Hackman and Oldham (1976) used several different ways to collect data for their job characteristics model: • the self-report Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) was administered to groups of employees • supervisors and the researchers completed the Job Rating Form • members of management were asked to rate the work performance of each worker • absence data was obtained from company records.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Most likely answer (other appropriate responses to be credited):
2. Quote from study: the conditions under which individuals will become internally motivated to perform effectively on their jobs.
3. The model focuses on the interaction among three classes of variables:
4. the psychological states of employees that must be present for internally motivated work behaviour to develop;
5. the characteristics of jobs that can create these psychological states; and
6. the attributes of individuals that determine how positively a person will respond to a complex and challenging job.
7. Marks: 1 mark for basic answer 1 mark for elaboration/example.
8. Most likely answer (other appropriate responses to be credited):
9. Quote from study: The three psychological states
10. experience meaningfulness of the work. (The degree to which the individual experiences the job as one which is generally meaningful, valuable, and worthwhile.)
11. experience responsibility for the outcomes of the work. (The degree to which the individual feels personally accountable and responsible for the results of the work he or she does.)
12. knowledge of the results of the work activities. (The degree to which the individual knows and understands, on a continuous basis, how effectively he or she is performing the job.)
13. Marks: 1 mark for basic answer. 1 mark for elaboration/example (such as what is in brackets). x2
14. Most likely answers
15. Company records are 'official'.
16. Company records are 'objective'. If a person has been absent then it is fact.
17. Marks: 1 mark for basic answer. 1 mark for elaboration/example.
18. Most likely answers
19. Management may not know the worker or understand the work the worker performs.
20. Management may have a 'hidden agenda'.
21. Management may not record accurately, because they are not necessarily trained.
22. Marks: 1 mark for basic answer. 1 mark for elaboration/example.
23. Most likely answer (other appropriate responses to be credited):
24. Advantages
25. Asking people directly means that participants are given the opportunity to express their feelings and explain their behaviour rather than the researcher trying to work out reasons for their behaviour from other methods
26. Relatively large numbers of participants can be done relatively easily. Questionnaires are easy to replicate. Same for telephone interviews.
27. Data can be qualitative, but may also be quantitative depending on type of question
28. Disadvantages
29. Some participants may provide socially desirable responses; not give truthful answers; respond to demand characteristics.
30. Closed/fixed choice questions may force people into choosing answers that do not reflect their true opinion and therefore may lower the validity.
31. Researchers have to be careful about use of leading questions; it could affect the validity of the data collected.
32. Conclusion: any appropriate conclusion drawn from the discussion that has been presented. 1 mark if appropriate. A conclusion is a 'decision reached by reasoning' and so a summary of points already made scores 0 marks.
33. Marks: Question requires discussion; always plural of each argument, and always requires conclusion. 1 mark for each advantage/disadvantage (however detailed) and related to the question up to 4 max. 2 marks max for two strengths/weaknesses unrelated to the question. 1 mark for conclusion.