surface Acting: Doing Trust- and Relationship-Building Activities / Chapter 4.2 --- Deep Acting: Selling Life Insurance plus Selling One's Soul / Chapter 4.3 --- "Managed Feelings: Commercialization of Selves, Human Relations, and Interpersonal Trust" / Chapter 4.4 --- "Alienation, Burnout, and Emotional Exhaustion: Understanding the Negative Consequences of Emotional Labor" / Chapter 4.5 --- Emotions in Relational Service Exchanges: Refining the Concept of Emotional Labor / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- Searching for the Subjectivities of Life Insurance Agents --- p.106 / Chapter 5.1 --- Bringing the Subject Back In: Workers as Victims versus Workers as Actors / Chapter 5.2 --- Shifting Alliances: The Three-Way Dynamics of Control / Chapter 5.3 --- Maintaining a Sense of Self: Gendered Strategies of Resistance / Chapter 5.4 --- Job Satisfaction: Gendering Consent and Autonomy / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- Theorizing the Labor Process in Service Work Organizations --- p.134 / Chapter 6.1 --- Motivations in Work Organizations / Chapter 6.2 --- Three-Way Dynamics of Control / Chapter 6.3 --- A New Form of Emotional Labor / Chapter 6.4 --- Subjects in the Workplace / Chapter 6.5 --- Limitations of the Present Study / Appendix 1 List of Authorized Life Insurers in Hong Kong --- p.141 / Appendix 2 Career Path in Life Insurance Industry --- p.143 / Appendix 3 Personal Information of Informants --- p.144 / Bibliography --- p.146