Role Strain and the Norm of Reciprocity in Research Organizations

Abstract

Organizational pressures are found to be highest in the development department of an industrial research organization, next highest in the applied department, and lowest in the basic research department. A test of the hypothesis that there is a positive and linear relationship between organizational pressures and role strains yielded the unexpected finding that there is more role strain in the applied department than in either basic research or development. To explain this finding, the norm of reciprocity is examined in relation to the functions of the three departments. The dysfunctions of the norm of reciprocity and the problem of role strain in research organizations imbedded in different institutional contexts are considered. Three role models, whose underlying norms bear a different relation to the norm of reciprocity, are analyzed: the employer-employee relationship, the professional-client, and the patron-artist.