A Longitudinal Investigation of Coping Processes During a Merger: Implications for Job Satisfaction and Organizational Identification

Abstract

This study tested the utility of a stress and coping model of employee adjustment to a merger. Two hundred and twenty employees completed both questionnaires (Time 1: 3 months after merger implementation; Time 2: 2 years later). Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that positive event characteristics predicted greater appraisals of self-efficacy and less stress at Time 1. Self-efficacy, in turn, predicted greater use of problem-focused coping at Time 2, whereas stress predicted a greater use of problem-focused and avoidance coping. Finally, problem-focused coping predicted higher levels of job satisfaction and identification with the merged organization (Time 2), whereas avoidance coping predicted lower identification.

"Change Initiatives, Stressors, and Job Satisfaction: A Social Information Processing Perspective"

“…This finding corroborates the literature that links change information and that these are necessary facilitators in gaining acceptance and support for change (e.g., Amiot et al, 2006;DiFonzo & Bordia, 1998;Whelan-Berry & Somerville, 2010). In contrast to existing literature it was also found that participation in change decision making resulted in more stressors at work.…”

“…Oreg et al (2011) andMiller et al (1994) show that the roles of participation and information in change have been researched since the late 1940s and point out that they are two of the most commonly researched process variables in the change literature. A key aspect of successful change management is that participation (Amiot et al, 2006) results in empowerment and control. Social Information Processing (Salancik & Pfeffer, 1979) theory posits that job attitudes result from available information influencing employees' perceptions of their needs and job characteristics.…”

“…Hence, during organizational change, relevant information provides a sense of urgency and updates for employees, which minimizes negative outcomes associating with organizational change (Amiot et al, 2006;DiFonzo & Bordia, 1998).…”

Building and Sustaining Proactive Behaviors: The Role of Adaptivity and Job Satisfaction

“…We propose that job satisfaction is a resource that enables individuals to continue the effort required to maintain proactive actions. Job satisfaction is the most commonly studied shortBuilding and sustaining proactivity 9 term indicator of occupational well-being (Kinicki, McKee, & Wade, 1996) and an important indicator of employees' adjustment to organizational change (e.g., Amiot, Terry, Jimmieson, & Calan, 2006;Rafferty & Griffin, 2006;Rafferty & Restubog, 2010). To date, researchers have drawn different conclusions about the relationship between job satisfaction and proactivity.…”

Predictors of change in postmerger identification during a merger process: A longitudinal study.

“…To wit, the procedural and temporal aspects of mergers have been previously neglected despite calls for merger research to be examined as the merger process unfolds (Cartwright & Cooper, 1994;Cartwright & Schoenberg, 2006;Seo & Hill, 2005). Systematic analyses of changes in post-merger identification and its antecedences have not been done and Predictors of Change in Post-merger Identification 5 only few studies have investigated social psychological processes using a longitudinal approach (Amiot et al, 2006;Amiot et al, in press). …”