Experienced Critical Psychological States in Self-Managing Organizations: An Exploratory Case Study

Format Type

Plenary

Format Type

Paper

Start Date

12-1-2021 3:50 PM

End Date

12-1-2021 4:10 PM

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate how 12 employees who had worked in self-managing organizations in the United States, experienced meaningfulness of the work, responsibility for the outcomes of the work, and knowledge of the results of the work. Eight themes and three subthemes emerged from participant interviews describing the motivational components of self-managed work. Purpose-driven work characterized by autonomy, high collaboration, and felt responsibility resulted in participant descriptions of motivating work. Participants described feedback-seeking behavior as contributing to feelings of task significance. When respondents could determine how to accomplish work goals, self-managed employees described feelings of self-reported increased efficacy. The results of the research provide additional considerations to leadership and human resource managers of the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of self-management as a motivational tool in work design.

Keywords

self-managing organizations, employee motivation, job characteristics model

Comments

My dissertation chair, Dr. Kelly A. Conrad suggested I submit my abstract for consideration for the conference.

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Jan 12th, 3:50 PM Jan 12th, 4:10 PM

Experienced Critical Psychological States in Self-Managing Organizations: An Exploratory Case Study

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate how 12 employees who had worked in self-managing organizations in the United States, experienced meaningfulness of the work, responsibility for the outcomes of the work, and knowledge of the results of the work. Eight themes and three subthemes emerged from participant interviews describing the motivational components of self-managed work. Purpose-driven work characterized by autonomy, high collaboration, and felt responsibility resulted in participant descriptions of motivating work. Participants described feedback-seeking behavior as contributing to feelings of task significance. When respondents could determine how to accomplish work goals, self-managed employees described feelings of self-reported increased efficacy. The results of the research provide additional considerations to leadership and human resource managers of the potential benefits and challenges associated with the use of self-management as a motivational tool in work design.