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Mc 120201793 Yasmeen Akhtar

RESEARCH METHODS (STA630) SPRING 2013

ASSIGNMENT NO. 2

DUE DATE: 25TH JUNE, 2013

MARKS: 30

SPECIAL 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 anda 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 definition lacked 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 (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


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of others as objects rather than people. Workers may display an attitude to

avoid work, loss of care/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 to mobilize 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 answer

following 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 causal

hypothesis showing a

cause and effect relation

by using any of the

defined dimensions withits 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 least 3)

dimensions.

Answer = the three dimension are

1 = EMOTIONAL EXASUATION

A = lose of feelings

B = lack of power and less energy

C= mental illness and physical illness

2= DEPERSONALIZATION


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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)

StronglyAgree (5)

gree(4)

Neutral(3)

Disagree(2)

StronglyDisagree (1)

Dimension 1: Emotional exhaustion

Element 1: Loss of feelings

Element 2: Lack of energy

Element 3: Physical/mental illness

Question statement:

Physical or emotional

exhaustion caused due

to long term stress?

Strongly

Agree


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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)

Dimension 2:

Element 1: Attitude to avoid work

Element 2: Loss of care attention

Element 3: Attitude towards others

Question statement:

Depersonalization or

dehumanization 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:

Reduced self-efficacy

consists of feelings

when an individual

starts thinking?

ansgree


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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 similarto 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 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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