A longitudinal evaluation of the impact of organizational structure on role ambiguity and work group performance

The current study was undertaken to determine the possible impacts of organizational structure changes on role ambiguity and performance. The efficacy of self-directed work teams (SDWTs) at varying stages of development and the impact of role ambiguity are longitudinally studied in an experimental setting. In addition, possible moderator variables group cohesion and intragroup communication are explored. According to Lawler, Mohrman, & Ledford (1995), 68 percent of Fortune 1000 firms are utilizing SDWTs and 91 percent employ structures that encourage employee empowerment and participative decision-making. Role ambiguity is defined by Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek, and Rosenthal (1964) as the single or multiple roles that confront the role incumbent, which may not be clearly articulated in terms of expectations, priorities, behaviors, or performance levels. According to Barry & Stewart (1997), “The proliferation of self-managed teams in the workplace raises new questions about the psychology of group composition, process, and performance”. One area that has largely escaped review is the concept of role ambiguity within autonomous work groups (see Goldstein, 1996 for an exception). This shift from control based hierarchical structures has significant implications for organizations to consider before the adoption of SDWTs. Forte, Hoffman, Lamont, & Brockmann (2000) recommend that future studies examine organizations during the process of undergoing structural changes. This study evaluates organizational forms including hierarchical structures work teams at various stages of development and attempts to determine which form produces better performance and evaluates the impact of role ambiguity on group process as well. The tool employed to evaluate role ambiguity levels was the scale developed by Rizzo, House, & Lirtzman (1970), which has been the most widely used instrument (85% of studies according to Jackson & Schuler, 1985) by researchers studying role stress. The analyses employed included t-tests to determine possible differences between groups and correlational analyses to determine if relationships existed between variables in the study. The results indicate a relatively strong negative relationship (r = −.761) exists between role ambiguity and work group performance. Members of SDWTs showed statistically significant differences in reported role ambiguity levels at differing stages of team development. In addition, a weak relationship (r = −.381) was found between role ambiguity and group cohesion for the overall sample.