Organizational Psychology: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach Jex, S. M., & Britt, T. W. (2014) Prepared by: Christopher J. L. Cunningham, PhD University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Kelsey-Jo Ritter Bowling Green State University Kristen S. Jennings Clemson University 67

Chapter 5: Productive Behavior in Organizations 68

Defining Productive Behavior Employee behavior that contributes to the goals of the organization Three common forms: –Job performance –Organizational citizenship behaviors –Innovation 69

Job Performance Linked to behaviors associated with job- related tasks Distinguished from other related terms (effectiveness, utility, productivity, efficiency) Critical to clearly define the criterion 70

Models of Job Performance Aimed at identifying performance dimensions common to all jobs Several dimensional models: –In- versus extra-role performance –Campbell’s eight-dimensional framework (Table 5.1) –Murphy’s four-dimensional model (Table 5.2) 71

Measurement of Job Performance Various methods exist: –Paper/pencil, job skills, hands-on, simulations, task ratings, and general/global ratings –Ratings are generally the most popular Focus on evaluating performance-related behaviors 72

Measurement of Job Performance (Cont.) Indirect is more common than direct Murphy’s list of performance assessment options Good measurement must overcome many threats: –Measurement/rater error –Restricted range in ratings –Instability of performance over time 73

Measurement of Job Performance (Cont.) Efforts to reduce error in ratings –Behaviorally anchored rating scales –Rater training –Multiple methods Distinction between: –Typical or normal performance –Maximum or peak performance 74

Restriction in Performance Ratings The problem is in low variability among employees when using the rating data Artifactual restriction versus true restriction Possible reasons for this restriction: –“Survival of the fittest” –Organizational standards are too low –High performance is not consistently valued –Low performance is often excused –Resources are unevenly distributed or limited 75

Instability in Job Performance over Time Challenge of assessing employee performance when it changes over time (i.e., when it is not stable) –Comment 5.4 Possible reasons for instability: –Changes in employee’s knowledge –Changes in the job’s characteristics 76

Determinants of Job Performance At a general level, a person’s performance on the job is due to a combination of: –Ability –Motivation –Situation Several other models have expanded upon this general idea Figure 5.1 provides a summary 77

Campbell’s Model of Job Performance Complex interaction of: –Declarative knowledge –Procedural knowledge/skill –Motivation Many other individual characteristics are also likely to play a role 78

General Mental Ability Person’s capacity for information processing and understanding Shown to account for 25%+ of variance in performance across most jobs –Especially when job is complex May be associated with job performance via a person’s job-related knowledge 79

General Mental Ability (Cont.) Narrow cognitive abilities may be better predictors than GMA Potential adverse impact of GMA tests Emotional intelligence as a predictor of performance –May be especially important in jobs requiring emotional labor 80

Job Experience Shown to relate positively to job performance over many jobs As with GMA, seems to link to performance via job-related knowledge Diminishing returns May be important to consider both density and timing of past job experiences 81

Personality Recent resurgence of interest here Several specific traits have shown consistent positive relationships with performance: –Conscientiousness –Extraversion –Agreeableness –Openness to experience 82

Personality (Cont.) Emerging considerations for predicting performance: –Bandwidth: Trait versus facet level –Potential curvilinear relationships –Contextualizing personality to the job 83

Personality (Cont.) Composite traits related to performance –Core self-evaluations –Psychological capital –Proactive personality 84

Organizational Citizenship Behaviors Behaviors that go beyond those required for (or rewarded in) the job Organ’s classification: –Altruism –Courtesy –Sportsmanship –Conscientiousness –Civic virtue Main reasons for OCB: Positive affect, equity, and disposition/personality 85

Special Issues in OCB Research How is OCB linked with employee and organization performance and effectiveness? Does OCB  effectiveness or vice versa? The construct validity of OCB What role do employee expectations play? Will OCB remain a viable construct in the future? 86

Innovation in Organizations Productive behavior in which useful novelty is created and applied within an organization Research is considering the influence of employee and organization factors (separately and together) on the development of innovation –Comment

Innovation in Organizations (Cont.) Employee attributes that matter: Specific skills, meta-skills, personality characteristics, and motivation necessary for creativity Organizational determinants: –Technical vs. administrative innovation –Strategies for increasing organizational innovation: Hiring, training, influencing motivation 88

Adaptive Performance Behaviors employees perform in challenging and changing work contexts Eight types of adaptive performance Examples: –Handling emergencies or crisis situations –Handling work stress –Solving problems creatively –Dealing with uncertain and unpredictable situations 89