Positive Influence of Role Ambiguity on JD-R Motivational Process: The Moderating Effect of Performance Recognition

Abstract

Most previous research has shown the negative influence of role ambiguity on employes' motivational process. This has led to role ambiguity being perceived as a main hindrance demand in the workplace, with a negative effect on the Job Demands Resources (JD-R) model's motivational process. Recent theories propose that job demands can be perceived by employes as a challenge, rather than a hindrance. However, there is little evidence on which elements of the organizational context shape this perception. The objective of this study is to elucidate the possible effect of performance recognition from the team leader on employes' interpretation of role ambiguity as a hindrance or a challenge. Data were obtained from 706 employes of a multinational company headquartered in Almería, Spain. Results confirmed that performance recognition moderates the effects of role ambiguity: specifically, performance recognition changes the effect of role ambiguity on engagement from negative to positive and reduces role ambiguity's negative influence on extra-role behaviors.

Leading the Challenge: Leader Support Modifies the Effect of Role Ambiguity on Engagement and Extra-Role Behaviors in Public Employees

“…To date, role ambiguity has been one of the most studied job demands, producing significant negative consequences in the work context [2,8,20]. However, a relevant contribution to the knowledge of the current study is that the demands are transformed depending on contextual factors in the public administration.…”

“…It has been pointed out that role ambiguity plays an essential role in extra-role performance behavior [53]. Some studies have shown that employees will carry out more voluntary behaviors after receiving support from the leader in highly ambiguous situations [2,29,54]. This exposes that employees in ambiguous contexts will put more effort at work and perform behaviors beyond what is formally established when there are supportive behaviors [55].…”

“…In recent decades, public services have undergone a great transformation with continuous reforms of their structures, increased bureaucratization of systems and processes, the appearance of new demands such as the great threat to public health due to coronavirus (COVID- 19), new services to be provided, and the need for new skills and capacities in employees for the performance of their duties [1,2]. These changes aim to adapt to new ways of working and increase efficiency, profitability, and performance in the public sector [3].…”

Role ambiguity as an amplifier of the association between job stressors and workers’ psychological ill-being: Evidence from an occupational survey in Japan

“…We cannot exclude the possibility that performance recognition changes the effect of RA on engagement from negative to positive, as suggested by a recent study. 33 Lastly, we did not control for potential attrition biases; participants with higher levels of psychological illbeing may have more likely dropped from the survey.…”

Based on Role Expectation to Discuss Role Ambiguity and Practice of University Teachers in Business Administration

“…In this study, the role behavior model showed role congruence with others’ expectations and self-expectation. Martínez-Díaz et al (2020) pointed out that role expectation is the public expectation of the behavior of a person with a specific social status. This also includes self-expectation and public expectation of the role.…”