Showing papers by "Paul Jackson published in 1990"
TL;DR: In this article, two alternative work designs for operators of stand-alone advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) were identified for operators, and the hypothesis that operator control would promote better performance and psychological well-being than would specialist control was tested in a longitudinal field study involving work redesign for operators.
Abstract: Two alternative work designs are identified for operators of stand-alone advanced manufacturing technology (AMT). In the case of specialist control, operators are limited to running and monitoring the technology, with operating problems handled by specialists, such as engineers. In the case of operator control, operators are given much broader responsibilities and deal directly with the majority of operating problems encountered. The hypothesis that operator control would promote better performance and psychological well-being than would specialist control (which is more prevalent) was tested in a longitudinal field study involving work redesign for operators of computer-controlled assembly machines. Change from specialist to operator control reduced downtime, especially for high-variance systems, and was associated with greater intrinsic job satisfaction and less perceived work pressure. The implications of these findings for both small and large-scale applications of AMT are discussed.
159 citations
TL;DR: A theoretical framework is introduced to guide research into the psychological effects of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) on shopfloor operators and predicts how these independent variables differentially affect system performance, job-related strain and job satisfaction.
Abstract: This paper introduces a theoretical framework to guide research into the psychological effects of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) on shopfloor operators The framework has two main aspects First, based on the emerging literature on the job content implications of AMT, it identifies four key constructs, namely: control, cognitive demand, production responsibility and social interaction Second, by drawing on the more established job design, stress and related literatures, it predicts how these independent variables differentially affect system performance, job-related strain and job satisfaction The wider implications and limitations of the theoretical framework are discussed
102 citations