1. The role of Research in OP

2. Experiments Symbolic Level: Event Level:
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS: These help clarify meaning at EVENT level
Symbolic Level:
specific goals
leads to
high productivity
Event Level:
(vague goal)
“Do your best.”
leads to
more operational costs/less profit
(clear goal)
“Fill truck to 95% capacity.”
leads to
Lesser operational costs/more profit
Level of I.V.
leads to
Change in D.V.
With Control: Can say I.V. caused Δ in D.V.

3. O.B. overgeneralizations are easily made.
Research helps teach us the limits of the truth of statements. “Expert’s are those who know the limits of truth of statements.”
O.B. overgeneralizations are easily made.
e.g. Impact of Specific goals depends on culture:
if expect to participate in goal setting, need mutually agreed goals
Collectivist culture group goal over individual
“face-saving” cultures specific goals may lead to loss of face
e.g. Increasing salary will motivate people to work more hours. Not always so.
(Mexican study)

4. Control Experimental Techniques Correlational Techniques
Observational Techniques
Control
Usually there is less control as go from lab experiment to field experiment to correlational research to observational/participatory research. However, can get richer, wider scope information.

5. Research in O.P.
Basics:
Hypothesis
Reliability
Validity

6. Observational Techniques
Systematic and objective
Case studies
Participant Observation
Direct Observation
Correlational Techniques
Experimental Techniques
Issues e.g. Sampling
Hawthorn effects
Ethics

9. Stress, Coping and Health
A reaction to environmental demands
Stressors versus stress

10. Classification of Stressors by Complexity
Biological
Psychological
Interpersonal
Socio-cultural

11. A Definition of Stress
Stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand placed upon it.
(Hans Selye)
Reaction: Flight, flight or freeze
A mobilization to action

12. Reaction: Flight, flight or freeze
mobilization to action

13. Ulcers in “Executive Monkeys”
Reacting to Stress: Selye’s three major stages:
Alarm reaction: defensive forces are mobilized
Resistance stage: body adapts to stressors
Exhaustion: stressors negates body’s coping mechanisms.

14. Reacting to Stress: Selye’s three major stages:
Alarm reaction: defensive forces are mobilized
Resistance stage: body adapts to stressors
Exhaustion: stressors negates body’s coping mechanisms.

15. STRESS, CHANGE AND SICKNESS:THE SOCIAL READJUSTMENT SCALE*
If any of these life events have happened to you in the last 12 months, check Happened column and enter Value in Your Score column.
Item Life Event Happened Item Your Score
1. Death of spouse
2. Divorce
3. Marital separation
4. Jail term
5. Death of close family member
6. Personal injury or illness
7. Marriage
8. Fired at work
9. Marital reconciliation
10. Retirement
11. Change in health of family member
12. Pregnancy
13. Sex difficulties
14. Gain of new family member
15. Business readjustment
16. Change in financial state
17. Death of close friend
18. Change to different line of work
19. Change in number of arguments with spouse 35
20. Mortgage over $50,
21. Foreclosure of mortgage or loan 30
22. Change in responsibilities at work 29
23. Son or daughter leaving home
24. Trouble with in‑laws
25. Outstanding personal achievement 28

16. 26. Wife begins or stop work 26
27. Begin or end school
28. Change in living conditions
29. Revision of personal habits
30. Trouble with boss
31. Change in work hours or conditions 20
32. Change in residence
33. Change in schools
34. Change in recreation
35. Change in church activities
36. Change in social activities
37. Mortgage or loan less than $50,
38. Change in sleeping habits
39. Change in number of family get‑togethers 15
40. Change in eating habits
41. Vacation
42. Christmas
43. Minor violations of the law
Total score for 12 months:____________
Note: The more change you have, the more likely you are to get sick. Of those people with over 300 Life Change Units for the past year, almost 90% get sick in the near future; with 150 to 299 Life Change Units, about 50% get sick in the near future, and with less than 150 Life Change Units, only about 30% get sick in the near future.
*See Holmes & Rahe: Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11:213, 1967.

18. Dealing with Stress: The organizational/ergonomic approach
(eliminating or reducing unnecessary stressors)
The Individual Approach
(living in an imperfect world)

19. When this slide is not in presentation mode, you may double click anywhere on it to learn more about office ergonomics.

20. Are you under the right amount of stress
Too much (or too little) challenge can make you sick.

21. Are you under the right amount of stress?
Stress and Performance: The Inverted U

22. “Cooper and Marshall Model”
“Who is liable for stress on the job?”
“Any company, unless it learn to monitor, diagnose and treat a stressful situation before it goes to court.—and document these activities.”

23. Cooper Marshall Model:

24. Role conflict
Interrole conflict
Intrarole conflict
Role ambiguity

25. Work-Nonwork Stressors (McShane)
Time-based conflict
Strain-based conflict
Role Behaviour conflict
Note: Canadian Statistics on work overload