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Attitude:

Definition: Attitude refers to the way we react to a situation emotionally;


According to Hogg An attitude is "a relatively enduring organization of
beliefs, feelings, and behavioural tendencies towards socially significant
objects, groups, events or symbols"
Attitudes are evaluative statement favourable or unfavourable related to
person, object or event. They reflect that how one feel about something.
For example if someone says that I like my job. This statement expresses
his attitude towards his job. Each and every person has different attitude at
different conditions.

Components of Attitudes:
Attitudes structure can be described in terms of three components.
ABC model of attitudes is affect, behaviour and cognition. Affect refers to
the way a consumer feels about an attitude object. Behaviour involves the
person intention to do something regard to an attitude object an intention
does not always result in an actual behaviour. Cognitive refers to the beliefs
a consumer has about an attitude object.
Examples are based on Negative Attitude towards his supervisor.
1. Affective component:
Its include the feelings of a person about and object. These feeling could
be positive, negative or neutral. While customer service representative
displays positive feelings, a police officer or a bill collector would exhibit
negative feelings. Similarly while discharging administrative duties public
servants are required to show neutral feelings.
Example: I dislike my supervisor. I get angry when I see him.
2. Behavioural (or conative) component:
This components of attitude consist of a tendency of an individual to
behave in a particular way towards and object. Only this components of
attitude is visible as the other two can only be inferred. The way the
attitude we have influences how we act or behave.
Example: I am looking for another job. I have complained about my
supervisor to many people.
3. Cognitive component:
The beliefs and information that the individual has about the object are the
informational component of attitude. This involves a persons belief /
knowledge about an attitude object.
Example: My supervisor gave a promotion to another worker, who did not
deserve it more than me. My supervisor is unfair.
This model is known as the ABC model of attitudes.
components are usually linked.

The three

Cognitive dissonance:
Cognitive dissonance refers to any incompatibility an individual might
perceive between two or more attitudes or between behaviour and attitude.
Cognitive dissonance is a communication theory adopted from social
psychology. The title gives the concept: cognitive is thinking or the mind;
and dissonance is inconsistency or conflict. Cognitive dissonance is the
psychological conflict from holding two or more incompatible beliefs
simultaneously.
Cognitive Dissonance
The concept of organisational behaviour pertains to the attitudes and
behaviour of the people in the workplace. One theory that point to this
issue is the cognitive dissonance theory. (Chow 2001, 45) This first
proposed by Leon Festinger in the 50s to establish the existing relationship
of the basic psychological concepts such attitudes and behaviours. The
theory rest on the assumption that individuals attempt to find consistency
with reference to their attitudes and behaviour so as they similarly try to
merge the deviating attitudes and align it with their respective behaviours.
This is an attempt to appear to be normal, an individual who is sensible
and stable. However, one way or the other, the existing situation will find
some inconsistencies based on discrepancies on behaviour and attitudes
innate of the individual. (Bendick, Egan and Lofhjelm 2001, 10) In this
regard, the common individual, upon realising the same, will find ways to
rectify them to conform to what is considered appropriate. As stated in the
theory of cognitive dissonance, this is done by either doing some
alterations in the attitudes and behaviours of the individual or by finding
ways to rationalise the same to eliminate the stated discrepancies.
At the core of the theory, it accepts that man will inevitably try to minimise
the dissonance that exists as this provides immense discomfort on the part
of the individual. (Benedict, Mcclough and Mcclough 2006, 21) This
discomfort is triggered by the existing incompatibilities with their attitudes
and the behaviour of its immediate environment. However, it is important
to emphasise that the consequent minimising of the dissonance is
dependent on the importance of the factors that adds up to the overall
dissonance. Other factors that tend to influence the minimising of the
dissonance are the level of influence that the individuals have over the said
factor creating the dissonance. It is also contingent on the actual rewards
and incentives that are present with the dissonance. (Bacharach,
Bamberger and Sonnenstuhl 1996, 477) The main contention of the theory
then is that dissonance can be managed. Despite the presence of such
discrepancy, it does not mean that individuals will automatically seek
consistency to address the discomfort that the dissonance imposes. In
essence, the theory of cognitive dissonance allows the management to
determine the differing values and attitudes in the organisation. The theory
also specifies the actual organisational behaviour of the company.

Relationship between Behaviour and Attitude:


Attitude and behaviour are closely related in some sense though they are
two different concepts. One of the most important differences between
behaviour and attitude is that attitude is internal whereas behaviour is
external in sense. In other words it can be said that behaviour can very
well be seen by others as it is external whereas attitude is shelled within
the mind of the individual and hence cannot be seen by others
immediately.
Experts say that that attitude is what you think whereas behaviour is what
you do. In other words it can be said that attitude has to do with the mind
whereas behaviour has a lot to do with actions.
Attitude is thought-oriented whereas behaviour is action-oriented. Hence
attitude has all the power to shape the behaviour of a person. It is indeed
true that a person with the right attitude would be endowed with the right
behaviour too.
Attitude is all about the opinion somebody has about something in life.
Behaviour is about how one responds to the impulsions and the pulls of the
environment.
It is indeed possible to judge ones attitude through ones behaviour though
attitude is not visible externally. One can say that ones friend has a good
attitude towards life. It is evident from the persons behaviour. Hence
attitude and behaviour are related in some sense though they are two
different concepts.
The response of an individual or a system to the environmental pulls is
what is called behaviour. Attitude is also a kind of response in the sense
that it is a response from within to the deep consciousness.
There is no external implication of the internal feeling in the concept of
attitude. The feeling is kept well within the individual. On the other hand
the feeling is poured out in behaviour. It is for sure that behaviour and
attitude are the two dimensions of an individual.

What Are the Major Job Attitudes?


1. Job Satisfaction:
refers to a collection of feelings that an
individual holds toward his or her job.
A high level of job satisfaction equals positive attitudes toward the job and
vice versa.
2. Job Involvement: the measure of the degree to which a person
identifies psychologically with his/her job and considers his/her
perceived performance level important to self-worth.
High levels of job involvement are thought to result in fewer absences and
lower resignation rates.
Job involvement more consistently predicts turnover than absenteeism.
3. Psychological empowerment:
Employees belief in the degree to which they affect their work
environment, their competence, the meaningfulness of their job, and their
perceived autonomy in their work.
4. Organizational Commitment: A state in which an employee
identifies with a particular organization and its goals.
Affective Commitmentemotional attachment to the organization and
belief in its values
Continuance Commitmentvalue of remaining with an organization
compared to alternatives
Normative Commitmentobligation to remain with the organization for
moral or ethical reasons
5. Perceived organizational support (POS):
Degree to which employees believe the organization values their
contribution and cares about their well-being.
6. Employee Engagement:
An individuals involvement with, satisfaction with, and enthusiasm for the
work he does.

Job Satisfaction:
The term Job satisfaction describes a positive feeling about a job, resulting
from an evaluation of its characteristics. A person with a high level of job
satisfaction holds positive feelings about his job, while a dissatisfied person
holds negative feelings.
Hop pock defined job satisfaction as any combination of psychological,
physiological and environmental circumstances that cause a person
truthfully to say I am satisfied with my job.

Measuring Job Satisfaction:


Job satisfaction is a qualitative aspect and cannot be understood in strict
quantitative terms. It is an intangible and psychological concept. It was
concluded that job satisfaction should be measured through survey of
employees attitudes. In most of the organisations, there is a practice of
conducting surveys of employees intentions in a regular manner. The
commonly applied techniques employed to measure job satisfaction are
discussed below:
i) Rating Scales: Rating scales are the commonly adopted method that is
used for the measuring job satisfaction. It comprises of certain statements
describing the attitude of the employees with respect to the job,
organisation and personal factors. For each declaration or statement, the
employee is invited to express his opinion on a scale consisting of different
expressions.
ii) Personal Interviews: Conducting personal interviews has also proved
important method of measuring job satisfaction of the employees. The
experts conduct these personal interviews where employees express their
opinions on job satisfaction. The responses delivered through these
interviews are analysed to find their level of job satisfaction. It is believed
that this method is likely to have personal biased views of the interviewer
also.
iii) Tendencies: The employees are asked to express their tendency or
inclination on several aspects and this reveals their satisfaction or
dissatisfaction.
iv) Critical Incidents: Herzberg made developed approach to measure
job satisfaction. In this particular method, the employees were asked to
describe incidents on their job when they were particularly satisfied or
dissatisfied. These set of incidents were then analysed to determine their
positive and negative attitudes.

Identify four employee responses to dissatisfaction:


There are consequences when employees like their jobs and when they
dislike their jobs. One theoretical model is helpful in understanding the
consequences of dissatisfaction.
The responses are follows:
Exit refers to leaving the organisation, transferring to another work unit, or
at least trying to exit the dissatisfying situation. Exit usually follows specific
shock events, such as when your boss treats you unfairly. These shock
events generate strong emotions that energize employees to think about
and search for an alternative employment.
Voice refers to any attempt to change, rather than escape from, the
dissatisfying situation. Voice can be constructive response, such as
recommending ways for management to improve the situation, or it can be
more confrontational, such as by filing formal grievances. In the extreme,
some employees might engage in counterproductive behaviours to get
attention and force changes in the organization.
Loyalty has been described in different ways, but the most widely held
view is that loyalists are employees who respond to dissatisfaction by
patiently waiting some say they suffer in silence for the problem to
work itself out or get resolved by others.
Neglect includes reducing work efforts, paying less attention to quality,
and increasing absenteeism and lateness. It is generally considered a
passive activity that has negative consequences for the organization. (1)

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