Knowledge Extended Job Characteristics Model Analysis

(Job characteristic model, Hackman & Oldham, 1976)

The model is based on the positive affect created by the three psychological states, which are in turn dependent on Core work dimensions. Experienced meaningfulness is the employee’s assessment of the worth of the task that one is supposed to perform. It is defined by task identity (accomplishing a task from beginning to end), Skill variety (the variation in skills involved in performing a task) and task significance (the impact of one’s work). Experienced responsibility is one’s assessment of the control and responsibility of the work outcomes. It is dependent on the amount of autonomy/discretion that an employee has in deciding the procedures of task and the ownership of task. Knowledge

In recent years researchers have tried to extend the JCM by trying to incorporate various other parameters in the model. Parker (2008) reviewed and suggested some of the approaches. Extended Job characteristics: the updated set contains 21 work characteristics classified under 4 categories (i) Task motivation and work characteristics (ii) Knowledge motivation characteristics (iii) Social work characteristics (iv) contextual characteristics. These categories include wide range of work characteristics like job autonomy, skill variety, social support, feedback, work conditions etc. (Morgeson & Humphery, 2006; (Grant, Fried, & Juillerat, 2011). There are yet more parameters that can be added to it e.g. emotional labor, electronic performance monitoring, social contact etc. (Parker, 2008). Extended motivational states: The psychological states is replaced with the concept of psychological empowerment, which is defined as “motivational state involving as assessment of meaning, impact, competence (or self efficacy), and choice (or self determination)” (Parker, 2008, Grant, Fried, & Juillerat, 2011). Although these constructs can be related to the original psychological states explained in JCM but they are easier to measure and therefore can be easily studied. Expanded outcomes: The

The employees have the autonomy to determine the contours of their job. Job crafting has three basic constructs 1. Task crafting: Designing the work employees perform which includes adding or deleting tasks or adjusting time spent on the tasks 2. Relational crafting: Deciding whom they interact with or not interact with, altering the time spent with colleagues at work 3. Cognitive crafting: ascribing the significance to one’s work (Amy et al, 2013). The job crafting is built on the premise of the utilization of proactive attitude of the employees. The employee can also choose to craft his job temporarily for some specific projects or tasks (Tims & Bakker,