The influence of collective motivation on perceived fairness of individual versus team-based compensation
Abstract
Based on an extensive literature review, an operational measure of collective motivation (CM) is determined and provides the foundation for further investigations into the newly proposed construct.^ Two studies were conducted, both utilizing Nursing Staff employees from a mid-sized healthcare facility in New England. It was first hypothesized that CM and its component parts, identification and expectancy, would vary as a function of level of analysis. Specifically, CM would be greatest at the micro level of analysis. While this hypothesis was fully supported with respect to the identification component of CM, it gained only partial support for the expectancies and, ultimately, CM measures. In the latter two analyses, the unit level of analysis differed significantly from both the Nursing department and the hospital.^ It was hypothesized, and generally supported, that CM exhibits a positive relationship with organizational work-related belief system and, moreover, CM will be more strongly positively related to an organizational work-related belief system than to any of the remaining work-related belief systems. A related hypothesis predicted that the work ethic work-related belief system would be more strongly related to low CM than would any of the other four work-related belief systems. While the data supported the direction of the relationship hypothesized, it failed to fully support the notion that the work ethic work-related belief system would be more strongly related to low CM than any of the other four work-related belief systems. Half of the possible comparisons supported this hypothesis. Finally, it was found that professional commitment exhibited a statistically significant positive relationship with CM at all three levels of analysis.^ The second study involved the administration of a policy capturing survey designed to determine which information cues were most important in influencing fairness judgments of forty alternative compensation packages. The impact of team-versus individual-based rewards on fairness ratings of those low versus high on CM was of particular interest. It was hypothesized and supported that the higher the unit CM, the greater the emphasis subjects place on team-based incentives in judging the fairness of the compensation profiles. The results of Study II also supported the notion that CM and organizational commitment are indeed two separate and distinct psychological constructs.^ Results of the two studies are compared and contrasted, and the importance of studying CM in a period of team-focused organizational life is discussed. ^
Subject Area
Business Administration, Management|Education, Guidance and Counseling|Psychology, Industrial
Recommended Citation
Nanette Des Noyer Black,
"The influence of collective motivation on perceived fairness of individual versus team-based compensation"
(January 1, 1994).
ETD Collection for Wayne State University.
Paper AAI9519866.
http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/dissertations/AAI9519866