Organizational correlates of executive roles

Abstract

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN EACH OF 9 EXECUTIVE ROLE DIMENSIONS AND VARIOUS FEATURES OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING WERE STUDIED. THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 194 MIDDLE-MANAGEMENT ARMY PERSONNEL. THE ROLES, AS DESCRIBED ON QUESTIONNAIRES BY THE EXECUTIVES THEMSELVES, WERE FOUND TO VARY WITH DIFFERENCES IN THE WORK SETTING. ORGANIZATIONAL FEATURES MOST PROMINENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH VARIATIONS IN ROLE INCLUDED THE MISSION AND LEVEL OF THE ORGANIZATION, THE JOB FAMILY OF THE EXECUTIVE, AND HIS SPAN OF CONTROL. THE ROLE DIMENSIONS WHICH WERE MOST PRONE TO VARY WITH THE SITUATION WERE STAFFING, CONTROLLING, AND TIME SPENT WITH OTHERS. EXECUTIVES WHOSE ROLES EMPHASIZED ADMINISTRATIVE MORE THAN TECHNICAL FEATURES RECEIVED HIGHER AVERAGE PERFORMANCE RATINGS FROM THEIR SUPERIORS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)