Testing job characteristics model: empirical research on service-oriented organisations in China

Abstract

In service-oriented organisations, employees' job characteristics and motivations are important to improving organisational performance. The job characteristics model is a classical model that links job characteristics, job motivation, and organisational performance; however, theoretical and empirical research on this model is insufficient. Therefore, a theoretical model of relationships among employees' job characteristics, job motivation, and work outcomes is proposed. We took service-oriented organisations in China as our sample and conducted empirical research on data from 209 valid samples. The results showed the following: 1) job autonomy and task significance positively affected personal outcomes, and skill variety and job autonomy positively affected work-related outcomes; 2) skill variety, job feedback, and task significance were positively related to inner psychological needs, while skill variety, job autonomy, and task significance were positively related to work interest; 3) job motivation had different mediating effects on the relationship between employees' job characteristics and work outcomes.