Social Information Processing (SIP) Model a model that suggests that the important job factors depend in part on what others tell a person about the job
Emphasizes work simplification – standardization and the narrow, explicit specification of task activities for workers.
Limits number of tasks; tasks are designed so worker doesn’t have to think. + Allows diverse groups to work together
+ Leads to production efficiency and higher profits
- Undervalues the capacity for thought and ingenuity Ways of Thinking about Jobs
Job Enlargement –increases the number of activities in a job to overcome the boredom of overspecialized work
Job Rotation – workers are exposed to a variety of specialized jobs over time
Cross-Training – workers are trained in different specialized tasks or activities
Job Enlargement/Rotation
+ Overcomes boredom and lack of variety of highly specialized jobs
+ Overcomes underutilization and lack of stimulation
- Need to make sure that workers see the consequences of their decisions moving on to the next task
Designing or redesigning jobs by incorporating motivational factors + Increases recognition, responsibility and opportunity for achievement.
- Only certain jobs should be enriched. Ergonomics the science of adapting work and working conditions to the employee or worker
“McDonaldization”
•McDonalds is an extreme version of the rationalization process.
•Uniformity and Predictability
–Anywhere in the world
•McDonaldization - a process by which the principles of the fast food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society, as well as the rest of the world. E.g education.
McDonald’s success
•Four basic dimensions lie at the heart of McDonald’s success:
1.Efficiency: it offers us the optimum method of getting from a state of being hungry to a state of being full.
2.It offers food and service that can be easily quantified and calculated.