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

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

International Journal of Human Resource Management

Publication Date

4-1-2013

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. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

ISSN

0958-5192

Publisher

Informa UK Limited

Volume

24

Issue

8

First Page

1646

Last Page

1670

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

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

Scopus ID

84874499179

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

Link to Full Text

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