TITLE

Women in Nontraditional Occupations: Information-Seeking During Organizational Entry

AUTHOR(S)

Holder, Teresa

PUB. DATE

January 1996

SOURCE

Journal of Business Communication;Jan1996, Vol. 33 Issue 1, p9

SOURCE TYPE

Academic Journal

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

This study investigates female newcomers' experiences in nontraditional occupations by examining the process by which they seek out information during organizational entry. Data analysis included a focus group interview (N = 12) and survey data (N = 111). Miller and Jablin's (1991) model of information-seeking behavior was tested based on newcomers' reports of their information-seeking behaviors and perceived levels of uncertainty, social costs, role ambiguity, and role conflict in their work environment. These variables were tested using correlation and regression analysis. Results seem to indicate that as uncertainty and social costs increase, newcomers tend to be less direct in their information-seeking behaviors. Findings revealed the use of overt information-seeking behavior was related to a decrease in role ambiguity, while the use of a third party as an information source was significantly related to an increase in role conflict.

ACCESSION #

9601301183

Tags: WOMEN -- Employment -- Research;  NONTRADITIONAL occupations;  NEW employees;  FOCUS groups;  WORK environment;  REGRESSION analysis;  ORGANIZATIONAL behavior;  ROLE conflict;  ACCESS to information;  ROLE ambiguity;  BLUE collar workers;  SEX differences

 

Related Articles

• Influence of Organization Structure on Role Conflict and Ambiguity for Three Occupational Groupings. Morris, James H.; Steers, Richard M.; Koch, James L. // Academy of Management Journal;Mar1979, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p58 

  The impact of organization structure on perceptions of role conflict and ambiguity was examined within a multivariate framework and found to explain substantial portions of variation in both role perceptions. These structural influences were generally supported across three occupational...

• Objective and Subjective Work Monotony: Effects on Job Satisfaction, Psychological Distress, and Absenteeism in Blue-Collar Workers. Melamed, Samuel; Ben-Avi, Irit; Luz, Jair; Green, Manfred S. // Journal of Applied Psychology;Feb95, Vol. 80 Issue 1, p29 

  The relation of objective work conditions (work underload, repetitive or varied work) and subjective monotony to job satisfaction, psychological distress, and sickness absence was examined in 1,278 male and female workers. Subjective monotony was moderately related to the objective work...

• INFLUENCE OF COMMUNITY AND PLANT CHARACTERISTICS ON JOB ATTITUDES OF MANUAL WORKERS. Wild, Ray; Kempner, T. // Journal of Applied Psychology;Apr72, Vol. 56 Issue 2, p106 

  Regression analysis is used to examine the relationships of the job attitudes of 2,543 female manual workers with the population characteristics of the 10 communities in which they were employed. Several suggested causes of job attitude-community relationships are also evaluated, in particular,...

• An Examination of Attitudinal Differences Between Policewomen and Policemen.  // Journal of Applied Psychology;Feb80, Vol. 65 Issue 1, p123 

  Examines differences in attitudes of policewomen and policemen. Survey data on general satisfaction, organizational commitment, role conflict, and role ambiguity.

• An Examination of the Relationship of Boundary Relevance to Hierarchical Level, Perceived Environmental Uncertainty and Role Stress Variables. Cox, Joe A.; Hitt, Michael A.; Stanson, W.W. // Academy of Management Proceedings (00650668);1978, p175 

  The literature shows the growing importance of the boundary role to organizations. The present study found relationships to exist between boundary relevance and hierarchical level and perceived environmental uncertainty. No relationship was found between boundary relevance and role conflict or...

• Assessing Hierarchical Differences in Job-Related Attitudes and Turnover Among Retail Managers. Good, Linda K.; Page Jr, Thomas J.; Young, Clifford E. // Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science;Spring96, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p148 

  A model of organizational turnover is expanded from previously reported models to include an extraorganizational antecedent and comparison across two different hierarchical levels of management Role ambiguity, role conflict, and work-family conflict were used as antecedents of job satisfaction,...

• A Meta-Analysis of the Correlates of Role Conflict and Ambiguity. Fisher, Cynthia D.; Gitelson, Richard // Journal of Applied Psychology;May83, Vol. 68 Issue 2, p320 

  The correlational literature concerning the relationships of role conflict and ambiguity to numerous hypothesized antecedents and consequences is still somewhat unclear after a decade of research. Schmidt-Hunter meta-analysis procedures were applied to the results of 43 past studies in an effort...

• Cross-Lagged Correlational Analysis in Dynamic Settings. Randolph, W. Alan // Journal of Applied Psychology;Aug81, Vol. 66 Issue 4, p431 

  The article presents a study that reports on an application of cross-lagged analysis to data collected during the early life of three simulated organizations. The original purpose of this study was to determine causal inferences between role conflict/role ambiguity and several outcome variables...

• Heroes/heroines work on line. Young, Barbara // National Provisioner;Sep99, Vol. 213 Issue 9, p8 

  Comments on the value of manual labor even when using technology to improve the work environment. Importance of the workers in meat and poultry plants; Hazards of the job; Benefits of the employees at companies who practice smart business practices.

Read the Article