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Task structure and work outcomes: Exploring the moderating role of emphasis on scheduling

Tejinder K. Billing (Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Rohrer College of Business, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, USA)
Rabi S. Bhagat (Department of Management, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA)
Emin Babakus (Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA)

Management Research Review

ISSN: 2040-8269

Article publication date: 18 January 2013

921

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating role of the emphasis placed by individuals on scheduling of activities on the relationship between task structure and work outcomes (i.e. job satisfaction and job involvement).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using surveys from 387 employees working in US‐based organizations. Regression analyses were used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Findings

The results of the study show that for individuals who place high emphasis on scheduling of work and non‐work activities, the negative impact of highly structured tasks was weaker than for individuals who do not emphasize scheduling of activities. The results also provide support for the hypotheses concerning the direct relationships between task structure and work outcomes.

Originality/value

Past research has largely ignored the role of individual differences in examining task structure. By providing empirical support for the moderating role of emphasis on scheduling on the task structure outcome relationships, this study not only paves the way for future studies but also emphasizes the importance of incorporating the role of time in examining task structure.

Keywords

Citation

Billing, T.K., Bhagat, R.S. and Babakus, E. (2013), "Task structure and work outcomes: Exploring the moderating role of emphasis on scheduling", Management Research Review, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 136-152. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409171311292243

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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