Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS)

Diagnostic use of the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) in a revised and extended version for organizations and employees in the service and administration sector

Abstract.

New systematic diagnostic instruments for job analysis are especially needed in the service and administration sector because of changes in the way jobs are organized. The Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) might fill this gap. However, first a comprehensive check of this instrument and the underlying assumptions (the job characteristics model) is necessary,because until now it was mainly used in the production sector in Germany. Here, we use the JDS in a slightly modified and extended version. Based on as ample of 691 employees of different service/administration enterprises, the test quality and structural attributes of the instrument were determined. Next, the extension of the job characteristics model was tested. Using linear structural equation modeling a significant improvement of the model fit was seen when the variables “goal clarity”, “organizationalcommitment” and “stress” were included. We thus conclude, that the extended version of the JDS is a useful diagnostic instrument for the analysis of jobs and organizations in the service and administration sector.

Keywords: Organizational diagnosis, service and administration sector, job characteristics model, structural model, stress, goal clarity, organizational commitment

Job Characteristics Theory
Job characteristics theory is the most accepted framework for explaining relationships between job characteristics and outcomes (Glick, Jenkins BE Gupta, 1986; Griffin, 1987). The premise of this theory is that objective characteristics of individuals’ jobs primarily determine individuals’ perceptions of and responses to tasks (Hackman & Oldham, 1976, 1980; Fried & Ferris, 1987). But, in much of the job characteristics literature, the job characteristics are those characteristics as perceived by the worker. These perceived job characteristics are directly influenced by objective characteristics. But according to the theory, what is important is how the job is perceived, not what the job is objectively.