a social influence analysis of perceived organizational support
a social influence analysis of perceived organizational support
a social influence analysis of perceived organizational support
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ABSTRACT<br />
A SOCIAL INFLUENCE ANALYSIS OF PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT<br />
Thomas J. Zagenczyk, Ph.D.<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Pittsburgh, 2006<br />
This dissertation examined the effects <strong>of</strong> <strong>social</strong> <strong>influence</strong> on employees’ perceptions <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>organizational</strong> <strong>support</strong> (POS). An important characteristic <strong>of</strong> POS is that it reflects an<br />
employee’s subjective evaluation <strong>of</strong> the treatment he or she receives from the organization.<br />
Employees’ interactions with their coworkers, then, may have an important <strong>influence</strong> on their<br />
POS. As a result, the development <strong>of</strong> POS may be a <strong>social</strong> process rather than solely an<br />
intrapsychic one. However, the majority <strong>of</strong> POS research has focused on how an individual<br />
employee’s personal experiences with an organization affect his/her POS and largely ignored<br />
<strong>social</strong> factors.<br />
To address this gap in the literature, I argue that advice ties between employees will be<br />
related to similarity in POS because they serve as a source <strong>of</strong> <strong>social</strong> information. Friendship ties,<br />
on the other hand, will result in similarity in POS because they are utilized for <strong>social</strong> comparison.<br />
Finally, role model ties will result in similarity in POS because employees learn from the<br />
perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors <strong>of</strong> others they respect and admire. In addition, I explored<br />
the differential effects <strong>of</strong> strong and weak ties and muliplex versus simplex ties on similarity in<br />
POS. My expectation was that strong ties and multiplex ties would be more influential than<br />
weak ties and simplex ties. Finally, I explored the effects reciprocated and non-reciprocated ties<br />
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