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Organizational Characteristics as Predictors of Nurses’ Psychological Work Reactions

Maastricht University, The Netherlands, g.tummers{at}heerlen.nl

Godefridus G. van Merode

Maastricht University, The Netherlands, f.vanmerode{at}beoz.unimaas.nl

Jan A. Landeweerd

Maastricht University, The Netherlands, a.landeweerd{at}telenet.be

The current study aims to examine effects of organizational characteristics (decision authority and environmental uncertainty) on nurses’ psychological work reactions (job satisfaction and intrinsic work motivation; burnout and health complaints). In this context, we were primarily interested in the congruence between decision authority and environmental uncertainty. The contingency approach of organizations was used as a leading framework. In order to investigate these relationships, questionnaires were administered to 1188 nurses working in general hospitals in the Netherlands. Because the standardization of tasks is expected to be different between intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICUs, and consequently, this difference might influence the effects of organizational characteristics on psychological work reactions, the relationships were investigated separately for each type of unit. Correlation and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyse the data. From the results of these analyses, it appeared that decision authority has a positive effect on intrinsic work motivation in both types of unit. In addition to this additive effect, the congruence between decision authority and environmental uncertainty was confirmed, but only in ICUs. It appeared that high environmental uncertainty would enhance the positive effect of decision authority on intrinsic work motivation. Furthermore, the congruence between decision authority and environmental uncertainty in the prediction of burnout and psychosomatic health complaints was not confirmed: high decision authority appeared not to buffer the negative effect of environmental uncertainty on burnout and health complaints. The results are discussed as well as the limitations of the study. Suggestions for further research are also given.

Key Words: contingency approach • congruence • organizational structure • environmental uncertainty • emotional exhaustion • intrinsic work motivation

This version was published on April 1, 2006

Organization Studies, Vol. 27, No. 4, 559-584 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0170840605059455


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