The Job Characteristics Model in Hong Kong

The core job dimensions from 57 jobs in Hong Kong measured by job incumbents' self-reports on the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) and supervisory ratings on the Job Rating Form (JRF) together with job incumbent work satisfaction measured on the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) provided the data base for this research. The convergent and discriminant validities of the JDS and the JRF were examined by using confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicate that although the five-trait model as suggested by the job characteristics model did not fit the data, a modified four-trait model did. The results also indicate that the supervisory ratings of job characteristics had greater trait variance and less method variance than the ratings provided by the job incumbents. Subsequent correlational analysis further revealed that the within-person correlations between incumbents' task descriptions and work satisfaction as measured by the JDS and JDI work scales might be inflated by the common source variance and the confounding of items in the two scales. The results are discussed in terms of their relevance and implications for future job design research.