Job Characteristics: What Can We Learn From the East?

Authors

  • Mohd Awang Idris Department of Anthropology & Sociology Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
  • Maureen F. Dollard School of Psychology, University of South Australia, Australia
  • Anthony H Winefield School of Psychology, University of South Australia, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32890/ijms2011.18.1.7

Keywords:

Job demands, job resources, qualitative studies, job stress, JD-R

Abstract

Since being introduced in 2000, the Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) model (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner & Schaufeli, 2000) has been studied extensively in various Western countries. Although the JD-R proposition is not proscriptive about specific demands and resource variables, scholars have used common variables as demands (e.g. workloads, deadlines), and as resources (e.g. support). The question is whether the common variables in the JD-R model that had their origins in Western formulations are applicable in developing countries. In this paper, based on grounded theory, we conducted focus group interviews to investigate specific variables that may apply in Malaysian workplaces. Two focus group interviews (N=13) were conducted with two groups of respondents (managers and non-managers) who worked for private and public sector organizations. Data were analysed using a thematic content analysis strategy. The study found that new variables (e.g. organizational politics, bureaucratic factors) emerged as new demands not generally explored in JD-R research, whereas similar demands were identified at a job-task level (e.g. deadlines). Regarding resources these were mainly identified as in other Western research (e.g. support). Job challenge and exploring new things were identified as pleasurable aspects of work. This finding suggests that using qualitative methods is crucial to exploring the psychosocial concept of stress at work to uncover cultural differences that are apparent between Malaysian and Western employees
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Keywords: Job demands, job resources, qualitative studies, job stress, JD-R.

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Published

30-06-2011

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 1 (2011): International Journal of Management Studies (IJMS) Vol. 18, No.1 June 2011

Section

Articles

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Harvested 2026-09-07
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Identifiers DOI 10.32890/ijms2011.18.1.7