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PERCEIVED DETERMINANTS OF HIGH AND LOW PRODUCTIVITY IN THREE OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS: A CRITICAL INCIDENT STUDY [1]
Author(s) -
White Frank M.,
Locke Edwin A.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of management studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.398
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1467-6486
pISSN - 0022-2380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6486.1981.tb00051.x
Subject(s) - pride , productivity , psychology , workload , social psychology , task (project management) , supervisor , applied psychology , management , political science , economics , law , macroeconomics
A critical incident study examined the factors perceived by employees to cause high and low productivity. One hundred and fifty‐two employees from one firm, working in managerial, clerical, and professional jobs were interviewed. The interview responses were coded into factors within each of three broad categories: external events, agents, and personal traits. Generally, goals, deadlines or schedules, workload, and task interest were the most frequently mentioned events. The self, the organization, and the immediate supervisor were most often cited as agents. The most frequently mentioned personal traits were: satisfaction, pride, frustration, and desire for recognition. The implications of these findings for various schools of management thought are discussed.