A model of job stress that focuses on organizational and job-related stress is presented. Job stress is conceived of as a first-level outcome of the organization and job; it is a feeling of discomfort that is separate and distinct from second-level outcomes or consequences of job stress. The second-level outcomes may include varying levels of satisfaction, organizational commitment, motivation, and performance. A partial test of the model examines relationships between hypothesized stressors and experienced job stress. Survey data obtained from 367 managers of a large restaurant chain were used with the results generally supporting the model. Factor analysis supported the concept that job stress is multidimensional. Two distinct dimensions of job stress were identified: time stress and anxiety. Both job stress dimensions were significantly related to each of the model's five organizational stressor categories, but not all of the independent variables within the categories were significantly related to job stress. Moreover, the specific stressors associated with each dimension of job stress proved to be substantially different. Interest in the phenomenon of work-related stress has increased markedly during the last few years, as indicated by several reviews of the literature, a number of books, and a rash of public seminars promoting different approaches to stress control (

Eight summary dimensions of psychological climate, i.e., autonomy, trust, cohesiveness, pressure, support, recognition, fairness, and innovation, were derived from over 80 differently labeled dimensions reported in the literature. Five item scales of each summary dimension were developed and tested in a sample (n = 367) of managerial employees. Coefficients alpha for the scales ranged from 0.80-0.89. When the 40 items were submitted to a factor analysis with an oblique rotation, eight factors were produced, generally corresponding to the eight summary dimensions. These results were validated by using a separate sample (n 84) of managerial and professional employees.

An attitudinal model of organizational commitment was tested using a sample of 367 managerial employees. Several aspects of the organization: perceived structure, process, and climate, as well as job satisfaction were found to be predictive of commitment. Job satisfaction and commitment were found to be equally predictive of voluntary turnover. Commitment was found to be predictive of individual motivation and objective job performance, but not of supervisors' ratings of job performance.

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