Analysis and Synthesis of Managerial Jobs: Job Design

Abstract

The thesis reports research aimed at developing better ways of analysing managerial jobs in order subsequently to design them. The main body of the thesis consists of 13 chapters split into four parts; in the Appendix are presented the questionnaires used in the studies and some further data bearing on the studies. In Part 1 the author presents the reasons for his own interest in, and builds a case through literature evidence for the desirability of research in the area of managerial job design. The author proceeds to define the thesis research boundary and provides a brief introduction to the contents of the other 12 chapters. Part 2 consists of 4 chapters, based on literature review, covering concepts of basic interest to the theory and practice of managerial job design. The four subject areas selectively dealt with are: Motivation (theories and models of man); the nature of the managerial job; organisational components; and theories of job design. Two approaches are taken with this material: (a) For the first three subject areas, the approach is inferential, i.e. given certain theoretical standpoints, where are the implications for managerial job design. (b) For the fourth subject area, theories of job design, the author offers a critical review. Part 3, consists of 6 chapters. Four are reports of the studies conducted by the author and two consolidate the results of these studies with theoretical standpoints. In this part the author develops three standpoints on managerial job design and one on the connectivity of job design constructs. The three standpoints on managerial job design are: lo The measures on the quality of the design of a job.