The Relationship Between Task Interdependency and Role Stress: A Revisit of the Job Demands-Control Model

Drawing from Karasek's job demands–control model, this study investigated how perceived amount and clarity of interdependency in managers’ jobs affect role stress, and the extent to which job control moderates these relationships. Results show that amount of interdependency was positively assoc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of management studies Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 284 - 303
Main Authors Wong, Sze-Sze, DeSanctis, Gerardine, Staudenmayer, Nancy
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2007
Wiley Blackwell
SeriesJournal of Management Studies
Subjects
Business studies
Control theory
Cooperation
Correlation analysis
Interdependence
Job analysis
Management science
Managerial skills
Managers
Mental stress
Organization theory
Social roles
Stress
Studies
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Summary:Drawing from Karasek's job demands–control model, this study investigated how perceived amount and clarity of interdependency in managers’ jobs affect role stress, and the extent to which job control moderates these relationships. Results show that amount of interdependency was positively associated with role conflict, and clarity of interdependency was negatively associated with role ambiguity. There was also support for the job demands–control model as greater job control reduced role ambiguity when clarity of interdependency was low. Although higher job control produced lower role ambiguity when both clarity and amount of interdependency were low, higher job control did not produce lower role ambiguity when clarity of interdependency was low and amount of interdependency was high, suggesting that the buffering value of job control on reducing role stress is contingent on the task interdependencies that managers confront.
Bibliography:Nancy Staudenmayer passed away in November 2000 after a long struggle with illness. Nancy was instrumental in inspiring our interest in the study of interdependency, a topic in which she had deep interests and insights. Both Gerry DeSanctis and I revived this research study in 2004, but sadly, Gerry passed away in August 2005 after losing the battle with cancer. Both Gerry and Nancy were my mentors while I was a doctoral student at Duke University and, through them, I have witnessed (and learned) the spirit of genuine scholarship - unwavering passion for learning and pursuit of knowledge. As colleagues, they were exceedingly generous with their insights and committed to contributing to every research collaboration they were involved in. But, most importantly, they will also be remembered as caring friends - always warm, thoughtful and supportive.
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ISSN:0022-2380
1467-6486
DOI:10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00689.x