A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG JOB SATISFACTION, ROLE CLARITY, COMMUNICATION ADEQUACY, AND TASK ATTRIBUTES IN A CAUSAL MODE

Causal research is rare in the study of organizational processes. Although there are many studies of relationships among organizational variables, few actually test the adequacy of an entire causal model. This study investigated several orgainzational variables using path analytic techniques. A causal model was posited which linked characteristics of an organization's job tasks, communications, and role stresses as they affected job satisfaction. Variables were task attributes, communication adequacy, role clarity, and general job satisfaction as these constructs were perceived by respondents. The proposed causal model indicated relationships among all variables except the task attribute-communciation adequacy relationship.;A path analytic technique was used to determine whether the path between task attributes and communication adequacy was significant. With a large sample from education, industry, and service orgaizations, it was found that this path was significant. However, the addition of this path added less than 1.3 percent to the 44.3 percent of the variance explained by the role clarity-communication adequacy path. The path between task attributes and communication adequacy was not significant when the sample was restricted to only industrial subjects. Tests of significance of other model paths indicated that all paths other than the communication adequacy-job satisfaction path were highly significant. The communication adequacy-job satisfaction path was not significant.;An attempt was made to determine whether categorical variables such as organizational type, type of job position, growth need and sex had an effect on the causal processes hypothesized to operate among variables in the study. Significant main effects and interactions were not found in these group comparisons.;The implications of these results were discussed and suggestions for future research were given.