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RESEARCH METHODS (STA630) SPRING 2013

ASSIGNMENT NO. 2

DUE DATE: 25TH JUNE, 2013

MARKS: 30SPECIAL INSTRUCTION: Make sure to upload the solution by using the

given format for answering questions 1, 2, & 3. Use separate heading

for attempting question no. 4.

Given below is the literature review on the concept Job burnout:

LITERATURE REVIEW

Job Burnout concept emerged in 1970s in the field of organizational

behavior and soon it has inspired researchers to study it to develop

better understanding of the concept. The literature reveals that

researchers not only explored the causes of job burnout and its impact& consequences at individual as well as organizational level, but also

they have come with some remedial measures to combat it.

In simple words job burnout describes the personal agony of job stress

(Schaufeli, Leiter, & Maslach, 2009). Burnout in literal meaning defined

as physical or emotional exhaustion caused due to long term stress.

Researchers have tried to define burnout in different ways and gave

different explanations. Two important definitions are cited in in the

literature. One is presented by Nahavandi and Malekzadeh (1999)

while second is given by Maslach (1986).Nahavandi and Malekzadeh defined job burnout as feeling of

exhaustion and a sense of powerlessness that leads to apathy and

psychological withdrawal (p. 536). Whereas, according to Maslach,

job burnout is a condition of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization

and reduced self- efficacy (p. 1).

Both definitions vary from each other in terms of scope and precision,

in spite of the fact, both contributed a lot in developing an

understanding of the concept. Nahavandi and Malekzadehs definition

is precise but refers to pure psychological domain only. The definitionlacked a common and precise measure of burnout. Whereas, Maslachs

definition is widely accepted and referred to multiple domains that will

be elaborated later.

Maslach explained his definition and said that emotional exhaustion is

the emotional state of the individuals characterized by loss of feelings

towards work, lack of energy, and increased physical/mental illness

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(Leiter & Maslach, 1988). Individuals who are emotional exhausted will

experience anxiety, fatigue and psychological diseases which will

decrease productivity in long run. Depersonalization or

dehumanization is marked by the treatment of others as objects rather

than people. Workers may display an attitude to avoid work, loss ofcare/attention, and cynical attitude towards others (Maslach & Pines,

1977). Empirical evidence shows that depersonalization has abnormal

effects, for example; increase in turnover, absenteeism, reduced

productivity, which implies significant cost for both organizations and

individuals (Jackson & Maslach, 1982). Whereas; reduced self-efficacy

consists of feelings when an individual starts thinking that he is not

good at work, less effective, and has also a weakened sense of

accomplishment (Maslach et al., 1996). It results in a loss of will in

which motivation is damaged, resulting in an increased inability tomobilize interests and capabilities. So, if employees have a feeling

that they have nothing more to give, it would create sense of

demotivation among them.

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Activity Required:

After reading the given

literature review

carefully; you are

required to answerfollowing questions:

Sr.#

Questions Marks

1 From the given

literature review;

select best definition

and then provide an

operational definition

of Job burnout by

identifying (at least 3)dimensions.

2 State (at least 3)

elements of each

defined dimension.

9

(1 mark for each

element)

3 Develop (at least 1)

question statement on

any defined element

by using Likert scale.

6

(2 marks for each

question)

4 Develop a causalhypothesis showing a

cause and effect

relation by using any

of the defined

dimensions with its

consequences.

6

Total=30

1 From the given literature review; select best definition and then

provide an operational definition of Job burnout by identifying (at least3) dimensions.

Answer = the three dimension are

1 = EMOTIONAL EXASUATION

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A = lose of feelings

B = lack of power and less energy

C= mental illness and physical illness

2= DEPERSONALIZATION

A= attitude to avoid the work / always to avoid the work to do/

negligences of the workers

B= lose of care tension

C= bad attitude towards others / behavior towards the others

people

3= REDUCED SELF EFFICNCY

A= when individual starts thinking that he is not good

B = less effective

C = sense of accomplishment.

State (at least 3) elements of each

defined dimension.

9

(1 mark for each element)

Strongly

Agree (5)

gree

(4)

Neutral

(3)

Disagree

(2)

StronglyDisagree

(1)

Dimension 1: Emotional exhaustion

Element 1: Loss of feelings

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Element 2: Lack of energy

Element 3: Physical/mental illness

Question statement:

Physical or emotional

exhaustion caused

due to long term

stress?

Strongly

Agree

Dimension 2:

Element 1: Attitude to avoid work

Element 2: Loss of care attention

Element 3: Attitude towards others

Question statement:

Depersonalization ordehumanization is

marked by the

treatment of others as

objects rather than

people? Neutral

Dimension 3: Reduced self efficacy

Element 1: When individual starts thinking that he is not good

Element 2: Less effective

Element 3: Sense of accomplishment

Question statement:

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Bandura identifies four factors affecting self-efficacy.

1. Experience, or "Enactive Attainment"

as we know that the experience is an essential factor determining a

person's self-efficacy. Success raises self-efficacy, while failure

lowers it.

" Children cannot be made fool by faulty praise. It is chance we can

make them fool by artificial things (Erik Erikson)

2. Modeling, or "Vicarious Experience"

Modeling is experienced as, we means if anyone can do it then I can

also do it as well as he is. When we see something in success then our

efficiency increased to get success where we see people failing, our

self-efficacy decreases. This process is most effectual when we see

ourselves as similar to the model

3. Social Persuasion

Social persuasion generally we means that we are directly impressed

by the people who are advised us to do something or not to do it.

Discouragement is generally more effective at decreasing a person's

self-efficacy than encouragement is at increasing it.

4. Physiological Factors

In stressful situations, people commonly feel fear horror pains

fatigues, shocks aches and pains, nausea, etc. Perceptions of these

responses in one can markedly alter self-efficacy. Getting 'butterflies

in the stomach' before public speaking will be interpreted by someone

with low self-efficacy as a sign of inability, thus decreasing self-

efficacy further, where high self-efficacy would lead to interpreting

Reduced self-efficacy

consists of feelings

when an individual

starts thinking?

ans

gree

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such physiological signs as normal and unrelated to ability. It is one's

belief in the implications of physiological response that alters self-

efficacy, rather than the physiological response itself.

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