Representational predicaments for employees : their Impact on perceptions of supervisors' individualized consideration and on employee job satisfaction

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

International Journal of Human Resource Management

Publication Date

4-1-2013

Volume

24

Issue

8

First Page

1646

Last Page

1670

Publisher

Routledge

Keywords

individualized consideration, job satisfaction, negative slanting, neglect, perceptual incongruence, representational predicaments

Abstract

A representational predicament for a subordinate vis-à-vis his or her immediate superior involves perceptual incongruence with the superior about the subordinate's work or work context, with unfavourable implications for the employee. An instrument to measure the incidence of two types of representational predicament, being neglected and negative slanting, was developed and then validated through an initial survey of 327 employees. A subsequent substantive survey with a fresh sample of 330 employees largely supported a conceptual model linking being neglected and negative slanting to perceptions of low individualized consideration by superiors and to low overall job satisfaction. The respondents in both surveys were all Hong Kong Chinese. Two case examples drawn from qualitative interviews illustrate and support the conceptual model. Based on the research findings, we recommend some practical exercises to use in training interventions with leaders and subordinates.

DOI

10.1080/09585192.2012.723634

Print ISSN

09585192

E-ISSN

14664399

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Snell, R. S., Yi, Z., & Chak, A. M. K. (2013). Representational predicaments for employees: Their impact on perceptions of supervisors' individualized consideration and on employee job satisfaction. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(8), 1646-1670. doi: 10.1080/09585192.2012.723634

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