here - ERIM

Workplace Technologies, Enterprise
Architecture and Dimensions of Work:
Empirical research at Rabobank Nederland
Robbert Engels
Student No: 290996
Master in Business Information Management
Supervisor: Prof. dr. ir E. van Heck
Co-Supervisor: Prof. dr. F.M. Go
November, 2007

Dimensions of work
RSM ERASMUS UNIVERSITY ROTTERDAM
Date: ...................................
WE HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER OUR SUPERVISION BY
ROBBERT PIETER ENGELS, ENTITLED
………………………………………
BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING IN PART REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
Committee on Graduate Work
Supervisor:
Prof. dr. ir E. van Heck
_______________________________________
Co-Supervisor:
Prof. dr. F.M. Go
_______________________________________
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Dimensions of work
Preface
The author declares that the text and work presented in this Master thesis is original and that no
sources other than those mentioned in the text and its references have been used in creating the
Master thesis.
The copyright of the Master thesis rests with the author. The author is responsible for its contents.
RSM Erasmus University is only responsible for the educational coaching and beyond that cannot be
held responsible for the content.
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Dimensions of work
Table of Contents
Preface ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 6
Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 7
1.1 Changing way of work ................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 The Research Project ..................................................................................................................... 8
1.3 Research Question ........................................................................................................................ 9
1.4 Research Objectives .................................................................................................................... 10
1.5 Relevance .................................................................................................................................... 13
Chapter 2: Alignment Enterprise Architecture with High Performance Workplace Technologies ....... 14
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 14
2.1.1 Research Question................................................................................................................ 14
2.2 Literature review ......................................................................................................................... 15
2.2.1 Valuing information work ..................................................................................................... 15
2.2.2 Organizational performance ................................................................................................ 15
2.2.3 The high performance workplace ........................................................................................ 16
2.2.4 Enterprise Architecture ........................................................................................................ 17
2.2.5 Aligning the Enterprise Architecture with High Performance Workplace Technologies ..... 21
2.2.6 Conceptual model ................................................................................................................ 22
2.3 Research Methodology ............................................................................................................... 23
2.3.1 Research design .................................................................................................................... 23
2.3.2 Case study design ................................................................................................................. 23
2.3.3 Case selection ....................................................................................................................... 23
2.3.4 Data collection ...................................................................................................................... 24
2.3.5 Data analysis ......................................................................................................................... 25
2.4 Cases ............................................................................................................................................ 27
2.4.1 Rabobank .............................................................................................................................. 27
2.4.2 Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam (Chamber of Commerce) ............................................. 34
2.4.3 Interpolis ............................................................................................................................... 39
2.5 Cross-case analysis ...................................................................................................................... 43
2.6 Validation of propositions ........................................................................................................... 44
Chapter 3: Dimensions of Work ............................................................................................................ 52
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 52
3.1.1 Research Question................................................................................................................ 52
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3.2 Literature review ......................................................................................................................... 52
3.2.1 Work design literature.......................................................................................................... 52
3.3 Conceptual Model ....................................................................................................................... 58
3.4 Method ........................................................................................................................................ 59
3.4.1 Methodology used to identify work characteristics ............................................................. 59
3.4.2 Development of the measurement instrument ................................................................... 59
3.4.3 Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 60
3.4.4 Sample .................................................................................................................................. 61
3.5 Results empirical research............................................................................................................... 63
3.5.1 Confirmatory factor analysis ................................................................................................ 63
3.5.2 Reliability Analysis ................................................................................................................ 72
3.5.3 Dimensions of work .............................................................................................................. 74
3.5.4 Regression Analysis .............................................................................................................. 76
3.5.5 Improving individual performance ....................................................................................... 77
3.5.6 Validation of propositions .................................................................................................... 78
3.5.7 Revised conceptual model ................................................................................................... 79
Chapter 4: Conclusions, Limitations & Future research ........................................................................ 81
4.1 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 81
4.2 Limitations ................................................................................................................................... 82
4.3 Future research ........................................................................................................................... 82
References ............................................................................................................................................. 83
List of Keywords .................................................................................................................................... 89
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 90
A) Interviews.......................................................................................................................................... 90
B) How architecture management practice evolve ............................................................................... 91
C.1) Define the Enterprise Architecture maturity ................................................................................. 92
C.2) Define the Enterprise Architecture in Dutch.................................................................................. 93
D) Added questions for characterization of Enterprise Architecture maturity ..................................... 94
E) Evaluation of High performance workplace Technologies ................................................................ 95
F) Organizational performance ............................................................................................................. 97
G) Description High Performance Workplace Technologies ................................................................. 98
H) Questions guiding the case study interviews ................................................................................. 104
I) Keywords Enterprise Architecture phases (1) .................................................................................. 107
I) Keywords Enterprise Architecture phases (2) .................................................................................. 108
J) Organizational chart Rabobank Group ............................................................................................ 109
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K) Organizational chart Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam ............................................................... 110
L) New World of Work Questionnaire ................................................................................................. 111
M) Factor analysis dimensions of work ............................................................................................... 119
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Dimensions of work
Executive Summary
The nature of work has changed over the last couple of centuries. Where the economy used to be
dominated by agriculture and manufacturing, a shift took place towards a service-based economy
thriving on information and knowledge. The increasing possibilities of technology flatten the world.
This lays pressure on (bureaucratic) organizations that face an environment in which they have to
respond quickly to opportunities and changes in order to survive. In response to this, few
organizations come to view the workplace and work design as a strategic asset, which should aid in
supporting business goals. The Rabobank is developing a new work design, labeled Rabo Unplugged,
in which technology enables people to work ‘anytime, anywhere’ and physical presence at the office
is no prerequisite anymore, the focus of work should be on the results.
This research explores factors that influence organizational performance as well as individual
performance, in aiding the creation of an optimum work design for the Rabobank. The research
illustrates by an explorative study that both the enterprise architecture maturity and usage of high
performance workplace technologies are critical success factors for organizational performance.
The effect of work design is evaluated by a survey measuring twenty-nine aspects (dimensions) of
work, amongst others trust, empowerment, technology usage on four individual performance
indicators, namely employee satisfaction, productivity, job flexibility and innovation. The sample
consists of two departments of Group ICT (Rabobank Nederland). The results of this survey provide
insight in the employee’s perception of their work environment and their individual performance.
Although the survey is initiated as a longitudinal study to measure the effects of a changing work
design, the first results already provide insight in the dimensions of work that influence the four
individual performance indicators. From this survey it appeared that especially satisfaction with the
workplace has a high influence on employee satisfaction. The competence of employees has the
highest influence on productivity. Being able to personalize the workplace influences the job
flexibility most and the impact of the employees on what happens at their department has the
highest influence on innovation.
The research suggests a review of the high performance workplace technologies that can benefit the
Rabobank. And reviewing the possibilities to increase the impact of employees of on what happens
at their department, since improving it is likely to increase productivity and innovation.
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Dimensions of work
Chapter 1: Introduction
The increasing possibilities of technology flatten the world. This lays pressure on (bureaucratic)
organizations that face an environment in which they have to respond quickly to opportunities and
1 i
changes in order to survive (Friedman, 2005). At the same time, the amount of knowledge workers
is growing, and increasing their productivity is the challenge for the management of the 21st century
(Drucker, 1999). In response to this, organizations find themselves in a need for change. Several
organizations try to tackle these changes by rearranging their workstyle, whereby they expect to
become more flexible, productive, innovative and attractive.
1.1 Changing way of work
Over the last couple of centuries, the nature of work has changed. Where the economy used to be
dominated by agriculture, a shift took place towards a manufacturing economy and the last thirty
years the service-based economy became dominant. A service-based economy does not thrive on
goods; value is created with information and knowledge (Rasmus, 2005). The knowledge workers are
rapidly becoming the single largest group in the workforce of every developed country (Ramirez &
Nembhard, 2004). There is a great difference in how knowledge workers are enabled to work. The
design of a fictional traditional office of the early information worker in the Netherlands, illustrated
below, will clarify this difference.
As a starting-point we take an office of approximately thirty years old, with six floors and 300 people
working in it. The building consists of long hallways with lots of (mostly closed) rooms with desks for
four people. The hallways are often used to place some of the facilities (copiers, coffee machines,
faxes, filing cabinets,) since the building was not calculated on the tremendous development of the
facilities. When walking into any random room, you’ll see only two people working in the room, it is
stacked with filing cabinets and the desks are filled with paper as well. There is one computer on each
desk and one printer on the window-ledge. The last few empty spaces are filled with some family
photos and a plant. This is the office for the information workers who carry out the client
administration. When walking into the room of the head of department you’ll notice some
differences. This room is a lot bigger than the others and is filled with furniture and other items that
propagate status (large oak desk). It has a meeting table for approximately eight persons and a seat,
the room is locked when the head of department is elsewhere (Veldhoen, 1998).
This short illustration brings about some characteristics of the traditional office: closeness, waste of
1 A knowledge worker is “anyone who works primarily with information or develops and uses knowledge in the workplace”
Drucker P (1959) Landmarks of Tomorrow
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space, sensitivity to status, no flexibility, personal workspaces and aged (or aging) technology. In
response to this, offices should be developed that inspire and enable working ‘anywhere, anytime’
(Veldhoen, 2005). The workplace should be a strategic asset supporting the business goals. However
“techniques for using space as a tool for affecting and inspiring work are neither taught in business
schools nor applied—with few exceptions—by the design industry” (Kampschroer et al, 2007, pp.
119-120).
They way organizations arrange the working climate is changing in the Netherlands. Since the mid
nineties new technology is enabling organizations to rearrange the workplace. Wireless telephone
technology is making the introduction of flexible workplaces possible, whereas employees used to be
bound to their desks by their leased circuit (fixed telephone). Now, desks and PC’s could be shared.
At the same time, the internet enabled telework for organizations emerged, through which
employees could work (partially) at home. In the beginning of the 20 th century wireless technology
began to emerge, which is enabling more freedom in arranging the workplace as well. These
examples of technology as an enabler for changes in the workplace, illustrate the high impact
technological innovations can have on organizations. Suddenly, organizations had an alternative to
working in a cubicle office, or the completely open office, a flexible open office combined with
enclosed workspaces for meetings or work that requires concentration (Veldhoen, 1998). On top of
the rearranging workplace in the office, technology enables people to work almost ‘anywhere,
anytime’, for instance HSDPA 2 allows employees to stay connected with the network of their
organization while travelling.
Interestingly, many organizations tackle the design of work differently. Reflecting the notion of Sinha
& Van de Ven (2005) that the development of a theoretical solution for the work systems of
organizations is a difficult, if not impossible, objective. Since “the work systems are often
characterized by a variety of conflicting environmental demands, internal design configuration trade-
offs, and diverse performance expectations” (Sinha & Van de Ven, 2005, p. 404).
1.2 The Research Project
This research is part of the overall research project “The New World of Work” conducted by a team
of nine people of the RSM Erasmus University on behalf of Microsoft, De Unie and the Rabobank. The
project is centred on the concept of a new way of working, which is enabled by technology. Microsoft
2 High Speed Downlink Packet Access is a successor of UMTS technology, which increases the data transmission.
KPN. (2007) Hsdpa. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2007, from http://www.kpn.com/kpn/show/id=1600465
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Nederland is in the process of altering their workstyle and this research group will research how this
will affect Microsoft. In addition to Microsoft two other organizations are participating in this
research as well; the Rabobank and De Unie. The Rabobank is in the process of changing the way of
working in the organization and is interested in the effects for them as well. The new work concept
for the Rabobank is labeled Rabo Unplugged, which has the same underlying principles as the New
World of Work concept launched by Microsoft, however it is customized by and for the Rabobank.
The main difference of these three concepts is the purpose for which it will be used. Microsoft uses
the New World of Work as a showcase for their customers, which enables them to convince and
consult their customers and sell the accompanying software for this new way of working 3 . The main
purpose of Rabo Unplugged is to increase client focus. In other words, the ability to satisfy the clients
even more, by becoming a 24/7 bank for instance. Rabo Unplugged will be gradually implemented in
the coming years and should be fully applied at the head office in 2010.
De Unie’s interest lies in how a change from a traditional union to an internet union will affect the
way of working at De Unie.
The emphasis of this research lies on an analysis of new ways of working on the organizational level
(chapter 2) and individual (employee) level (chapter 3), as flexibility can result only through an
intelligent interface between individual and formal organization. This master thesis focuses on the
potential effects of a new way of working for Rabobank Nederland and several establishments of the
Rabobank Group. It does so by contrasting the new workstyle to organizations who implemented
similar ways of working in chapter 2. From there on one organization, the Rabobank, will be
highlighted by researching the main factors that influence perceived productivity, employee
satisfaction, job flexibility and innovation for their employees in chapter 3.
1.3 Research Question
The Rabobank believes that a new way of working (Rabo Unplugged) is essential for the future of the
company. The Rabobank wants to reduce the amount of “internal” regulation in such a way that the
Rabobank becomes more agile with the overall goal to increase client focus. Their clients are
changing and require a different, more customized, service, which can be best delivered by
entrepreneurial employees. In order to achieve this, the Rabobank will change the way their
employees work (Rabo Unplugged). They will empower their employees, hereby emphasizing self-
control, which should allow for reduction of “internal” regulation. The reduction of internal
3 Microsoft Nederland. (2007). Nieuwe werken. Retrieved Feb. 5, 2007, from
http://www.microsoft.com/netherlands/itmanager/productiviteit/nieuwewerken.aspx
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regulation will cause employees to think what their work really is all about; customer satisfaction.
Currently they are in the process of researching how this workstyle (Rabo Unplugged) should be
adopted at the Rabobank and how it will affect the Rabobank. Accordingly, my overall research
question can be defined like this:
What are the critical success factors and potential effects of new ways of working for the Rabobank?
Subdivided in the following two issues:
a) What is the impact of enterprise architecture and high performance workplace technologies on
organizational performance?
b) What is the impact of dimensions of work on individual performance?
1.4 Research Objectives
Rabo Unplugged will bring about big changes in the way of working at the Rabobank. The prospects
for Rabo Unplugged look promising, since similar concepts, although limited in numbers, in other
companies have shown great results (e.g. Interpolis). Rabo Unplugged is however still in the
conceptual phase and the contours of the transformation are only gradually becoming more
concrete. In this phase, the Rabobank desires further research on Rabo Unplugged; it is especially
interested in the added value of Rabo Unplugged 4 . Therefore my research objectives are:
1) To measure the impact of the enterprise architecture and high performance workplace
technologies on organizational performance.
2) To measure the impact of dimensions of work on individual performance.
The study objectives are embedded in assumptions and logic which follow, respectively.
1) There is a broad idea of what the new ways of working should look like, however critical success
factors appear to differ per organization. From observations and interviews it becomes clear that
information and communication technology is viewed as an enabler for the changes in workstyle. For
ICT to work effectively an IT infrastructure needs to be available, which fits the needs of the
organization. Therefore an analysis of the enterprise architecture will be performed, which is the
organizing logic for core business processes and IT infrastructure. Artmann (2007) puts forward that
“the enterprise architecture is about creating support for more efficient ways of working and
improving operational efficiency, and it is an enabler for new business opportunities with the help of
ICT” 5 . I will research whether the enterprise architecture is a CSF for a technology enabled way of
4 Mr. H. van Egmond, personal communication, March 5, 2007
5 Artmann, Casimir. “What is Enterprise Architecture?” Enterprise Architecture. The content economy. 13 Sep. 2007.
(http://www.thecontenteconomy.com/2007/09/what-is-enterprise-architecture.html). 18 Sep. 2007.
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working. And if the utilization of technologies identified in the hype cycle for high performance
workplace, which support a high performance workplace (Gartner, 2006), is a CSF too.
In doing so, a comparative analysis of three organizations will be made, wherein the context of the
cases will be taken into account as well.
2) Insights on the impact of dimensions of work on individual performance, will aid in designing a
high performance workplace for the Rabobank. The results of this study will show which
characteristics of work design influence a variety of individual performance indicators, such as
perceived productivity, job flexibility, employee satisfaction and innovation. Consequently, aiding in
designing a way of working that creates the highest productivity, flexibility, satisfaction and/or
innovation.
Furthermore a measurement instrument should be available to evaluate the progress towards full
adoption of the new way of working within the Rabobank. Implementing Rabo Unplugged is
expected to take 3 to 4 years within the head office. During this period, an instrument should be
available which measures (periodically) how the way of working at the Rabobank is perceived by the
employees. This information can be used to assess what changes have already taken place and which
still need to be commenced to achieve an optimal level of adoption of Rabo Unplugged. The output
of the instrument can be used to adjust the Unplugged project when necessary.
The aim of this paper is to provide the Rabobank with insights in various designs of work and provide
some valuable insights on how to design their new way of working. This explorative study researches
critical success factors for technology enabled ways of working in chapter two. Chapter three is
concerned with research on work design characteristics that influence individual performance.
Chapter 4 contains the conclusions of the exploratory research to ways of working. The structure of
the thesis is illustrated in the research framework below (Figure 1).
Casimir Artmann is currently employed as Enterprise Architect at Acando and has past experience as Enterprise Architect at
Capgemini and IT architect at Modul 1 (http://www.linkedin.com/in/casimirartmann)
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I
Research Problem:
Designing Rabo Unplugged
II III
Research Objective 1:
Impact EA and HPW
technologies on
organizational performance
IV
Interpolis
Literature on HPW and EA &
propositions
Conceptual model
Cross-case study
KvK
Validation of propositions
Conclusions
Figure 1 - Research Framework
Rabobank
Overall conclusion
Research Objective 2:
Impact dimensions of work
on individual performance
Literature on work design &
propositions
Conceptual model
Survey
Validation of propositions
Revised conceptual model
Conclusions
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1.5 Relevance
Relevance for practice
This research seeks to shed light on the issue of identifying critical success factors that enable the
Rabobank to bring about a desired change in workstyle. In turn, the instrument, discussed in chapter
three, could help the Rabobank to improve the productivity, employee satisfaction, job flexibility and
innovation of their organization. By exemplifying factors (e.g. empowerment) that influence them
and illustrating the factors that have the highest potential, when altered, to improve them.
Furthermore this research project has relevance in the individual area. Increasingly people get the
feeling they are almost completely absorbed by their work schedule, family and friends and they
have a sense that they lack the time to do the things they really want 6 . A new way of working, which
results in greater flexibility of one’s work schedule, should enable people, to fit work with private life
better.
Theoretical relevance
The ways of working discussed in this thesis are not extensively researched yet. Especially the critical
success factors and the effects need more analysis. The enterprise architecture or usage of high
performance workplace technologies might be critical success factors for organizations willing to
effectively adopt a new workstyle. To my knowledge the ‘link’ between enterprise architecture as an
enabler for more efficient ways of working hasn’t been made in the literature.
Practically no research – to my knowledge – has researched the factors that could influence
productivity, employee satisfaction, flexibility and innovation as extensively as researched in this
research. The results of this research might provide new insight in the factors influencing
productivity, employee satisfaction, flexibility and innovation.
6 Slowlife. (2007). Waarom. Retrieved April 4, 2007, from http://www.slowlife.nl/
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Chapter 2: Alignment Enterprise Architecture with High
Performance Workplace Technologies
2.1 Introduction
There is a broad idea of how new ways of working should look like, however critical success factors
appear to differ per organization. From observations and interviews it becomes clear that
information and communication technology is viewed as an enabler for the changes in workstyle. For
ICT to work effectively an IT infrastructure needs to be available, which fits the needs of the
organization. Therefore an analysis of the enterprise architecture will be performed, which is the
organizing logic for core business processes and IT infrastructure. Furthermore “the enterprise
architecture is about creating support for more efficient ways of working and improving operational
efficiency, and it is an enabler for new business opportunities with the help of ICT” (Artmann, 2007).
Each advancing phase of enterprise architecture maturity should be able to facilitate high
performance workplace technologies better.
2.1.1 Research Question
To measure the effect of the enterprise architecture and high performance workplace technologies
and the alignment herein on organizational performance, the following research question is draught:
What is the impact of enterprise architecture and high performance workplace technologies on
organizational performance?
In order to answer this research question, the following sub questions are formulated which can be
used for a cross-case analysis:
a) What is the usage of high performance workplace technologies of an organization?
b) What is the enterprise architecture maturity of an organization?
c) What is the organizational performance of an organization?
The following paragraph contains a literature review along with propositions and the conceptual
model. The research methodology is illustrated in paragraph 2.3. Paragraph 2.4 demonstrates the
cases and the cross-case analysis is presented in paragraph 2.5. Lastly, paragraph 2.6 covers the
validation of propositions.
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2.2 Literature review
2.2.1 Valuing information work
Valuing information and digital work styles appear to be very difficult. A literature review conducted
by Brynjolfsson demonstrated that there is a huge lack of measures that capture the value of
information-age innovations at both macro-level and micro-level. The GDP does not measure
products or services that cannot be priced. An information-age innovation like ‘internet search’,
which can be valuable for organizations, is not taken into account in the overall output of the
economy 7 .
2.2.2 Organizational performance
The effects of HRM practices on organizational performance have been studied often. Wright et al
(2005) identified 68 empirical studies addressing this subject, with in every study at least one
significant relation between a HRM practices and performance. They observed a high reliance on
“post-predictive” research design, whereby the current Human Resource practices are compared
against the past performance (the performance up till the point of the response) or the previous
year’s performance metrics. Often financial performance metrics were used in these studies. In
addition to financial performance measures Kaplan and Norton (1996) opt three other perspectives
to translate the vision and strategy of an organization to firm performance measures; internal
business process, customer and ‘learning and growth’ for which the balanced scorecard can be used.
The balanced scorecard was introduced to assess the ability of an organization to exploit intangible
assets, since this has become vital for companies in the information age. First the objectives of each
perspective need to be set, following measures for the objectives need to be established, subsequent
targets need to be formulated followed by initiatives to reach them. In line with the view of the
balanced scorecard an organizational performance measure is required for this study that measures
the goals of a change in work design. Improving customer satisfaction, enhancing the image of the
organization and increasing organizational agility (to be able to respond to changing customer
demands quickly) were often mentioned in interviews with managers about new work designs 8 . The
perceived organizational performance measure from Delaney and Huselid (1996) appears a good fit
by measures of quality of services, development of new services, attractiveness of an organization to
employees, satisfaction of customers, internal relations and perceived market performance.
7
IIIP (2007) The Invisible Value Of Information-Age Innovation: The Fatal Flaws of Modern-Day Economics http://www.iiip.org/research/cxo_reports/MIT-CxO-April2007.pdf
8
P v Schijndel, H de Kok, T van den Akker, H v Egmond, personal Communication
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However it lacks measures on agility. The increasing turbulence in the environments, due to factors
such as increasing customer demands, technological advancements and regulatory changes, requires
agile organizations. The enterprise agility of organizations becomes ever more an important
determinant of firm success. It determines “the ability of firms to sense environmental change and
respond readily” (Overby et al, 2006, p 120). The organizational performance measure should thus be
enhanced with a measure for enterprise agility. To assess enterprise agility Overby et al suggest
adapting items from existing measurement scales on market orientation or strategic flexibility as a
starting point to measure enterprise agility. Strategic flexibility is “a capability that enables a firm to
respond to and generate environmental change” (Saini & Johnson, 2005, p. 362).
2.2.3 The high performance workplace
High performance workplaces centre on IT strategies that enable business transformation and create
competitive advantage (Gartner, 2007, p. 2). In a high performance workplace people are facilitated
to work as effective as possible in supporting business goals providing value. “An HPW is a physical or
virtual environment designed to make workers as effective as possible in supporting business goals
and providing value. It's the result of enterprises continually balancing investments in people,
processes, physical environments and technology to measurably enhance workers' ability to learn,
discover, innovate, team and lead, and to achieve efficiency as well as financial benefits” (Gartner,
2006, p. 3). “Many firms have reorganized their work sites from the old Fordist model of work to new
high-performance work systems that decentralize decision making within a firm”, (Black & Lynch,
2001, p. 434) by adopting Total Quality Management systems or an employee involvement program.
However it is not just about adopting work practices, the highest productivity is associated with how
it is actually implemented in the organization (Black & Lynch, 2001).
In the hype cycle for high-performance workplace (Figure 2) several technologies are identified that
support the high performance workplace (a description of these can be found in Appendix G). Some
of these will have a low impact on organizations, modest cost-reduction by implementing Linux on
the desktop for instance. Other technologies will have a profound impact on organizations for
instance ubiquitous collaboration which enables collaboration with anyone, at any place, at any time.
Many of these technologies are similar to ‘mashups’ that is a variety of technologies synthesized into
new and immediately useful technologies (Gartner, 2006). Since high performance workplace
technologies are aimed at increasing the performance of organizations, the following proposition is
drafted:
P1: Utilizing more high performance workplace technologies results in higher organizational
performance, market performance and strategic flexibility.
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Source: Gartner (2006) Hype Cycle for High-Performance Workplace, 2006
Figure 2 - Hype Cycle for High-Performance Workplace 2006
2.2.4 Enterprise Architecture
Since the early 90’s, aligning business (strategies) with information technology (strategies) to
increase organizational performance has received a lot of attention in the literature (Luftman et al,
1993; Bharadwaj, 2000; Mata et al, 1995). A guide for aligning the business processes with the IT
infrastructure is the enterprise architecture. Ross, Weill and Robertson (2006) have been studying
enterprise architecture for eleven years. They define the enterprise architecture as “the organizing
logic for core business processes and IT infrastructure reflecting the standardization and integration
of a company’s operating model” 9 . In their eleven years of research, leaning on experience of over
450 companies of which 150 specifically for this study, they discovered that top performing firms
have a specific strategy for success. They define how they will do business (operating model) and
design the processes and infrastructure critical to their current and future operations (enterprise
architecture), this will then be used as a guide for establishing their foundation of execution, which is
the IT infrastructure and digitized business processes automating the company’s core capabilities 10 .
9 (Ross et al, 2006, p:47)
10 (Ross et al, 2006, p:4)
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In other words, the foundation of execution becomes a strategic asset that enables strategic
initiatives, instead of an IT architecture which aligns to (changing) strategies. This foundation will
then be constantly improved and used to seize new business opportunities, examples of such top-
performing companies are Dell and ING DIRECT. However only 5 percent of the firms or less manage
to do this well. Ross et al describe three stages to establish the right architecture, which will improve
business performance.
The first step in building a solid foundation for execution is defining the operating model, which is
the necessary level of business process integration and standardization for delivering goods and
services to customers. It describes how a company wants to thrive and grow 11 . Instead of a business
strategy, which can easily alter in respond to changes in the market or changing competition, an
operating model is more stable. The four general types of operating models are; Diversification,
Coordination, Replication and Unification, these are illustrated in Figure 3. Each of these operating
models has their opportunities and shortcomings, there is no optimal model to which all
organizations should strive, the most favourable operating model is the one that fits the organization
best.
Business process integration
High
Low
Coordination Unification
Diversification Replication
Low High
Business process standardization
Figure 3 - Four operating models (Ross et al, 2006)
The second step entails implementing the operating model via enterprise architecture. This implies
that an organization should identify the processes, data, technologies, and customer interfaces that
take the operating model from vision to reality. The enterprise architecture consists at least of four
common elements; the core business processes, shared data driving core processes, key linking and
automation technologies and key customers. The enterprise architecture differs for each of the four
operating models.
The third stage involves assessing the enterprise architecture maturity, which deals with the systems
that integrate and support the business. Ross, Weill and Robertson (2006) identify five maturity
11 (Ross et al, 2006, p:25,26)
18

Dimensions of work
stages; Business Silos, Standardized Technology, Optimized Core, Business Modularity and Dynamic
Venturing 12 . Each stage of enterprise architecture maturity has its own characteristics (Table 1).
Business Silos
IT capability Local IT
applications
Business
objectives
Table 1 - Learning requirements of the architecture stages
ROI of local
business initiatives
Funding priorities Individual
applications
Key management
capability
Who defines
applications
Key IT governance
issues
Strategic
implications
Technologyenabled
change
management
Local business
leaders
Measuring and
communicating
value
Local/functional
optimization
Source: Ross, Weill and Robertson (2006)
Standardized
Technology Optimized Core
Shared technical Companywide
platforms
standardized
processes or data
Reduced IT costs Cost and quality of
business
operations
Shared
infrastructure
services
Design and update
of standards;
funding shared
services
IT and business
unit leaders
Establishing
local/regional/
global
responsibilities
Enterprise
applications
Core enterprise
process definition
and measurement
Senior
management and
process leaders
Aligning project
priorities with
architecture
objectives
IT efficiency Business
operational
efficiency
Business
Modularity
Plug-and-play
business process
modules
Speed to market;
strategic agility
Reusable business
process
components
Management of
reusable business
processes
IT, business, and
industry leaders
Defining, sourcing,
and funding
business modules
Strategic agility
They distinct themselves amongst others by the strategic implications of the phases. In the first
phase ‘business objective’ organization strive for local / functional optimization. In the second phase
‘Standardized Technology’ IT efficiency becomes very important. In the third phase ‘Optimized Core’,
the strategic focus is on business operational efficiency. The focus of organizations in the fourth
phase ‘Business Modularity’ is on strategic agility. Being ‘agile’ is commonly referred to as being able
to adapt to and perform well in rapidly changing environments (Dove, 2001; Weill et al, 2002a;
Sambamurthy et al, 2003). Strategic agility is “a broad concept encompassing the family of business
initiatives an enterprise can readily implement. Many elements contribute to an enterprise’s
strategic agility including: customer base, brand, core competences, employee’s ability to change,
12 Ross et al (2006) have found only one organization representing phase five, thus they excluded it from in-depth research
19

Dimensions of work
and infrastructures” (Weill et al, 2002b, p 10).
Ross (2003) described the four stages of the enterprise IT architecture and used this as a guideline to
determine the enterprise IT architecture maturity of the forty case sites she studied. From this
classification it appeared that 75 percent of the researched firms are in the first two phases and none
in the fourth phase. In 2005, over 80 percent of the organizations were in the second and third phase
and only five percent in the fourth phase. Ross et al (2006) emphasize maturing through the phases
since it will improve organizational performance, especially the fourth phase leads to a variety of
benefits for the organization; improved IT responsiveness, risk management, managerial satisfaction
and strategic business impact. Enhancing the strategic business impact causes the operational
excellence, customer intimacy, product leadership and strategic agility to improve. Maturing the
architecture also leads to a change in organizational flexibility. In the first phase (Business silos), the
local flexibility is high and the global flexibility is low, whereas in the fourth phase (Business
modularity) the local flexibility is mediocre but the global flexibility is high. This last phase enables
the organization to be flexible and at the same time keep costs low. However, to profit fully from the
enterprise architecture, organizations need to rethink how their business will be conducted. First the
operating model should be known, after which the facilitating enterprise architecture can be
designed, in order to align the IT with the business.
To reap the benefits of maturing the enterprise architecture it must be accompanied by
organizational learning, just maturing the enterprise architecture without changing the business does
not increase organizational performance. The importance of organizational learning within the
former context is supported by research from Tippins and Sohi (2003).
The last discipline for creating the foundation of execution is developing the IT engagement model.
The IT engagement model is the system of governance mechanisms assuring that business and IT
projects achieve both local and company-wide objectives (Ross et al, 2006, p 119). Generating the
expected benefits of a foundation for execution results not just from changing IT investment patters,
but also from new management practices. The new management practices formalize organizational
learning on how to leverage IT capabilities and adopt business process changes. Each enterprise
architecture stage demands different management practices for acquiring optimum benefits. Some
management practices are important in the early stages, whereas other management practices are
less important or occasionally even unnecessary until later architecture stages. Ross et al (2006)
reviewed the largest value, as reported by 103 CIOs, of management practices related to architecture
maturity. The result of this review is illustrated in Appendix B.
From this review it appears that for companies in stage 1, it is imperative to perform business cases
and a standardized project methodology well, before they attempt to move to stage 2 (Standardized
20

Dimensions of work
Technology). The management practices critical for the standardized technology stage articulate
companywide needs instead of business unit needs in stage 1, illustrated in centralized funding of
enterprise applications and formal architecture compliance process. The key management practices
of the third ‘optimized core’ stage demonstrate the importance of senior management involvement
in defining what business processes should be integrated and standardized in the foundation and
ensuring the enhancement and usage of it. The essential management practices of the fourth
‘business modularity’ stage exemplify the organizational learning practices of the role of IT in
enabling the business. Imperative for this phase, since some IT might hinder enterprise agility by
“limiting information visibility by storing data in ways that make it difficult to retrieve and interpret”
or “by being incompatible with systems adopted by customers and suppliers” (Overby et al, 2006, p.
127). All in all, top performing organizations perceive great senior management involvement in
enterprise architecture issues, great effort to build architecture into project methodology and
mature enterprise architecture as the most important management practices for reaping the benefits
of the business modularity stage. Ultimately, people make the difference, they design the operating
model, innovate and execute, they do this at their best if the right direction, leadership and
incentives are in place.
The literature review on enterprise architecture led to the following proposition:
P2: Higher maturity level of the enterprise architecture results in higher organizational
performance, market performance and strategic flexibility.
2.2.5 Aligning the Enterprise Architecture with High Performance Workplace
Technologies
Enterprises have been going through tremendous transformation in their ways of working to respond
to the more global, fragile, and uncertain business environment. Accordingly enterprise management
practices have been transformed respective to the new work design. Moreover the rapid growth of
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) enable and, simultaneously, force organizations
to integrate their information system completely to facilitate the sharing of data and information
throughout its distributed network. Integrated information systems are necessary to aid decision
makers to manage enterprise resources dynamically, more efficiently and more effectively. “The
need for an integrated view applies equally well to the tools that ‘automate’ the business, i.e., to the
variety of widely used methodologies and tools that run and execute an operational model of the
enterprise” (Ashuri et al, 2007, p. 39). According to this integrated view, the high performance
workplace technologies (tools) should align the enterprise architecture (methodologies). Especially
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Dimensions of work
since each phase of enterprise architecture maturity exemplifies a different vision on IT strategy
which can be best support by different high performance workplace technologies. Since an
integrated view leads to more efficiency and effectiveness, alignment with high performance
workplace technologies and the enterprise architecture should result in higher performance for an
organization as well.
P3: Higher alignment between the enterprise architecture and high performance workplace
technologies results in higher organizational performance, market performance and strategic
flexibility.
2.2.6 Conceptual model
Based on the literature review the following conceptual model is developed (Figure 4).
High performance
workplace
technologies
Enterprise
architecture
Business operating
model
Alignment
Figure 4 - Conceptual model alignment HPW with EA
P1
P3
P2
Performance:
· Organizational
performance
· Market
performance
· Strategic flexibility
22

Dimensions of work
2.3 Research Methodology
2.3.1 Research design
In chapter 2 of this thesis an exploratory study into different ways of working, evolutionary for some
organizations and revolutionary for others, is performed. A case study approach is chosen for the in
depth analysis in why three organizations have chosen for a different way of working (Yin, 2003).
Furthermore, this paper attempts to provide insight in what distinguishes the ways of working of the
three cases from other organizations and how these ways of working relate to organizational
performance. Due to the novelty of the ways of working a qualitative study is performed, which is
one of the main reasons to do so (Creswell, 1994).
2.3.2 Case study design
The case study follows a common structure, starting with a within-case analysis, a detailed
description of the cases, followed by a cross-case analysis and is finalized with “lessons learned” from
the cases. The within-case analysis starts with a review of the new ways of working guided by five
themes;
- The organization and context,
- The triggers for changing the way of working,
- The adoption of a new way of working,
- The process to a new way of working,
- The effects of a new way of working.
Followed by a review of;
- The organizational performance,
- The high performance workplace technologies,
- The enterprise architecture maturity,
- The alignment of enterprise architecture with the high performance workplace technologies.
Such an extensive analysis is chosen to first provide insight into how the change in working is
perceived (by the first five themes) and second how the change of work design has affected the
organization (by the last four themes).
2.3.3 Case selection
In this paper three case organizations will be analyzed, two of these have adopted a (at that time
revolutionary) way of working and one organization is in the process of adopting a new way of
23

Dimensions of work
working. The first case is obvious since this research is performed on behalf of the Rabobank. The
other cases were selected after discussions with several experts in the area of new work design in
the Netherlands. When searching for showcases about new ways of working, Interpolis is often the
first organization mentioned. Another organization mentioned frequently is the Kamer van
Koophandel Rotterdam. Both organizations rearranged their way of working radically (for them as
well as other organizations, illustrated by the number of visitors they received 13 ), so they provide
excellent research material.
2.3.4 Data collection
The cases will be analysed in depth involving multiple sources of information, including observations,
interviews, documents and reports as recommended by Cresswell (1998). The data on the first five
themes (organization, trigger, adoption, process and effects) have been collected from books about
the organizations, company documentation and a research on the work design of one of the cases
combined with interviews, which were guided by the questions in appendix H.
Data on the other themes (organizational performance, high performance workplace technologies,
enterprise architecture) was collected by structured interviews with experts on the subject. Seven
people were interviewed for the Rabobank, three for Interpolis and one (the managing director) for
the Kamer van Koophandel. An overview of the interviewees is illustrated in appendix A.
Organizational performance
The organizational performance will be measured with the questions in appendix F combined with
the information resulting from the case description.
Considering the nature of the case companies (profit and non-profit), a deliberate choice was made
to use the measure of perceived organizational performance of Delaney and Huselid (1996) instead
of (objective) financial measures from Huselid (1995) for instance, since objective firm performance
data of the non-profit organization is unavailable. Using perceived organizational performance does
introduce limitations, such as increased measurement error and possibly monomethod bias, however
research showed that perceived organizational performance is positively (moderate to strong)
correlated with objective measures of firm performance (Dollinger & Goldon, 1992; Powell, 1992).
The first variable was constructed from seven items assessing respondents' perceptions of their
firm's performance over the past three years relative to that of similar organizations (perceived
organizational performance, a = .85). The second dependent variable is constructed from four items
13 Just after the new offices were opened both organizations received a lot of attention. Interpolis gave tours for 50.000
people on a yearly basis (personal communication, Ms. H de Kok) and at the Kamer van Koophandel tours were given twice
a day (personal communication, Mr. T vd Akker).
24

Dimensions of work
concerning respondents' perceptions of their firm's performance over the past three years relative to
product market competitors and thus only applicable to profit-making organizations (perceived
market performance, a = .86). Each of the dependent variables is based on questionnaire items
answered on Likert scales ranging from 1,"worse" to 4, "much better".
The measure of perceived organizational performance is enhanced with a measure for strategic
flexibility, “a capability that enables a firm to respond to and generate environmental change” (Saini
& Johnson, 2005; p. 362). This capability is important for organizations especially in uncertain
markets.
The data on organizational performance was collected from the program manager of Rabo
Unplugged on behalf of the Rabobank. The data on organizational performance of Interpolis
comprises of the average of the response of a HR consultant and a project manager.
High Performance Workplace technologies
The utilization of high performance workplace technologies will be analysed by means of a structured
interview, see appendix E. Herein the quantity of high performance workplace technologies the
organization utilizes is examined. Respondents were asked to mark the high performance workplace
technologies used in the organization based on a description (appendix G) of each. An IT project
manager and an employee from the Rabo Unplugged group were interviewed for the Rabobank. And
a project manager and senior associate portfolio controller were interviewed for Interpolis.
Enterprise architecture
The enterprise architecture maturity will be assessed by the questions concerning the management
practices in the various case organizations (appendix C), combined with the description of the
organization resulting from the case description. For the Rabobank the data came from a project
manager and an IT architect and for Interpolis the data was collected from the project manager. In
general, the more management practices are used in the organization, the more mature the
enterprise architecture of the organization is. Eventually each case organization will be classified in
one of the four enterprise architecture maturity levels.
2.3.5 Data analysis
The use of high performance workplace technologies and the perceived organizational performance
can be easily evaluated based on the structured interviews held. During the first ‘try-out’ interview it
became apparent that defining the enterprise architecture maturity required further analysis on top
of the questions from the structured interview. Therefore a few open questions were added to
create better insight in the enterprise architecture of the organization (appendix D). The discussions
25

Dimensions of work
during the interviews combined with the response to the structured interview and the open
questions provided sufficient insight to classify the enterprise architecture maturity.
Alignment high performance workplace technologies and enterprise architecture
The alignment of high performance workplace technologies with the enterprise architecture is
proposed by an evaluation of the characteristics of the HPW technologies that theoretically should
improve the IT strategy per enterprise architecture maturity phase. Each phase of enterprise
architecture maturity exemplifies a different vision on IT strategy and has different characteristics.
From the description of each phase by Ross (2003) and Ross et al (2006) several differentiating
keywords have been selected (appendix I). The combination of keywords with the overarching vision
on IT strategy made it possible to evaluate which high performance workplace technologies should
have the most added values in which enterprise architecture maturity phase.
For instance, the standardized technology phase (stage 2) is characterized by IT efficiency. Cost
reduction by implementing standardized technology is critical herein. Thus, the added value of a high
performance workplace technology for this phase should be; cost reduction. Web content
management is such a cost reduction high performance workplace technology since it reduces the
amount of IT overhead required to manage internal and external Web sites. Consequently, this high
performance workplace technology aligns with the enterprise architecture maturity phase 2.
The business modularity phase (stage 4) is characterized by strategic agility. Being able to sense and
respond rapidly is critical herein. Thus, the added value of a high performance workplace technology
for this phase lies in enabling quick sense and respond capabilities. Ubiquitous collaboration is such a
high performance workplace technology that enhances the ability to respond quickly, by enabling
collaboration with anyone, at any place, at any time. Consequently, this high performance workplace
technology aligns with the enterprise architecture maturity phase 4.
The high performance workplace technologies that align with phase 2, will have added value for
organizations in further phases as well, however not vice versa. Web content management will have
added value for organizations in latter stages than stage 2, since reducing the IT overhead is
(normally) beneficial for all organizations. However, ubiquitous collaboration does not have added
value for organizations in stage 2, when the strategy of IT of an organization is to reduce costs. The
ability of collaboration with anyone, at any place, at any time is of lesser value for organizations who
apply it for cost reduction than for organization who want to improve strategic agility.
Finally, the cross-case analysis consists of a summary of the most important findings, wrapped up
with a lessons learned.
26

Dimensions of work
2.4 Cases
2.4.1 Rabobank
Organization and context
The Rabobank Group is a full-range financial services provider operating worldwide. The group’s core
business is the local Rabobanks and their clients. Besides supervising these local banks, Rabobank
Nederland also acts as a wholesale bank, a bankers’ bank to the Group and is the holding company of
a large number of specialized subsidiaries, this is illustrated in the organizational chart in appendix J.
The Rabobank creates customer value by providing the best financial services for their clients,
ensuring the continuity of these services and demonstrating commitment to their clients and their
environment. The Rabobank distinguishes herself with her cooperative fundamentals which results in
a high social responsibility for the environment, and her triple A status, the highest qualification for
creditworthiness.
Mission
“The Rabobank puts the collective interest of people and communities first. From this interest,
Rabobank wants to be an advancing and innovating force that contributes to sustainable
development of prosperity and well-being. The goal is to realize current and future ambitions of
people and communities, through amplifying the mutual collaboration and providing the best
financial solutions possible”. 14
History
The Rabobank commenced from a merger between the Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Bank in
Utrecht and the Coöperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank in Eindhoven in 1972. These two banks were
founded in 1898 by farmers, who decided to cooperate to get access to capital. Since both banks
successfully practiced banking principles in the same sector for a very long period, the merger was a
logical partnership. In 1980 the bank officially started to use their current name – Rabobank - which
is comprised of the first letters of the two original cooperative banks.
Today, the Rabobank Group comprises of 188 independent local Dutch Rabobanks and a central
organization, which provide financial services and products to the Dutch retail and business markets.
Besides the Dutch market, the Rabobank started to enter the international market as well under the
flag of Rabobank International, which was only formally established in 1996, although the first
14 Rabobank (2007) Profiel Rabobank groep, Rabobank Groep Halfjaarverslag 2007, p. 33.
27

Dimensions of work
international activities already took place in the 1970s 15 .
Key figures
Overall, the Rabobank Group has offices in 38 countries with over 50.000 employees. They had a
turnover of over 10 billion euro and a net profit of approximately 2.35 billion euro in 2006
(Rabobank, 2006).
Culture
The culture within the Rabobank Group is very diverse. The Rabobank Group consists of many
departments with different relations within and throughout the departments. The cultural diversity
will be exemplified by elaborating on the relationships between the Rabobank group and the
environment, between local banks and the customers, between local banks and Rabobank Nederland
and within Rabobank Nederland.
The Rabobank has a philosophy of a harmonizing relationship with its environment. They believe that
without a sustainable direction live itself deteriorates, thus sustainable development is a must for the
Rabobank. The orientation on sustainable development is exemplified in the Rabobank latest
investment in Windpark Q7. The Rabobank financed, together with two other banks, the building of
60 wind mills, which will deliver ‘green’ electricity for 125.000 households in the Netherlands 16 .
Further illustrations of the harmonizing role of the Rabobank with the environment/customers come
forward in their book “Toekomst door Samenspel” (Rabobank, 1998). In this book the investment of
a new office for the Rabobank with room for the local library is described. Due to lack of appropriate
housing a local library was about to be closed, the Rabobank - in need of a new office - designed it
such that the local library could be housed in their new office. In addition it exemplifies the
organization of a ‘Farmers day’ by the Rabobank, on this day old farmer trades were displayed, which
represents the connection of the Rabobank with its roots.
The Rabobank wants to build a sustainable satisfying relationship with its customers. By focusing on
customer satisfaction and providing a platform wherein customers can become members of the
Rabobank. The membership allows customers to influence the policy on local social projects.
Rabobank Nederland supports the local banks, however it appears that local banks are somewhat
hesitated to contact Rabobank Nederland. The nature of human activity within the bank can be
defined as proactive and partly harmonizing. Partly harmonizing since interaction takes place and
information is shared within the departments, however information sharing throughout the
15
Rabobank. (2007). History. Retrieved August 25, 2007, from http://www.rabobank.com/content/about_us/history/
16
Rabobank (2007) Duurzaamheid. Retrieved July 8, 2007, from
http://www.rabobank.nl/particulieren/servicemenu/nieuws/rabobank_nieuws/rabobank_gaat_voor_duurzaamheid
28

Dimensions of work
departments can cause for difficulty. Basically all information can be located by everyone, although
occasionally it requires much effort to find it.
Rabobank Nederland is improving the interaction and information sharing culture within
departments by introducing instant messaging and SharePoint. Currently, it is developing a new way
of working that goes hand in hand with a big cultural change: Rabo Unplugged. The real transition to
this new way of working will start when Rabobank Nederland moves to the new head office in 2010.
Overall, the culture at the Rabobank is characterized by lots of meetings, a cooperative drive, a nine
to five mentality (although slowly changing) and a real bank culture with social ties (in most
departments).
Triggers for introduction of new work concepts (Rabo Unplugged)
Internal triggers
The foremost trigger for the introduction of Rabo Unplugged for the Rabobank is the need for
reduction of ‘internal regulation’. Currently, the Rabobank is bound to a large amount of rules,
developed in-house or put on by the external environment (politics or (inter)national rules) both
steadily increasing. The increase in regulation will eventually make the Rabobank a rigid organization.
Although the external regulations will stay, the challenge lies in reducing the amount of internal
regulation (procedures), to create a result oriented environment instead of a rule-driven
organization 17 . The Rabobank wants to reduce the amount of ‘internal regulation’ in such a way that
the Rabobank becomes more agile with the overall goal to increase client focus. Through Rabo
Unplugged the employees of the Rabobank will be empowered, hereby emphasizing self-control,
which should allow for reduction of “internal” regulation. Mr. van Schijndel puts it this way:
“Employees who get more freedom are likely to help the customers in another way, and won’t hide
behind systems. When contacting a call centre, it is likely to hear the following; “yes sir, that might be
true, but the system says differently…..”, and that is exactly the opposite of what the Rabobank
strives for. When providing employees with freedom, they’ll be thinking ‘what it is actually all about’,
how can I do what’s in the best interest of the customer” 18 .
The plans for a new head office for the Rabobank provided an opportunity to rethink the way of
working at the Rabobank. The new office provides the opportunity to create a high variety of working
spaces (designed to address the different needs of employees), combined with the latest technology
in a sustainable office. The new office is intended to release the potential of the entrepreneurial
17 Mr. H. van Egmond, personal communication, March 28 2007
18 Mr. P. van Schijndel is a member of the board of directors of the Rabobank and the initiator of ‘Helder werken’ at
Interpolis.
29

Dimensions of work
Rabobank employee to increase customer focus. Furthermore the Rabobank intends to make this
building the most sustainable office in the Netherlands.
Another internal trigger for introduction of Rabo Unplugged has to do with expected human resource
issues. A substantial part of the current workforce of the Rabobank will leave the organization for
retirement within 10 years, multiplied with a shrinking workforce in the developed countries in the
coming 50 years triggered the Rabobank to introduce a working concept that besides increase
productivity and employee satisfaction creates an image that attracts the new workforce as well.
External trigger
The change in workstyle is triggered by changing client demands. Customers of the Rabobank want
to be able to consult about and close a mortgage in the evening or maybe even at night. Being able
to quickly deliver the best services 24/7 requires a different approach to working. Rabobank needs to
become a flexible organization which can easily adapt to changing customer demands.
Rabo Unplugged
In 2004, the board of directors of the Rabobank started planning to build a new administrative centre
in Utrecht. From their own experience they knew that on Friday afternoon most staff would leave
early and a lot of offices are left unused. Amongst others, this made them realize that the new office
offered them possibilities for a new building concept, and a different view on working itself.
In 1996 Interpolis pioneered by introducing a flexible way of working. Combined with a new flexible
office, Interpolis turned their organization up-side-down to an organization with a result-oriented
and entrepreneurial culture, with great success 19 . Now that the CEO of Interpolis then, is currently in
the Board of Directors of Rabobank Nederland, they want to make use of his experience and
introduce a similar result-oriented and entrepreneurial culture at the Rabobank. The new office will
have flexible workplaces and physical presence won’t be required anymore – it’s about the results
and the way people work together. The new office will become a meeting place with ‘clubhouses’
and frequent social events, stimulating the contact between staff and staff and managers. As the
most important reason to go to the office is to collaborate. In 2005 a project group of the Rabobank
started to develop this new workstyle. Originally they started the project under het banner “Het
Nieuwe Werken” (The New Work), since 2006 however the Rabobank is using the term “Rabo
Unplugged”, inspired by the popular series of unplugged concerts on MTV. These concerts consisted
of a total different performance by the artists; due to the unique character of the program it became
very popular in a short time. The name Rabo Unplugged is about the new way of working for the
19 Interpolis. (2007). de interpolis-kijk op werken. Retrieved Aug. 8, 2007, from
http://www.interpolis.nl/overinterpolis/helderwerken/kijkopwerken/default.aspx
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Dimensions of work
Rabobank (Rabo Unplugged, 2007). The slogan of Rabo Unplugged is back to the essence; ’honest,
real, pure and aware’.
In short, Rabo Unplugged is a way of working that houses employees with a telecommuting,
cooperative and result-oriented mindset 20 in an innovative 21 flexible office, designed to improve the
client focus. It is characterised by releasing unnecessary regulations, working anytime, anywhere
facilitated by the newest technology, better knowledge sharing, more cooperation, taking
responsibility, performance appraisal on results and more client focus (Rabo Unplugged versie 1,
2006).
Process
In the last two years the aim of Rabo Unplugged has been set. Six targets are set to guide the new
workstyle, these are:
· Less regulation
· More entrepreneurship
· Independent of time and place
· Activity related
· Together
· Own responsibility
Currently, 20 employees of the Rabobank are responsible for the Unplugged program of which nine
full-time. The group is roughly divided into three teams; the virtual, physical and the mental team.
The virtual team is responsible for the technology. The physical team is concerned with furnishing
(the new office). And the mental team focuses on the employees (HR-systems, conditions of
employment etc). The three teams are guided by the program director and program manager (Figure
5). The Rabo Unplugged group is developing the process which will guide the Rabobank to adoption
of Rabo Unplugged. The Rabo Unplugged team has developed a time planning for the realization of
the various projects under the three dimensions from 2007 until 2010, since full adoption of the new
workstyle for the employees who will be moving to the new head office is planned in 2010. A
selection of these projects is digitization of documents, policy for mobility and telework, changing
recruitment criteria, adoption of tablet PC‘s and Vista 22 . In 2012 every employee of Rabobank
20 “The Telecommuting Mindset is one that strives to apply technology in ways that more effectively achieves your
objectives (as opposed to applying them to do the same job more effectively) and which seeks to make everything that is
available physically to also be available electronically, i.e., to access "anything" from "anywhere," at "anytime". In other
words it seeks physical-electronic "access parity" for all services deemed necessary for your lifestyle.”
http://www.telecommuter.org/defs/Def-Mindset.html
21 An innovative office is an office which is inspiring and in which people feel comfortable to work, which should both result
in higher performance. (http://www.veldhoen.nl/)
22 Rabo Unplugged program plan, June 2007, version 0.92.2
31

Dimensions of work
Nederland will work Rabo Unplugged. Overall the change and communication strategy is
characterized by temptation. By surprising and fancy activities employees of Rabobank Nederland
are tempted to do things differently.
Figure 5 - Organizational chart Rabo Unplugged
Currently the Unplugged-team is working on a toolbox of information and communication strategies;
‘het koffertje’. This ‘toolbox’ contains amongst others presentations, surveys and papers on various
subjects with information specified to employees and managers.
Presently, the first steps toward Rabo Unplugged are taking place. The Rabobank is introducing
SharePoint in a pilot of currently 1200 employees, which should improve information sharing within
the Rabobank. Furthermore, a messenger program for internal use within Rabobank Nederland has
been implemented on the 11 th of July 23 .
Effects
The Rabobank expects effects on the organizational level and the individual (employee) level, which
will have an indirect effect on the organizational level as well. The main target of Rabo Unplugged is
to increase customer focus, which should increase customer satisfaction. The
Rabobank is planning to do so by providing the employees with freedom to make their own choices
regarding where, when, how and with whom they work, which will cause employees to have and
maintain customer focus. This freedom will influence the performance and lives of the employees of
the Rabobank. It will enable them to schedule their own life better, so they can combine their work
with for instance childcare or school better. The freedom is likely to benefit the Rabobank in the form
23 Implementation of Communicator took place in three days; 9, 10 and 11 July
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Dimensions of work
of strategic flexibility. Not being bound by procedures should enable the Rabobank to respond
quicker to opportunities in the market.
The centre of Utrecht is slowly growing towards the location of the Rabobank head office. This
provides an excellent opportunity for an uplift of the Rabobank’s image, from a bureaucratic to a
more modern organization. The new ‘sustainable’ head office combined with the new workstyle is
expected to create a better image of the Rabobank, which will propagate their brand in general and
enable the Rabobank to attract and retain the best employees.
The shared workspaces and newest technologies cause for a cost reduction, through an efficient use
of space in the new office.
The new workstyle could lead to an increase in productivity as well, since employees have the ability
to work in the train or at home. Mr. van Schijndel is convinced that “most people have a heart for the
company and if you provide them the freedom to do their job ‘anywhere, anytime’ they will go the
extra mile for the company when it is needed”.
33

Dimensions of work
2.4.2 Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam (Chamber of Commerce)
The Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam is one of the 21 chambers of commerce in the Netherlands. It
has a general board that represents the number and type of companies registered in the region. The
main tasks of the Kamer van Koophandel are determined through this board under close watch by
the Ministry of Economic Affairs. These tasks are;
1) Implementation of economic legislation,
2) Providing information,
3) Stimulate the (regional) business environment.
The Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam has 215 employees. It is financed through the payment of
individual products and services by the customers. And the remaining costs are covered by the yearly
contribution which each organization - registered in the trade register - has to pay.
The mission of the Kamer van Koophandel is to stimulate the (regional) business environment by
providing information. They are an oracle for existing organizations and entrepreneurs who do
business in national or international context 24 . The number one task for the Kamer van Koophandel is
to keep the trade register accurate. In the Netherlands it is compulsory for almost each company to
register in the trade register. This trade register contains information about the location of the
company, a description of the company, key figures, information concerning moratorium of
payments and more 25 . The activities of the Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam are illustrated in their
organizational chart (appendix K)
Culture
The organization perceives itself as submissive and harmonizing to its environment. The main task of
the Kamer van Koophandel is to stimulate the business environment and inform organizations,
whereby even the simplest questions of entrepreneurs are answered. This demonstrates the
submissive and harmonizing role of the Kamer van Koophandel.
24 Kamer van Koophandel. (2007). Missie. Retrieved August 16, 2007, from
http://www.rotterdam.kvk.nl/artikel/artikel.asp?artikelID=39164
25 Kamer van Koophandel. (2007). Business Extracts: Example copy of business extracts. Retrieved August 16, 2007, from
http://www.kamervankoophandel.nl/artikel/artikel.asp?artikelID=16050
34

Dimensions of work
Trigger for introduction of new work concepts
Internal triggers
In March 2000 the Kamer van Koophandel started the initiative for a new way of working. The new
acquired building at Blaak 40 proved a bit too small for the organization if it were traditionally
architected as a cell office. Consequently, a flexible working concept was desired.
A need for new hardware triggered thinking about the ‘real’ needs of the employees at the Kamer
van Koophandel as well
External trigger
In 2000, the government started stimulating the Kamer van Koophandel for digitalization
(van beurs naar blaak).
Adoption
In 2001, the Kamer van Koophandel launched a new working concept. For the Kamer van Koophandel
the new workstyle means shared workspaces, digitization, an office which facilitates working
anywhere through a wireless network and enabling telework. Although telework is only allowed
when you have a legitimate reason. The objective was to emit an innovative and enterprising image
for entrepreneurs in the region, provided that the organization keeps his accurate and reliable image.
On the other hand the new way of working should create an effective and enjoyable way of
working 26 . In the process of adoption they came across a lack of IT-skills among a part of the
workforce however extra IT training overcame this problem. One of their biggest challenges was
changing the culture of the organization. The management style (e.g. not managing on presence) and
address culture (address employees who unnecessary occupy facilities) are mere two examples for
which adaptation was needed in the new work environment 27 .
Process
The desire for a flexible working concept combined with the desire for digitalization by the
government provided the opportunity for a new working concept at the Kamer van Koophandel. The
orientation for the new flexible office started in March 2000. Veldhoen & Company was attracted to
guide and shape the process. Critical mass within the management was quickly generated, when
Veldhoen & Company presented their innovative concept along with the possibilities for cost
reduction. An excursion to Interpolis, Andersen and the head office of Veldhoen & Company was
arranged to enthuse the other stakeholders.
The next step was a small study to verify the possibilities of a flexible concept in an office with a
26 Note, Veldhoen + Company, Voorloopnota werkconferentie Digital Port, Oct 24, 2005
27 Mr. T. van de Akker & Mr. T. Geerts, personal communication, March 28, 2007.
35

Dimensions of work
public function, which appeared indeed feasible. The Kamer van Koophandel opted a wireless
network in the new office, which was tested voluntary by the employees, in a so called ‘proof of
concept’ 11 months prior to the move. Through the wireless network information became available
everywhere in the building, which enabled furnishing the building such that the client became the
central focus, a major point of focus for the Kamer van Koophandel. Whereas in the old situation
information guided the architecture of the building (Veldhoen 2005, p. 90-91).
The entire implementation phase took approximately 10 months. In this process three user groups,
five workgroups, one project group and one steering committee were draught, each group with their
own functions and expertise’s. The user groups were constantly asked for feedback. A few hot topics
were the different (digitalized) role of the user, whether to grant individual differences, the amount
of laptops needed and the possibility for secured printing. Although user groups were involved in the
process, the demands of the employees were put aside occasionally. The move to the new building
meant a huge change and most employees didn’t share the vision of the management at that time.
The steering commission would usually follow the advice of (external) experts, which caused for
resistance by some employees 28 . Management did endeavor complete openness about the decisions
during the process. And once a decision had been made, it was the trick to get a working pilot as
soon as possible to persuade the most hesitant people.
The employees were informed about the developments of KvK@work every 14 days. Foremost
importance was given to clear communication in writings, plenary meetings and through an
accessible project group structure. With the words of a manager:”We did it with them, not for
them”.
A survey among the employees was conducted after KvK@work was implemented. The results of this
survey showed that it is very important to involve the employees during the whole process. At the
Kamer van Koophandel the involvement has been rated mere sufficient. Approximately 40% of the
employees have been (partly) involved in the development of the concept. From the beginning the
targets were clear, the provided information and the possibilities for input of own ideas were rated
sufficient. Information about the achievement of targets and whether ideas of the employees are
brought into practice were perceived insufficient.
All in all, the whole implementation process was perceived vigorous and efficient by the interviewed
employees. There were some difficulties in collecting information from different channels and some
participants had difficulties in conceiving in the work and needs of others.
And there were some comments about the director being project leader and chairman of 3 of the
four working groups.
28 Mr. T. van de Akker, personal communication, October 1, 2007.
36

Dimensions of work
KvK@workII
In 2004, the Kamer van Koophandel launched KvK@workII. In KvK@workI the focus was mostly on
the physical change, the technology and the furnishing of the workspaces. The move to an office with
shared workspaces also meant a cultural change. The cultural legacy was underestimated in
KvK@workI, thus a new program was initiated to clarify the intention of the new work style.
Although every employee (including the managers) had no fixed workplace, it appeared that when a
manager would seat somewhere once, employees would abstain from that workplace even when the
manager wasn’t in the office.
Another issue was the usage of the different workspaces. The new office facilitates different
workspaces for different kinds of work, which should enable the employee to be more productive.
Multiple (quiet) cubicles for concentrated work (like reading), the open work spaces for the normal
activities, where you can easily contact colleagues and lounge areas for reading a newspaper,
drinking coffee and informal chats. Switching workspaces was merely done on a very small scale,
survey results showed that on average employees would switch 0.9 times a day; however 63%
indicated that they never switched during the day. Furthermore, some employees (especially interns)
would unnecessary occupy the cubicles the whole day.
KvK@workII was intended to inform the employees about the intentions of the workspaces, discuss
the usage up till then and change the behavior to use the office more effectively.
The next step is upgrading the bandwidth of the wireless network, since the 11mb/s of the 6 year old
wireless network isn’t sufficient anymore.
Effects
One of the primary reasons to choose for this concept was the win-win situation. On one hand it
provided the Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam an innovative image, just after the opening
approximately 2 to 3 tours through the office were given on a daily basis. And on the other hand, the
total costs for the innovative office concept were lower than the traditional architected office.
Objective measurements for productivity haven’t been exercised; this is partly due by the extensive
changes the Kamer van Koophandel was confronted with since 2000, thus making it difficult to
compare the old and new way of working. Absence because of illness has decreased, this is however
a national trend, so it is unsure if KvK@work can be credited for this 29 . A third party has examined
the employee satisfaction and 80 percent of the employees do not want to return to the old
situation.
29 Mr. T. van den Akker, personal communication, April 16, 2007.
37

Dimensions of work
Lessons learned
From KvK@work in 2001, the organization learned that the emphasis was too much on ICT-tools and
the physical environment. Therefore KvK@workII was launched to change the culture and workstyle
of the organization.
A success factor of the implementation of KvK@work was the need for extensive decision making in a
short period of time. (van beurs naar blaak)
38

Dimensions of work
2.4.3 Interpolis
The mission of Interpolis can be described in 2 words: Interpolis glashelder (very clear).
Interpolis feels that insurance is perceived as unnecessarily complicated by most customers. They
want to prove that it can be done differently. Their strategy is to be very clear (on forehand) to their
clients about the products and services they provide 30 . Interpolis provides, besides financial
compensation, reimbursement remuneration in kind as well. And Interpolis exerts in preventing
problems. Glashelder stands for a transparent organization with transparent products 31 .
History
At the end of the 19th century, four cooperations for farmers were founded. The farmers instituted
their own banks (de Boerenleenbanken) and insurance companies (de Onderlinge
Waarborgmaatschappijen). In 1969 Interpolis was founded through a merger of four
‘waarborgmaatschappijen’. In 1990, Interpolis became part of the Rabobank. Since the end of 2005,
Interpolis is part of Eureko (a European insurance group) through a merger with Achmea.
Interpolis offers a wide variety of damage-, health- and life insurances for private and companies. In
addition, Interpolis takes care of the retirement of 2.9 million (ex-) employees and they give advice
about working conditions and reintegration for instance. The clientele of over one million private
users and several hundred thousand companies makes Interpolis one of the largest insurance
companies in the Netherlands.
Culture
Interpolis perceives itself to have a harmonizing relationship with its environment. Exercising flexible
work times enhanced the work-life balance for the employees. Their strategy of providing clear
products and services illustrate a high concern with the customer’s (insurance) needs. The name
changes of the employees who handle the damages of clients illustrate the culture change at
Interpolis; from damage correspondents (Schadecorrespondenten) in the early nineties, to damage
handlers (Schadebehandelaars) in the mid nineties, to solution finders (Oplossers) at the beginning of
the twentieth century. It is a cultural change to an organization with high customer focus.
The building of Interpolis propagates an open collaborative environment, the foremost characteristic
of Interpolis and their way of working, the office is to a large extent open and is furnished with glass
walls. Generally the collaboration is very good at Interpolis. Knowledge is shared by listening-in in the
30 Interpolis. (2007). “onze visie“ Retrieved August 15, 2007, from
http://www.interpolis.nl/overinterpolis/glashelder/onzevisie/default.aspx
31 Interpolis. (2007). “organisatie: wie zijn wij?“ Retrieved August 15, 2007, from
http://www.interpolis.nl/overinterpolis/organisatie/wiezijnwij/default.aspx
39

Dimensions of work
open environment, discussing casuistic, knowledge base and a very large intranet. Their mission
statement consists of openness, transparency, collaboration, flexibility and individual
entrepreneurship.
An interesting HRM practice through which Interpolis differentiates itself from other organizations is
their ‘Glashelderscan’. Every applicant undergoes a scan which tests whether an applicant possesses
the Interpolis level of thinking and can handle the flexibility which is provided to them
(Veldhoen+Company, 2003). On top of that, Interpolis uses an assessment to verify if new employees
have the Interpolis-competences; these are for instance client focus, professional attitude and focus
on development. At Interpolis people are recruited for a career and not for one function 32 .
The onset for the route to ‘Helder Werken’ commenced around 1994, with the change in strategy.
Instead of the check and double-check mentality, which was the underlying foundation of the control
mechanisms of every insurance company in that time, Interpolis presented a strategy contrary to the
course of events in those days. To be exact, their premise was to initiate every relation with their
customers with mutual trust. If a customer called for an insurance claim, Interpolis would
immediately serve the client with a payment for the damage 33 . Interpolis realized that this kind of
trust in the customers should be embedded throughout the organization as well, by providing the
employees similar trust. The answer to this belief came 2 years later. In 1996 Interpolis initiated
‘Helder Werken’, a way of working which still receive (inter)national attention. It is a modern working
climate with amongst others flexible workspaces and telework for all employees (who can handle the
responsibility). ‘Helder Werken’ is characterized by being flexible, client focus, result driven,
providing the employees with responsibility, providing freedom where possible, faith in the
knowledge, skills and capacities of the employees and little hierarchy.
It is a combination of ICT and facilities qua set up and HR and communication (the policy is altered
completely to fit the new vision)
Triggers new way of working
Internal
Since the merger with the Rabobank, one of every five Rabobank customers was insured at
Interpolis, increasing this number to a quarter of the Rabobank clientele would result in a position in
the top three of insurance companies in the Netherlands. Interpolis realized they didn’t exploit their
trump cards.
Interpolis was a very conservative and bureaucratic organization in which a lot of re-work was done.
32 Ms. H. de Kok, personal communication, May 3, 2007
33 Receipts did have to be saved for a ‘x’ amount of time in case of at random checks.
40

Dimensions of work
A desire originated to change this by amongst others a change in management style.
Interpolis needed a new office, which provided the opportunity to rearrange their work design and to
propagate an innovative image.
External
Interpolis recognized opportunities in the advancing information technologies (mobile telephones,
pc’s and networks) during the mid-nineties. The possibilities they could provide triggered Interpolis
to rethink their way of working. So, investments for adjusting the technical infrastructure and the
wiring for their new office were made (Veldhoen + Company, 2003).
Customers proclaimed that Interpolis took too long, that they hid behind rules, that they were
bureaucratic, not transparent and had very little customer focus.
Interpolis had a dusty image which caused difficulty to attract people.
Adoption
The meeting of Interpolis with Mr. E. Veldhoen brought insight in the practical fill in for a new
working concept. Veldhoen propagated the cocon-office, a flexible office with ‘open’ areas (for
communication) and closed spaces (for concentration). The cocon-office would enhance the
transparent vision of Interpolis by making it own practice amongst the employees as well.
Introduction of the cocon-office in the Interpolis building would spare a further investment of 35
million guilders in an additional office in 2000. There was a sense of urgency for Interpolis to change
their way of doing business. In the early nineties Interpolis had a dusty image and therefore
difficulties to retain and attract employees. All this together contributed to drive and subsequently
adopt a new way of working across the organization. And interpolis is already doing this for over 10
years, although the way of working has evolved.
.
Process
The first step in the process was the measurement of occupancy rate. Results of this analyses
showed that the amount of workplaces could easily be reduced. Prior to the implementation, priority
was given to a lot of communication, trial runs on the ‘old’ departments, workshops about the
expected changes, aiding employees in experiencing the change on their own en letting them shape
it. The management was and is still expected to proliferate the new way of working. By using the new
way of working the management will tempt the employees to use it as well.
41

Dimensions of work
Effects
From 1996 till now, the turnover of Interpolis has quadrupled (the turnover/employee ratio is
substantially higher than industry average). Increase in productivity (research results showed that
employees who work at home are more productive than those who work in the office 34 ), vitality,
knowledge sharing, and brand awareness. The new working concept expanded the capacity of
workplaces from 950 employees to 1500 employees. The job satisfaction increased, absence through
illness decreased, the employees became proud of their company, the employees expressed
themselves positively about their employer through amongst others an increase in transparency,
freedom and trust facilitated by the new (company) culture (Veldhoen 2005, p. 76).
Lessons learned:
Team leaders and the mid management experienced it to be very difficult to change from managing
on presence to managing on results. Trusting the employees and giving them responsibility appeared
difficult as well. A critical success factor for the working concept was desk sharing, in that all
employees had to let their own workplace / office go and share desks.
34 Ms. H. de Kok, personal communication, May 3, 2007
42

Dimensions of work
2.5 Cross-case analysis
A summary of the triggers, new ways of working and effects of the three cases is presented in
Table 2. The move to a new building presented for all cases the opportunity to rearrange their work
design with the latest information and communication technology. Interpolis and the Kamer van
Koophandel both profit from the new work design, in terms of less absenteeism, an innovative image
and a quadrupled turnover for Interpolis.
Table 2 - Cross-case analysis
Interpolis Kamer van Koophandel Rabobank
Triggers · Move to a new building;
More efficient use of office
space
New way
of work
· Dusty image
· Opportunities of ICT;
‘Anywhere, anytime’
· Client focus
· Result driven
· Flexibility
· Responsibility
· Little hierarchy
· Faith in knowledge and skills
of the employees
Effects · Turnover quadrupled
· Absence because of illness
decreased
· Innovative image
· Move to a new building;
Building wasn’t suited when
traditionally furnished
· Desire for digitalization by
the government
· Opportunities of ICT; WLAN
and worldwide connection
· Digitalization of all
information
· Enabling working ‘anytime,
anywhere’
· Attractive office
· Absence because of illness
decreased
· Employee satisfaction rose
· Innovative image
· Move to a new building;
Merging business
establishments, room for
growth
· Aging population in
organization, ability to
attract talent
· Reduction of ‘internal
regulation’
· Change customer demands;
24/7
· Opportunities of ICT;
‘Anywhere, anytime’
Client focus by
· Less regulation
· More entrepreneurship
· Independent of time and
place
· Performance appraisal on
results
· Together (cooperative)
· Taking responsibility
(Expected)
· Increase customer focus
· Better knowledge sharing
· Innovative image
43

Dimensions of work
2.6 Validation of propositions
In this chapter the propositions stated in paragraph 2.2 will be evaluated. All propositions are related
to organizational performance, thus an overview of the perceived organizational performance will be
illustrated first, hereafter each proposition will be reviewed.
Organizational Performance
Table 3 illustrates the perceived organizational performance of the Rabobank, Interpolis and the
Kamer van Koophandel. Seventeen items were used to assess the perceived performance. Seven
items on perceived organizational performance, four items on perceived market performance
adapted from Delaney and Huselid (1996) and six items on strategic flexibility adapted from Saini &
Johnson (2005). The total organizational performance builds on the notion that the perception of
performing better or much better than that of organizations who do the same kind of work indicates
a higher performance. And that the more easy it is for an organization to perform certain tasks
indicates a higher performance as well. Since the Kamer van Koophandel is a non-profit organization
the questions 8 till 11 do not apply. Another notion is that the Kamer van Koophandel is the only
organization of its kind in the Netherlands, thus the other Kamer van Koophandel’s are used for
comparison.
The average perceived organizational performance is for all three organizations higher than 2 which
represent ‘same’ performance. Thus, all three organizations perceive themselves to have higher
organizational performance then organizations that do the same kind of work. The Rabobank
perceive themselves to perform slightly better than other organizations that do the same kind of
work with an average perceived organizational performance of 2,3. Interpolis perceive themselves to
be performing ‘better’ than organizations who do the same kind of work with an average of 3,1. And
the Kamer van Koophandel perceives herself to be performing ‘better’ than other Kamer van
Koophandel’s with an average of 3.
The average perceived market performance is the same (2) compared to other organizations that do
the same kind of work for the Rabobank, and is perceived better (2,9) by Interpolis.
The average perceived strategic flexibility is higher than 4, which represents neutral, for each
organization. And higher than the average (4,42) found in the study of Saini & Johnson (2005) under
a sample of 122 online brokerage firms. The average perceived strategic flexibility for the Rabobank
is 5, for Interpolis 4,8 and for the Kamer van Koophandel 5,5. Thus all organizations perceive to have
a higher strategic flexibility as well.
44

Dimensions of work
Variables and items
Table 3 - Perceived organizational performance
Rabobank Interpolis
Kamer van
Koophandel
Perceived organizational performance*
How would you compare the organization’s performance over the past 3 years
to that of other organizations that do the same kind of work? What about …
Quality of products, services, or programs? 3 3,5 2
Development of new products, services, or programs? 3 2 3
Ability to attract essential employees? 2 3,5 3
Ability to retain essential employees? 2 3 3
Satisfaction of customers or clients? 2 3 2
Relations between management and other employees? 2 3,5 4
Relations among employees in general? 2 3 4
Average perceived organizational performance
Perceived market performance
Compared to other organizations that do the same kind of work, how would you
compare the organization’s performance over the last 3 years in terms of …
2,3 3,1 3
Marketing?
2 2 na
Growth in sales?
2 3 na
Profitability?
1 3,5 na
Market share?
3 3 na
Average perceived market performance 2 2,9 na
Strategic Flexibility**
On the scale provided, please indicate the extent to which it is
easy for your firm to . . .
Make changes in the services offered 5 4,5 5
Switch focus to different targets/markets 5 3,5 5
Apply resources to a wide range of uses 6 6 6
Switch the uses and applications of resources 6 4,5 7
Modify services to offer different benefits 4 5,5 4
Make fast changes in how resources are used 4 4,5 6
Average perceived strategic flexibility 5 4,8 5,5
Cases
* Scale: 1 ‘worse’, 2 ‘same’, 3 ‘better’, 4 ‘much better’
Source: Adapted from: Delany, J. T., & Huselid, M. A. 1996. The impact of human resource management
practices on perceptions of organizational performance. Academy of Management Journal. 39: 949-969.
** Scale anchors 1 = not at all, 7 = very easy
Source: Adapted from: Saini, A. and Johnson, J. (2005) ` Organizational Capabilities in E-commerce',
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 33(3): 360-75.
Proposition 1 is concerned with the usage of high performance workplace technologies in relation to
organizational performance.
P1: Utilizing more high performance workplace technologies results in higher organizational
performance, market performance and strategic flexibility.
To validate these propositions an analysis of the organizational performance, strategic flexibility and
the high performance workplace technologies is required. The utility of high performance workplace
technologies is illustrated in Table 4.
45

Dimensions of work
High performance workplace
technologies
Workplace enhanced business
applications
Table 4 - High performance workplace technologies
Most added value
enterprise architecture
phase Cases
Rabobank Interpolis
4 2 1
Kamer van
Koophandel
Podcasting 3 2*
Ubiquitous Collaboration 4 1 1
Desktop Portals 3 2* 1
Text Mining 4 2*
Collective intelligence 4 2
2
Corporate Semantic Web 3 2
Mashup 4 2 1
Basic content services 2 2 1 1
Desktop Search 3 1 1 2
Content integration 3 2* 1
Folksonomies 3
Smart Enterprise Suites 3 1
Open-Source Tools for Web
Content Management
4
2 2
Web 2.0 Workplace Technologies 4 1 2 2
Social Network Analysis 4
Unified Communication 4 1** 1
Linux on Desktop for Mainstream
Business Users
3
Desktop Video 4 2 1
Automated Text Categorization 3 2
Wikis 3 2 1 2
Corporate blogs 4 2
1
E-learning Suites 3 2 1 2
Public Semantic Web 4 2
Natural-Language search 3 2 1
Enterprise Digital Asset
Management
3 1 1 2
Expertise Location and
4 2 1 1
Management
E-forms 3 1 1 2
Records Management 2 2 1 1
Enterprise Instant Messaging 3 1 1
Shared workspaces 4 1 1 2
Unified messaging 4 2 1 2
Enterprise Portals 3 2 1 1
Taxonomy 3 2
2
Web Conferencing 3 2 1
Enterprise Content Management 3 2 1 2
Multimedia Messaging Service 3
1 2
Presence 3 2 1
Knowledge Management 3 2 1 1
Web Content Management 2 1 1
Total current HPW 10 27 6
Total future HPW 25 2 13
Most HPW from
Scale: 1) Used;
2) Will be used in near future
3 3 3
* No decisions have been made whether the hpw will be
implemented
** Partially used
46

Dimensions of work
Two aspects ‘jump out’ of this table, namely the extensive utilization of high performance workplace
technologies (twenty-seven) of Interpolis and the planned utilization of technologies by the
Rabobank in the near future (twenty-five) opposed to the use of ten high performance workplace
technologies presently. Interpolis utilizes by far the most high performance workplace technologies
and has the highest perceived organizational performance. The Rabobank and Kamer van
Koophandel utilize respectively ten and six high performance workplace technologies and have an
organizational performance of 2,3 for the Rabobank and 3 for the Kamer van Koophandel. The results
indicate partial support for proposition 1, since the organizational performance is the highest when
utilizing the most high performance workplace technologies; however the Kamer van Koophandel
utilizes only six and perceives to have a higher performance than the Rabobank with ten high
performance workplace technologies. The difference can be explained by the fact that the Kamer van
Koophandel is a public organization and Interpolis and the Rabobank are private organizations. The
Kamer van Koophandel is not exposed to competition, thus every use of the technologies would lead
to higher performance. Whereas in the private sector more utilization of high performance
workplace technologies is required, since it is more difficult to perform better than similar
organizations. Utilizing more high performance workplace technologies results in higher market
performance according to the data. The perceived strategic flexibility of Interpolis is the lowest of the
three cases with the highest use of HPW technologies. The Rabobank utilizes ten high performance
workplace technologies and has the second highest strategic flexibility. And the Kamer van
Koophandel perceives to have the highest strategic flexibility with the lowest number of high
performance workplace technologies. Consequently, higher utilization of high performance
workplace technologies does not result in higher strategic flexibility. From the analysis of the
utilization of high performance workplace technologies the following hypotheses can be drafted;
H1: Utilizing more high performance workplace technologies results in higher organizational
performance for private organizations.
H2: Utilizing more high performance workplace technologies results in higher market performance for
private organizations.
Proposition 2 relates the enterprise architecture with organizational performance.
P2: Higher maturity level of the enterprise architecture results in higher organizational performance,
market performance and strategic flexibility.
Consequently you should be able to evaluate the enterprise architecture maturity level by analyzing
the management practices.
Table 5 illustrates the enterprise architecture maturity of the Rabobank, Interpolis and the Kamer
van Koophandel based on an evaluation of their management practices. “The management practices
47

Dimensions of work
formalize organizational learning about how to leverage IT capabilities and adopt business process
changes. Different stages place different demands on management, so some management practices
are important for capturing the benefits of early stages while other practices are less important – and
sometimes unnecessary – until later stages” (Ross et al 2006, p 101). Hereof you can conclude that
organizations will only have the management practices needed for their current enterprise
architecture stage or the stage they would like to mature to. Consequently you should be able to
evaluate the enterprise architecture maturity level by analyzing the management practices.
Table 5 - Enterprise architecture maturity, cross case
Define the Enterprise Architecture maturity
Stage Management practices Cases *
Rabobank Interpolis
Kamer van
Koophandel
1 Business Silos Business cases
Standardized project
1 1 1
methodology 1 1 1
2 Standardized
Technology An IT steering committee 1 1 1
Centralized funding of enterprise
applications 1 1 3
An infrastructure renewal
process 1 1 3
A formal architecture compliance
process 1 1 3
Architects on project teams 1 1 3
An architecture exeption process 1 1 3
A centralized standards team 1 2 1
3 Optimized Core Enterprisewide process owners 1 1 3
A statement of enterprise
architecture guiding principles 1 1 4
Business leadership of project
teams 1 1 1
Senior executive oversight of
enterprise architecture 1 2 3
IT program managers 1 1 1
4 Business Modularity A one-page core diagram 1 2 4
Postimplementation assessment 2 1 3
A formal research and adoption
process 1 3 4
A full-time enterprise
architecture team 1 1 4
Enterprise architecture maturity phase 4 4 1
Enterprise architecture maturity phase after qualitative
analysis 3 4 3
* Scale:
1) Used;
2) Will be used in near future;
3) Familiar with, not used in company;
4) Not familiar with
48

Dimensions of work
Source: Ross, Weill and Robertson (2006) Enterprise Architecture as Strategy. Boston, Harvard Business
School Press
However it is uncertain whether the usage of the management practices alone can really indicate the
maturity. Therefore a qualitative analysis is performed as well in the case organizations.
The Rabobank has all management practices mentioned in Consequently you should be able to
evaluate the enterprise architecture maturity level by analyzing the management practices.
Table 5, but the post implementation assessments, wherein the lessons learned are secured and
communicated, need to be utilized more often 35 . Based on this assessment the Rabobank finds itself
in phase four. From the qualitative analyses it appeared that the Rabobank pursues strategic agility
(phase four), but their enterprise architecture is in phase three. They have amongst others a huge
legacy of systems, which makes it on occasion difficult to implement the designed processes.
Consequently they are not in the phase of business modularity, but find themselves in phase three,
optimized core.
Interpolis lacks four management practices at the moment. When viewing the table, Interpolis finds
itself between phase three and phase four. During an interview with a project manager it became
clear that Interpolis is in the business modularity stage (phase four). Interpolis has flexibility high on
the agenda. They have an infrastructure on which they build modules. For each new module business
cases are made, in which the added value and the flexibility of the modules is checked.
The Kamer van Koophandel stands out in Consequently you should be able to evaluate the enterprise
architecture maturity level by analyzing the management practices.
Table 5; they have formalized only a few management practices. Based on this evaluation the Kamer
van Koophandel is positioned in phase 1. However the Kamer van Koophandel is a relatively small
organization and doesn’t have the funds for a fulltime enterprise architecture team. During their
change they temporarily hired experts. Therefore the rating by management practices gives a
distorted image of the enterprise architecture. Again a qualitative analysis went along with the
inquiry for their enterprise architecture maturity and hereof I concluded that the enterprise
architecture of the Kamer van Koophandel represents phase three. Phase three is characterized by
digitizing the core, sharing data and business operational efficiencies, which reflects the Kamer van
Koophandel. The Kamer van Koophandel improved their business by digitizing all their documents
and making them available ‘anytime, anywhere’, enabling them to share data better. And the
digitization will enable the Kamer van Koophandel to facilitate a single face to the customer in the
future 36 .
35 Interview Mr. M. Aarts & Mr. J. Jacobs
36 The Kamer van Koophandel awaits the completion of the ‘electronic signature’.
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Dimensions of work
The Rabobank and the Kamer van Koophandel are both in enterprise architecture maturity phase
three and Interpolis is positioned in phase four. The highest perceived organizational performance
and market performance is found at Interpolis, partially supporting proposition 2.
Enterprise architecture stage four should improve the flexibility of an organization (Ross et al, 2006)
however the data does not support this. Interpolis with the highest (stage four) enterprise
architecture has the lowest strategic flexibility of the three cases. Resulting in the following two
hypotheses;
H3: Higher maturity level of the enterprise architecture results in higher organizational performance
for private firms.
H4: Higher maturity level of the enterprise architecture results in higher market performance.
Proposition 3 concerns the alignment of the enterprise architecture maturity with the use of high
performance workplace technologies.
P3: Higher alignment between the enterprise architecture and high performance workplace
technologies results in higher organizational performance, market performance and strategic
flexibility.
In addition to the usage of high performance workplace technologies,
Table 4 illustrates which technology has the most added value in which enterprise architecture phase
as well. The alignment of the technologies with the enterprise architecture phases is illustrated in
Table 6. The Rabobank and Kamer van Koophandel are both aligned, being in phase three of
enterprise architecture and utilizing most high performance workplace technologies that correspond
to that phase. The enterprise architecture of Interpolis facilitates phase four high performance
workplace technologies, however the majority of high performance workplace technologies used
correspond most to phase three.
Table 6 - Alignment EA with HPW
Aligning the Enterprise architecture with High performance workplace
technologies
Enterprise architecture maturity
(phase)
Cases
Rabobank Interpolis Kamer van
Koophandel
3 4 3
Most HPW from phase 3 3 3
Alignment Yes No Yes
When comparing the alignment with the organizational and market performance, no evidence is
found to support proposition 3. However alignment does seem to benefit the strategic flexibility,
50

Dimensions of work
supporting proposition 3. Resulting in the following hypothesis:
H5: Higher alignment between the enterprise architecture and high performance workplace
technologies results in higher strategic flexibility.
Interestingly, higher strategic flexibility only appeared when aligning the enterprise architecture with
high performance workplace technologies. Opposed to the findings of the research of Ross et al
(2006), which showed that higher levels of enterprise architecture maturity leads to higher flexibility
and higher strategic agility. Which indicates that either the cases discussed in this paper (data) are
not representative or the measure of strategic flexibility is not representative or that maturing the
enterprise architecture does not impact the strategic flexibility that highly after all.
51

Dimensions of work
Chapter 3: Dimensions of Work
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 Research Question
Insights on the impact of dimensions of work on individual performance, will aid in designing a high
performance workplace for the Rabobank. The results of this study will show which characteristics of
work design influence a variety of individual performance indicators. The following research question
will address this research objective.
What is the impact of dimensions of work on individual performance?
3.2 Literature review
For analyzing the way of working at the Rabobank and the changes herein, literature on work design
is required.
3.2.1 Work design literature
The literature about work design is extensive; thousands of studies have researched work design
issues. Nevertheless, research into the measurement of work characteristics has been narrow,
incomplete and problematic (Morgeson & Humprey, 2006, p 1321). A common used job design
measure is the Job Diagnostic Survey (Hackman & Oldham, 1980). One of the latest work on work
design is from Morgeson and Humphrey (2006). They conclude that the current work and job design
measures, including the Job Design Survey, are incomplete. In an attempt to address the gap, they
designed the ‘Work Design Questionnaire’ (WDQ). After a process of combining and dismissing a
total of 107 work characteristics, found in previous research, they reduced the WDQ to 18 work
design characteristics. All together the WDQ is a good measure to be used for basic research on
assessing the nature of work (Morgeson & Humprey, 2006). However, of the seven major sources
used in the research, the newest was published nine years ago and four of these were published over
20 years ago. This is line with the notion of Morgeson and Humprey that “there has been little new
theoretical work on work design over the past 20 years” (Morgeson & Humprey, 2006, p 1322).
52

Dimensions of work
Individual performance
The WDQ has job satisfaction, training requirements and compensation requirements as outcomes;
this research differentiates itself by measuring the effects of a variety of work characteristics on
employee satisfaction, productivity, flexibility and innovation. These four outcomes consist of items
measuring the individual perception of employees on each, for the remainder of this paper the
combination of these four outcomes will be referred to as; individual performance. To measure
employee satisfaction items were adapted from Jun et al (2006). The items about productivity were
adapted from Staples et al (1999). The job flexibility was measured with items from Hill et al (2001).
Innovation was measured with items adapted from Ertlie & O'Keefe (1982).
Dimensions of work
As outlined in the introduction, the nature of work is changing. Especially with the continuous
innovation of ICT, more and more changes in work design are possible. Bailey and Barley (2005)
summarize that;
- ICT has eliminated some types of work, created others, and transformed a significant portion
of what remains,
- Work that formerly required direct operations on materials can increasingly be performed
remotely,
- The ability to collaborate in distributed teams is more important than in the past.
This is where the WDQ is lacking for the work design measurement needed in this research. The
items and age of the measurements in the WDQ provided reason to do further research on
measurements that take the changes in the nature of work into account. For instance, there is an
increase in the mobility of employees, due to ICT it is possible to work from different locations and
still have access to the knowledge of the organization. To evaluate the impact of working from
different locations or with distributed teams, items were added measuring workplace mobility and
team distribution. These items could potentially affect performance (Chudoba et al, 2005). Resulting
in proposition 1;
P1: More mobility leads to higher individual performance.
The characteristics of teams impact the effectiveness of these teams. One of these characteristics is
the cooperation of the teams, for which items about collaboration within the workgroup are added
(Campion et al, 1993). The information values and information culture of organizations and teams
have an important influence on sharing and the usage of information (Choo et al, 2006), which could
affect performance. The theory of task-technology implies that individuals who work in teams with
high task interdependence should be motivated to use more (collaborative) technology, which could
result in higher performance (Jarvenpaa and Staples, 2000). However task interdependence could
53

Dimensions of work
negatively affect the performance, when individuals have to wait on their colleagues for instance 37 .
Interaction outside the organization concerns the interaction employees have with individuals
outside the organization with for instance suppliers or customers (Morgeson & Humprey, 2006).
Resulting in the second proposition:
P2: More communication and cooperation results in higher individual performance.
The characteristics of a job can influence the motivation of employees. The extent to which a job
entails completing a whole piece of work could make a job more interesting to perform (task
identity). Task variety reflects the extent to which a job requires employees to carry out a wide range
of tasks. Job complexity represents the extent to which the tasks of the job “require the use of high-
level skills and are more mentally demanding and challenging” and skill variety refers to the use of
multiple skills, all three are likely to have positive motivational outcomes” (Morgeson & Humprey,
2006, pp. 1323-1324). Resulting in proposition three:
P3: More difficult and varying tasks results in higher individual performance.
To cope with the increasing demand for customized products and services, companies are advised to
create “modular components that can be configured into a wide variety of end products and
services, to minimize costs while maximizing individual customization”. Modularity expresses itself by
product modularity, process modularity and dynamic teaming. Product modularity concerns the
standardized (physical) modules of products, which is not applicable to research on knowledge work.
Process modularity reflects standardizing process modules so they can easily be resequenced in
response to customer changes. Dynamic teaming entails the use of modular structures to reorganize
teams quickly in response to changes (Tu et al, 2004). Resulting in proposition four:
P4: More modularity results in higher individual performance.
The lengthening of the average workweek, due to extensive downsizing, combined with
responsibility for the care of children or elderly created a situation for especially dual-career parents
where “juggling the demands of the workplace and the home has become a more difficult balancing
act”. When employees experience a negative work-life balance it could result in amongst others
decreased job satisfaction, greater likelihood of leaving the company and increased absenteeism (Hill
et al, 2001, pp. 49-50). Resulting in proposition five:
P5: A better work-life balance results in higher individual performance.
People are motivated for their work in a variety of ways. “Some people seem to be driven by a
passionate interest in their work, a deep level of enjoyment and involvement in what they do”.
Whereas others are primarily motivated to work “in response to something apart from the work
itself, such as reward or recognition”. Triggering, respectively, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation could
37 Discussions meetings (August 24, 2007; November 6, 2007)
54

Dimensions of work
cause performance such as job satisfaction or productivity to increase (Amabile et al, 1994, pp. 950-
951). Research suggests that the relationships with supervisor and coworker are critical for well-
being (Morgeson & Humprey 2006). The relationships have a direct impact on individual autonomy
(Mierlo et al., 2006) and the relationship with colleagues has a significant influence on job
satisfaction (Linzer et al, 2000). Career encouragement could be a motivator as well, since it
positively affects the encouragement to undertake trainings and managerial advancement, resulting
in a higher managerial level with usually a higher salary (Tharenou et al, 1994). Resulting in
proposition six:
P6: More intrinsic or extrinsic job motivation results in higher individual performance.
The interest for employee empowerment in the workplace is increasing, since global competition
requires employees who embrace risk, take initiative, can cope with high uncertainty and stimulate
innovation. The multidimensional measure of psychological empowerment, measuring meaning,
competence, self-determination, and impact, shows that empowerment influences managerial
effectiveness and indeed innovation (Spreitzer, 1995). Resulting in proposition seven:
P7: More empowerment results in higher individual performance.
ICT increasingly enables employees to collaborate virtually, however collaboration in virtual teams
makes it more difficult to maintain trust (Chudoba et al., 2005). And trust is regarded as “a highly
important ingredient in the long-term stability of the organization and the well-being of its
members” (Cook & Wall, 1980, p. 39). Therefore items concerning trust in management as well as
trust in employees were included in this research. Resulting in proposition eight:
P8: More trust results in higher individual performance.
To cope with all the changes discussed earlier, “organizations are reorganizing, downsizing and
implementing new technology to retain their competitive edge” (Wanberg & Banas, 2000, p. 132).
For some employees changes are opportunities for growth and learn, others disapprove even the
slightest changes. As they experience uncertainty and possibly fear of failure when faced with new
tasks. Change is a major concern for organizations. The acceptance of change results in higher job
satisfaction and is negatively related to intention to quit (Wanberg & Banas, 2000). Resulting in
proposition nine:
P9: More willingness to change results in higher individual performance.
Knowledge management, the capability to create and disseminate knowledge, is a hot topic for
organizations. The willingness to share information is critical herein. The use of technology is
measured by items regarding the usage of information systems to search and gather information and
to publish and store information (Jarvenpaa & Staples, 2000). Furthermore an item concerning the
usage of IT was added. Resulting in proposition ten:
P10: More technology usage results in higher individual performance.
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Dimensions of work
Increasingly workplaces must support technological and organizational changes. It appears that open
offices provide a reasonable solution to all these changes, since it increases communication and
flexible use of workspace; however it brings about more distraction as well (Lee & Brand, 2005).
Resulting in proposition eleven:
P11: A more open workplace results in higher individual performance.
Performance appraisal on results will increasingly become more important at the Rabobank.
Whereby it is important that employees feel they are rewarded for what they do. Therefore items
measuring reward system were included in this research (Federal Human Capital Survey, 2006) 38 .
Resulting in proposition twelve:
P12: A reward system based on performance results in higher individual performance
This work design measurement instrument consists of questions measuring mobility, communication
& cooperation, task characteristics, modularity, work-life balance, job motivation, empowerment,
trust, willingness to change, technology, workplace and reward system. Overall, the work
characteristics are divided in 12 dimensions subdivided in 36 sub-dimensions, illustrated in Table 7.
38 Adapted from the Federal Human Capital Survey, 2006
http://humancapital.doe.gov/2006_FHCS_Results/2006%20FHCS%20Survey.pdf
56

Dimensions of work
Dimension Constructs
Mobility
Communication &
Cooperation
Task characteristics
Modularity
Workplace mobility
Team distribution
Table 7 - Dimensions and sources
Communication within the work group
Interaction outside organization
Task interdependence
Transparency
Job complexity
Task variety
Task identity
Skill variety
Member flexibility
Dynamic teaming
Process modularity
Work-life balance Work-life balance
Job motivation
Empowerment
Trust
Intrinsic job motivation
Extrinsic job motivation
Relationships colleagues
Relationship superior
Career encouragement
Empowerment meaning
Empowerment competence
Empowerment selfdetermination
Empowerment impact
Trust in management
Trust in employees
Willingness to change Willingness to change
Technology
Workplace
Reward system
Individual performance
Technology usage Search/Gather
Technology usage Publish/Store
Technology user classification
Inclination open office
Distraction
Control workplace
Source
Chudoba et al., 2005
Campion et al., 1993
Morgeson & Humprey, 2006
Jarvenpaa and Staples, 2000
Choo et al., 2006
Morgeson & Humprey, 2006
Tu et al., 2004
Hill et al., 2001
Amabile et al., 1994
Mierlo et al., 2006
Tharenou et al., 1994
Spreitzer, 1995
Cook & Wall, 1980
Wanberg & Banas, 2000
Jarvenpaa & Staples, 2000
Composed for this research
Lee & Brand, 2005
Satisfaction workplace
Federal Human Capital Survey,
Reward system
2006
Employee satisfaction Jun et al, 2006
Productivity Staples et al, 1999
Job flexibility Hill et al, 2001
Innovation Ertlie & O'Keefe, 1982
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Dimensions of work
3.3 Conceptual Model
Ways of Working
(Old vs New)
Mobility
Communication &
Coöperation
Task
Characteristics
Modularity
Work-Life Balance
Job Motivation
Empowerment
Trust
Technology
Workplace
Reward system
Willingness to
change
Figure 6 - Conceptual model work design
Employee
Satisfaction
Productivity
Job Flexibility
Innovation
The conceptual model illustrated in Figure 6 demonstrates twelve characteristics of work, which are
likely are likely be affected by changing ways of working (old ways of working versus new ways of
working), and are likely to affect one or multiple individual performance indicators. From this
conceptual model at least 48 propositions can be produced. For purposes of study relevance and
clarity, this amount was reduced to the twelve mentioned in previous paragraph. On top of these
twelve propositions four sub-questions are formulated:
Which factor has the highest impact on employee satisfaction?
Which factor has the highest impact on productivity?
Which factor has the highest impact on job flexibility?
Which factor has the highest impact on innovation?
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Dimensions of work
3.4 Method
3.4.1 Methodology used to identify work characteristics
This study commenced from a desire to measure the effects of planned interventions concerning the
design of work. To approach such a measurement, more information was needed regarding the
planned change. Consequently, the first step in this process was gaining more knowledge about what
specific characteristics cause work processes to enter a maelstrom of change and how. After having
conducted numerous interviews and discussions with stakeholders and visited multiple organizations
that are in some way showcases for the planned change, the objectives, changes and effects of the
changes became quite clear. During the interviews and discussions several characteristics surfaced
over and over again; mobility, communication & cooperation, task characteristics, modularity, work-
life balance, job motivation, empowerment, trust, technology, workplace and reward system. These
twelve characteristics are likely to change in the new planned work design.
3.4.2 Development of the measurement instrument
Based on the twelve characteristics, an extensive review of the literature was conducted in search of
an existing measurement instrument that could measure the characteristics. The aim was to use
existing items (and associated scales) wherever possible. It appeared that the scheduled work design
changes are quite unique; no measurement instrument was discovered that measures on all the
characteristics. Thus, another literature review was conducted in search of existing measurement
instruments for each of the characteristics. Eventually, 145 existing items were used in the first
version of the measurement instrument. The measurement instrument was an online survey, in
which all items were randomized. The majority of these items used a 5-point likert-scale from
strongly disagree to strongly agree. Some items were measured on different scales, which were
duplicated in the instrument as well.
The instrument was revised based on the results and comments of a pretest among 30 people,
discussions with the stakeholders, a survey expert 39 and experts on this area. After having analyzed
the internal consistency of the constructs, twenty-six items were dropped. For the remainder the
randomization was adjusted to randomization per construct (instead of randomization over all
items), since it could shorten the duration to complete the survey and increase the internal
consistency. In the discussions followed by the pretest it appeared that the instrument missed
several important items, therefore 22 items were added. Consequently, the second measurement
39 Prof. D. Straub, personal communication, June 5, 2007.
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Dimensions of work
instrument consisted of 141 items that measure work characteristics. The measurement instrument
was pretested again by a sample of 350 people with at least a bachelor (HBO) or master’s degree.
The second pretest had two functions. Firstly bearing out any typing errors or other obscurities and
secondly checking the internal consistency of the constructs. The internal consistency of each
construct were verified and optimized by deleting items. Deleting items, where possible, was also
done to shorten the survey length. On advice of an expert with surveys, the constructs were
optimized to have at least an alpha of 0.6, but preferably higher. In some cases this resulted that
constructs could be measured by only one or two items and still show a good internal consistency.
The final measurement instrument includes 12 dimensions of work characteristics, subdivided in 36
constructs and measured by 108 items.
The constructs for individual performance (productivity, employee satisfaction, flexibility and
innovation) were pretested twice. From the original 17 items one was dismissed raising the internal
consistency of flexibility, consequently 16 items were used to measure the individual performance. A
total of 124 items were used in this survey. No further alterations in the sentences were required.
The constructs and items are illustrated in appendix L.
3.4.3 Procedure
The nature of the research problem caused to opt for a longitudinal study by means of an online
survey. A longitudinal study, because an effect measurement is required after a series of
interventions over a period of time. The measurement described in this thesis is a ‘zero
measurement’ aimed at measuring the current situation. A follow up measurement will be
performed in the spring of 2008.
An online survey appeared to be best suited for this study, since research has shown that an online
survey has several major advantages over mail, personal or telephone surveys relevant for this study.
The flexibility of an online survey made it possible to easily offer the survey in two languages. The
speed and timeliness of an online survey provided the opportunity to get the survey into the field
and collect the data quickly. It provides convenience for the respondents, since they can complete
the survey whenever he or she feels like it, unlike telephone surveys. The ease of data entry and
(especially) analysis was a major advantage as well. The survey-tool used exported the answers
directly to a format ready for statistical analysis, which is especially convenient when using a large
quantity of items and a great number of respondents. The ease (and low cost) of follow-up is another
major benefit for choosing an online survey (Evans & Mathur, 2005). The choice for an online survey
for this longitudinal study was therefore easily made. Instructions for answering the questions were
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Dimensions of work
inserted in the survey where necessary and all questions in the survey were mandatory to ensure a
complete data set (no missing values).
The population was requested to participate in this survey by an e-mail from their manager. The e-
mail presented the purpose of the survey and emphasized the importance of the study. That is, the
results of the survey will be used as a guideline to create an optimum work design for the employees,
and the results will be used for the design of Rabo Unplugged. Furthermore respondents were
assured that their response will be treated confidentially and the e-mail contained a direct link to the
webpage of the questionnaire.
3.4.4 Sample
The survey was held under a population of 350 Rabobank employees working in two departments;
‘Werkplek services’ and ‘Applicatie services’. Both departments belong to the Group ICT, which
manages the ICT for the Rabobank Group (and a few affiliated organizations). ‘Werkplek services’
manages all workplace related infrastructure except the telephones for approximately 6.000
workplaces in the central organization and 45.000 at the local banks. They are for instance
responsible for the introduction of Windows Vista and the use of PDA’s. The department comprises
of approximately 135 employees. The department ‘Applicatie services’ comprises of approximately
215 employees. They manage all banking applications; the one’s developed in-house as well as the
purchased applications, for instance CRM, SAP and mortgage-applications 40 . The questionnaire was
administered one month prior to a move of both departments. In total 191 complete responses were
received, yielding a response rate of 53,4 percent. The majority of the respondents preferred filling in
the survey in Dutch, only 4 respondents completed the survey in English. The characteristics of the
respondents are illustrated in
Table 8. The demographic data illustrate that the majority of the respondents are male, in the age of
35 – 44, with a Bachelor’s degree, are employed in the ICT area and have no supervisory
responsibility. Prior to further statistical analysis, the data of both departments were compared. It
appeared that both departments perceived the work characteristics almost equal. Since there were
only slight differences the data of both departments were combined, which improved the reliability
of the statistical analyses.
40 E.M. Coppers & D.C. Ligthart, personal communication, Nov 6, 2007.
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Dimensions of work
Table 8 - Demographic characteristics of the sample (n=191)
Demographic variable Sample Composition Frequency Percentage
Gender Male 176 92,1
Female 15 7,9
Age 25-29 9 4,7
Highest educational level
attained
30-34 28 14,7
35-39 43 22,5
40-44 50 26,2
45-50 32 16,8
50-54 18 9,4
>55 11 5,8
High School degree 37 19,4
Associate degree 43 22,5
Bachelor's Degree 94 49,2
Master's Degree 14 7,3
Ph.D. 3 1,6
Organizational level First-line supervisor 15 7,9
Middle manager 14 7,3
No supervisory responsibility 162 84,8
Functional area Consultancy 15 7,9
General Management 12 6,3
Finance - Administration 3 1,6
Healthcare 1 0,5
ICT 154 80,6
Sales 3 1,6
Other 3 1,6
Job experience 0-1 28 14,7
1-2 15 7,9
3-5 13 6,8
5-10 59 30,9
>10 76 39,8
Household situation Single 24 12,6
Couple, partner non-employed 30 15,7
Couple, partner employed 134 70,2
Other 3 1,6
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Dimensions of work
3.5 Results empirical research
In this paragraph, the results of the empirical research are presented. A confirmatory factor analysis
is performed, to verify the unidimensionality of the constructs, after which the reliability of the
measurement scales were tested, thereby optimizing the model. Following regression analysis were
performed to measure the influence of the work dimensions on the individual performance
illustrated in the conceptual model.
3.5.1 Confirmatory factor analysis
The confirmatory factor analysis was used to verify how well the proposed factor structure fits the
observed data, by testing the constructs of the dimensions. A confirmatory factor analysis was thus
used to be able to modify the model and constructs of this study afterwards. The confirmatory factor
analysis shows which item has the highest loading on a factor. Each dimension was analyzed
independently, since the total set of variables was too broad to include in one single confirmatory
factor analysis. To enhance the interpretability of the factors, a varimax rotation was utilized when
possible. “The varimax rotation aims at finding a solution where an original variable loads highly on
one particular factor and loads as low as possible on other factors” (Wang et al, 2005, p. 211). The
confirmatory factor analyses were performed using SPSS 13.0 and included in appendix M.
Mobility
The first confirmatory factor analysis is on the dimension Mobility This dimension is measured via
two constructs with a total of six items as illustrated in Table 8. First, the Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity
was tested to check if the correlation matrix isn’t identical to the identity matrix, which would mean
that the model comprises of only one factor. The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant
(0,000). Following the sampling adequacy is inspected, which showed a sufficient Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin
value of 0,745. The component matrix illustrates that the two constructs of mobility load on one
factor (Table 9). Consequently the two constructs are combined in one factor; Mobility.
Table 9 - Component Matrix: Mobility
I work at different company sites
Component
1
0,637
I work with mobile devices 0,629
I work at home during normal business days 0,522
I work while traveling, for example, at airports
or hotels
0,531
I collaborate with people in different time zones 0,591
I work with people via online conferencing 0,530
I collaborate with people who speak different
native languages
0,610
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 1 components extracted.
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Dimensions of work
Communication and Cooperation
The dimension Communication and Cooperation consist of 4 constructs with in total eleven items.
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy was sufficient
with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,733. Hence the confirmatory factor analysis could continue with
the varimax rotation, proposing a three factor model instead of four (Table 10). Resulting in
communication and cooperation being measured by;
Communication within the workgroup (4 items)
Interaction outside the organization (2 items)
Knowledge sharing (5 items)
The three factors combined explain 61,2 percent of the variance in all items.
Task Characteristics
Table 10 - Rotated Component Matrix: Communication and Cooperation
Teams in the organization cooperate to get the
work done
Members of my team are very willing to share
information with other team members about
our work
Members of my team cooperate to get the work
done
The job involves interaction with people who are
not members of my organization
On the job, I frequently communicate with
people who do not work for the same
organization as I do
My work is often completed with staff from
other departments
My work often involves sharing information with
other departments
My work often involves using information from
other departments
Managers and supervisors of my work unit
encourage openness
The people I work with regularly share
information on errors or failures openly
I receive information about the performance of
my organization
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 8 iterations.
Component
1 2 3
0,103 0,716
0,838 0,150
0,797 0,228
0,241 0,123 0,771
0,200 0,797
0,766 0,164 0,134
0,818 0,103 0,258
0,803 0,251
0,481 0,470 -0,312
0,286 0,446 -0,255
0,448 0,357 -0,366
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,684. Considering the sample size of 191, the cut-off value for the factor
loading is 0.40 (Hair et al, 1998). An analysis of the factor loadings shows that item five "The job is
arranged so that I can do an entire piece of work form beginning to en’ and six ‘”The job allows me to
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Dimensions of work
complete work I start” have a lower factor loading than cut-off value. Therefore these items are
omitted from factor two, leaving eight items divided over three factors to measure the task
characteristics (Table 11), which combined explain 60,4 percent of the variance in all items.
Modularity
Table 11 - Rotated Component Matrix: Task Characteristics
Component
1 2 3
The job comprises relatively uncomplicated
tasks
0,231 0,815
The job involves performing relatively simple
tasks
0,270 0,753
The job involves doing a number of different
things
0,718 0,203
The job involves performing a variety of tasks 0,862
The job is arranged so that I can do an entire
piece of work form beginning to end
0,378 -0,444
The job allows me to complete work I start 0,371 0,309 -0,442
The job requires a variety of skills 0,804
Most members of my team know each other's
jobs
0,790 0,189
It Is easy for the members of my team to fill in
for one another
0,794
My team is very flexible in terms of changes in
membership
0,789 -0,124
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,692. The items of the rotated component matrix show identical
loading to the predefined constructs (Table 12). The two factors combined explain 69,1 percent of
the total variance in all items
Table 12 - Rotated Component Matrix: Modularity
Component
1 2
Teams can be reorganized in response to
product/process changes
0,643 0,260
Teams can be reassigned to different tasks 0,793
Team members can be reassigned to different
teams
0,824 0,111
Team members are capable of working on
different teams
0,762 0,109
Our work process can be adjusted by adding
new process modules
0,131 0,928
Work process modules can be adjusted for
changing work needs
0,146 0,925
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 3 iterations.
65

Dimensions of work
Work-life Balance
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,650. All items show identical loading to the proposed factor (Table 13).
The factor explains 56,0 percent of the total variance of the items.
Job Motivation
Table 13 - Component Matrix: Work-life Balance
How easy or difficult is it for you to balance the
demands of your work and your personal and
family life?
I have sufficient time away from my job to
maintain adequate work and personal/family life
balance
When I take a vacation, I am able to separate
myself from work and enjoy myself
All in all, how successful do you feel in balancing
your work and personal/family life?
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 1 components extracted.
Component
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,714. The items of the rotated component matrix show identical
loading to the five predefined constructs (Table 14). The five factors combined explain 68,0 percent
of the variance in all items.
1
0,792
0,762
0,546
0,858
66

Dimensions of work
Table 14 - Rotated Component Matrix: Job Motivation
Component
1 2 3 4 5
I enjoy trying to solve complex problems 0,883
The more difficult the problem, the more I enjoy
trying to solve it
0,788
I enjoy tackling problems that are completely
new to me
0,860 0,163
I am keenly aware of the income goals I have for
myself
-0,146 0,821
I am strongly motivated by the money I can earn -0,150 0,747
I am keenly aware of the promotion goals I have
for myself
0,102 0,248 0,232 0,576
I want to show other people how good I really
can be at my work
0,459 0,159 0,131 -0,151 0,455
Can you count on your colleagues when you
encounter difficulties in your work?
0,174 0,731
Do you get on well with your colleagues? 0,270 0,810
Are your colleagues friendly towards you? 0,153 0,263 0,769
Can you count on your superior when you
encounter difficulties in your work?
0,778 0,204
Do you get on well with your superior? 0,883 0,252
Is your superior friendly towards you?
To what extent has a person more senior in
0,868 0,245
position than yourself inside your organization
encouraged you in your career
0,100 0,843 0,136 -0,120
To what extent have colleagues at the same
level as yourself within your organization
encouraged you in your career deve
To what extent has a person more senior in
position than yourself outside your organization
encouraged you in your caree
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.
Empowerment
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,780. The items of the rotated component matrix show identical
loading to the predefined constructs (Table 15). The four factors combined explain 71,7 percent of
the variance in all items.
0,821
0,784
67

Dimensions of work
Trust
Table 15 - Rotated Component Matrix: Empowerment
Component
1 2 3 4
The work I do is very important to me 0,135
0,883
The work I do is meaningful to me
0,153 0,871
I am confident about my ability to do my job 0,157 0,159 0,831
I am self-assured about my capabilities to
perform my work activities
0,266 0,102 0,867
I have mastered the skills necessary for my job
0,124 0,592
I have significant autonomy in determining how I
do my job
0,169 0,789 0,199
I can decide on my own how to go about doing
my work
0,254 0,794
0,140
I have considerable opportunity for
independence and freedom in how I do my job
0,202 0,810 0,160
My impact on what happens in my department
is large
I have a great deal of control over what happens
in my department
I have significant influence over what happens in
my department
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.
0,664 0,264 0,174 0,264
0,866 0,167
0,838 0,251
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,759. The items of the rotated component matrix show identical
loading to the predefined constructs (Table 16). The two factors collectively explain 55,5 percent of
the total variance explained by all items.
Table 16 - Rotated Component Matrix: Trust
Management is sincere in its attempts to meet
the workers point of view
Management at work seems to do an efficient
job
Management can be trusted to make sensible
decisions for the firm's future
I feel confident that the organization will always
try to treat me fairly
Members of my team are sincere in their
attempts to meet the managers point of view
Members of my team at work seem to do an
efficient job
Members of my team can be trusted to make
sensible decisions for the firms future
I feel confident that members of my team will
always try to treat me fairly
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 3 iterations.
Component
1 2
0,713 0,199
0,658 0,302
0,772 0,170
0,767
0,140 0,627
0,136 0,779
0,215 0,805
0,436 0,470
0,152
68

Dimensions of work
Willingness to change
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity was significant (0,000). However the sampling adequacy showed
insufficient with a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,545. The low KMO value illustrates that the factor
analysis is not allowed, since it has insufficient intercorrelations between the variables. Consequently
no factor analysis is performed for this dimension.
Technology
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,783. The conceptual model proposed 3 constructs, however the
rotated component matrix proposes 4 factors (Table 17). The type and location of use of information
appear to differentiate substantially. Resulting in four factors, which collectively explain 63,5 percent
of the variance in all items:
- ‘ Search/Gather information in organization’
- ‘ Search/Gather information outside organization’ f
- ‘ Publish/Store information in organization’
- ‘ Publish/Store information outside organization’
Search for information within my
department/work unit
Search for information within my organization
(outside of my department)
Gather information (e.g. download) within my
department/work unit
Gather information within my organization
(outside of my department)
Search for information from sites outside of my
organization
Gather information from sites outside of my
organization
Publish information that will be of use to
members of my department/work unit
Publish information that will be of use to other
departments at my organization
Store information in the network for general
access in my department
Store information in the network for general
access in my organization
Publish information that will be of use to people
outside my organization
Store information in the network for general
access by people from outside my organization
With respect to my fellow colleagues, I can
classify myself as a ......... user of IT
Table 17 - Rotated Component Matrix: Technology
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 8 iterations.
Component
1 2 3 4
0,683 0,374
0,809
0,549
0,708 0,246
0,242
0,391
0,186 0,707
-0,221
0,197 0,152
0,506 0,130
0,797
0,162
0,750 0,162
0,674 0,135 0,423
0,203 0,678 0,157
0,104
0,734
0,124
-0,243 0,178 0,604
0,299
0,842
0,835
69

Dimensions of work
Workplace
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,832. Instead of four different factors, the factor analysis proposes
three factors, which collectively explain 57,2 percent of the variance in all items (Table 18).
Reward System
Table 18 - Rotated Component Matrix: Workplace
Component
1 2 3
I prefer a completely open office (no partitions)
to more typical cubicles
0,641 0,386
I find it difficult to concentrate on my work 0,806 0,111 0,150
I experience auditory distractions in my work
area
0,823 0,199
I have adequate privacy in my primary,
individual work area
0,429 0,250 0,389
I experience visual distractions in my work area 0,701
My work environment is too noisy 0,800 0,159
I determine the organization/appearance of my
work area
0,868
I can personalize my workspace 0,848
I feel my work life is under my personal control 0,173 0,430 0,485
I can adjust, re-arrange, and re-organize my
furniture as needed
0,162 0,653
The variety of work environments needed for
my job is available to me
0,581 0,242
I can hold small, unplanned meetings in my
office or work area as needed
0,590
Overall, I like my furniture 0,174 0,806
I like the style/quality of my furniture 0,151 0,793
Overall, my work area is appropriate for my
0,360 0,644 0,172
work
Private, enclosed - Open, barrier-free 0,628 0,396
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.
The Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity showed significant (0,000). The sampling adequacy is sufficient with a
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0,675. The factor explains 66,8 percent of the total variance explained by
all items.
Table 19 - Component Matrix: Reward System
Employees are rewarded for providing high
quality products and services to customers
Pay raises depend on how well employees
perform their jobs
Awards in my work unit depend on how well
employees perform their jobs
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 1 components extracted.
Component
1
0,822
0,775
0,853
70

Dimensions of work
Individual performance
A confirmatory factor analysis is performed for the four dependent variables as well. The Bartlett’s
Test of Sphericity was significant (0,000) and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0,804. Since both
tests showed good results the factor analysis could continue. The Eigen value > 1 and the scree plot
indicated both four factors. The rotated component matrix demonstrates identical loading on the
proposed constructs productivity, employee satisfaction, job flexibility and innovation. The four
factors collectively explain 59,4 percent of the total variance in all items.
Table 20 - Rotated Component Matrix: Individual performance
Component
1 2 3 4
I would recommend this company to a friend if
he/she were looking for a job
0,785 0,137
I feel personal satisfaction when I do my job well 0,284 0,521
I am proud to tell people that I am part of this
company
0,154 0,776 0,122
This is the best organization for me to work for 0,813 -0,108 0,141
I believe I am an effective employee 0,756 0,286
Among my work group, I would rate my
performance in the top quarter
0,692 0,224
I am happy with the quality of my work output 0,682 0,140
I work very efficiently 0,759 0,160 0,114
I am a highly productive employee 0,830 0,108 0,136
How much flexibility do you have in selecting the
location of where you work?
How much flexibility do you have in scheduling
0,217 0,775
when you do your work (e.g., scheduling hours,
time of day, etc.)?
0,829
How much flexibility do you have in scheduling
what work you will do (e.g., content of work,
processes used, etc.)?
When a non-routine matter comes up in my
work, I am quite adept at inventing new ways to
handle the situation
0,125 0,207 0,614
0,247 0,144 0,680
I try new ideas and new approaches to problems 0,134 0,852
I will be counted on to find a new use for
existing methods or existing equipment
Among my colleagues and co-workers, I will be
0,596 0,200
the first or nearly the first to try out a new idea
or method
0,397 0,681
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.
a. Rotation converged in 5 iterations.
71

Dimensions of work
3.5.2 Reliability Analysis
In this paragraph the reliability of the constructs is evaluated, based on the Cronbach’s alpha. For a
construct to be reliable a Cronbach’s alpha of at least 0,7 is required, however 0,6 is occasionally
used as well. To obtain adequate reliability twelve items were omitted, of which the dimension
willingness to change was dismissed completely, since the alpha of this construct was as low as 0,56.
The removed items are:
“The people I work with regularly share information on errors or failures openly
The job is arranged so that I can do an entire piece of work form beginning to end
The job allows me to complete work I start
When I take a vacation, I am able to separate myself from work and enjoy myself
I am keenly aware of the promotion goals I have for myself
I want to show other people how good I really can be at my work
I have mastered the skills necessary for my job
With respect to my fellow colleagues, I can classify myself as a ......... user of IT
I feel my work life is under my personal control
Willingness to change”
Table 21 illustrates the final dimensions and constructs with reliability. The remainder of constructs
show high reliability with an average cronbach’s alpha of 0,76.
72

Dimensions of work
Table 21 - Reliability Dimensions
Dimensions Constructs Items
Cronbach's
alpha's
Mobility Mobility 7 0,651
Communication &
Cooperation
Task characteristics
Modularity
Communication within the work group 3 0,746
Interaction outside the organization 2 0,762
Knowledge sharing 5 0,747
Job complexity 2 0,762
Job variety 3 0,761
Member flexibility 3 0,730
Dynamic teaming 4 0,770
Process modularity 2 0,868
Work-life balance Work-life balance 3 0,750
Job motivation
Empowerment
Trust
Technology
Workplace
Intrinsic job motivation 3 0,831
Extrinsic job motivation 2 0,673
Relationships colleagues 3 0,752
Relationship superior 3 0,847
Career encouragement 3 0,770
Empowerment meaning 2 0,751
Empowerment competence 2 0,834
Empowerment selfdetermination 3 0,796
Empowerment impact 3 0,801
Trust in management 4 0,753
Trust in employees 4 0,682
Search/Gather information in organization 4 0,746
Search/Gather information outside organization 2 0,795
Publish/Store information in organization 4 0,721
Publish/Store information for external use 2 0,722
Distraction (open) workplace 7 0,851
Control workplace 3 0,756
Satisfaction workplace 5 0,747
Reward system Reward system 3 0,750
Individual performance
Employee satisfaction 4 0,742
Productivity 5 0,823
Job flexibility 3 0,634
Innovation 4 0,716
73

Dimensions of work
3.5.3 Dimensions of work
The perception of the employees of ‘Applicatie Services’ and ‘Werkplek Services’ on each of the work
dimensions is illustrated in Figure 7. The figure contains the average of all respondents on a variety of
work characteristics. The scale represents strongly disagree ‘1’ to strongly agree ‘5’, whereby ‘3’ is
neutral for the majority of the work characteristics. Only ‘Career encouragement’ is measured by the
degree of encouragement (never; once; 2-3; 4-5; 6 or more). The employees of ‘Applicatie services’
and ‘Werkplek services’ are very cooperative, they are very willing to share information and
cooperate in teams to get the work done. Information sharing and cooperating between
departments is often done as well.
The employees have a high intrinsic job motivation, that is they enjoy solving new and complex
problems, and they are not highly extrinsically motivated. They perceive a very good relationship
with their colleagues and superiors and trust their colleagues on treating them fairly and making
sensible decisions for the firm’s future, the trust in management is a little lower. On average they are
encouraged in their career two to three times. The employees perceive a high variety in the job and
perceive themselves highly capable for doing the job. They agree on having autonomy in determining
how to do their job, however they have only little impact over what happens at their department.
The employees use technology to search and gather for information inside as well as outside the
organization, and for publishing and storing information for internal use. Publishing information for
external use occurs seldom. Furthermore the employees perceive low mobility, that is they work
mostly at the office and rarely collaborate with foreigners and perceive to be unable to personalize
their workplace.
The individual performance of the employees of ‘Applicatie Services’ and ‘Werkplek Services’ is
illustrated in Figure 8. The employees ‘agree’ on questions concerning employee satisfaction and
productivity, which indicates that they are satisfied and perceive themselves to be productive. They
experience to have some flexibility in what work they do and where and when to do it. And they are
a bit innovative, given that they agree slightly on finding and trying out new approaches to handle
situations.
74

Dimensions of work
Publish/Store information for external
use
Publish/Store information in
organization
Seach/Gather information outside
organization
Seach/Gather information in
organization
Trust in employees
Rabobank: Applicatie Services & Werkplek Services
Distraction open workplace
Trust in management
Empowerment impact
Reward system
Satisfaction workplace
Control workplace
Empowerment selfdetermination
Empowerment competence
Empowerment meaning
Mobility
5
4,5
4
3,5
3
2,5
2
1,5
Figure 7 - Perceived work characteristics
Employee satisfaction
5
3,85
1
Communication within the workgroup
Interaction outside the organization
Knowledge sharing
Jobc omplexity
Job variety
Member flexibility
Dynamic teaming
Process modularity
Work-life balance
Intrinsic job motivation
Extrinsic job motivation
Relationship colleagues
Relationship superior
Career encouragement
Rabobank: Applicatie Services & Werkplek Services
Innovation
4
3
2
3,55 1
3,13
Job flexibility
Figure 8 - Individual performance
3,82
Productivity
75

Dimensions of work
3.5.4 Regression Analysis
A regression analysis is performed to evaluate the influence of the dimensions of work on individual
performance (Table 21). Separate regression analyses were executed for employee satisfaction,
productivity, job flexibility and innovation. First the significance for each constructs was tested by P <
0,05. Hereafter the impact of the significant constructs was evaluated on the dependent variables.
The four tables below illustrate the work characteristics with a significant relationship on employee
satisfaction, productivity, job flexibility and innovation. Over 40 percent of the employee satisfaction
is explained by the work characteristics illustrated in Table 22. Satisfactions with the workplace, the
meaningfulness of the work and the member flexibility of teams have the highest influence on
employee satisfaction.
Table 22 - Influence of work characteristics on employee satisfaction
Variable B beta t P
(Constant) 0,586 1,162 0,247
Satisfaction workplace 0,277 0,335 4,450 0,000
Empowerment meaning 0,282 0,320 4,810 0,000
Member flexibility 0,199 0,252 3,533 0,001
Trust in management 0,156 0,154 1,962 0,052
Interaction outside the organization 0,078 0,150 2,262 0,025
Carreer encouragement 0,066 0,134 2,129 0,035
R² = 0,501 Adjusted R² = 0,409
n = 191 Std. Error = 0,390
The five work characteristics below explain roughly 29 percent of the perceived productivity (Table
23). The confidence employees have in their ability to perform their work well has the highest
influence on productivity. The control, influence and impact employees have on what happens at
their department has a positive influence on productivity as well. Sharing, using and collaborating
with other departments have the biggest negative influence on productivity. Dynamic teaming,
quickly reorganizing teams in response to changes, has a negative influence on productivity also.
Table 23 - Influence of work characteristics on productivity
Variable B beta t P
(Constant) 0,892
1,703 0,090
Empowerment competence 0,279 0,287 3,375 0,001
Empowerment impact 0,130 0,187 2,187 0,030
Extrinsic job motivation 0,119 0,179 2,562 0,011
Dynamic teaming -0,141 -0,178 -2,506 0,013
Knowledge sharing -0,181 -0,193 -2,299 0,023
R² = 0,397 Adjusted R² = 0,286
n = 191 Std. Error = 0,404
76

Dimensions of work
Approximately 24 percent of the job flexibility is explained by the four work characteristics
demonstrated in Table 24. The ability to adjust and personalize the workplace have the highest
influence on job flexibility. The autonomy in how to do the job has the second highest influence on
job flexibility.
Table 24 - Influence of work characteristics on job flexibility
Variable B beta t P
(Constant) 0,812
1,208 0,229
Control workplace 0,188 0,274 3,559 0,000
Empowerment selfdetermination 0,243 0,252 2,988 0,003
Seach/Gather information outside organization 0,145 0,198 2,359 0,020
Empowerment competence -0,222 -0,184 -2,097 0,038
R² = 0,358 Adjusted R² = 0,241
n = 191 Std. Error = 0,519
Over 29 percent of the innovation is explained by the five work characteristics presented in Table 25.
The control, influence and impact employees have on what happens at their department has the
biggest influence on innovation. The second highest influence is from intrinsic motivation, that is a
passionate interest in solving complex problems.
Table 25 - Influence of work characteristics on innovation
Variable B beta t P
(Constant) 0,502
0,939 0,349
Empowerment impact 0,185 0,259 3,047 0,003
Intrinsic job motivation 0,168 0,213 2,794 0,006
Publish/Store information in organization 0,143 0,176 2,290 0,023
Seach/Gather information outside organization 0,106 0,174 2,152 0,033
Carreer encouragement 0,068 0,142 2,062 0,041
R² = 0,403 Adjusted R² = 0,293
n = 191 Std. Error = 0,413
3.5.5 Improving individual performance
The combined data of Figure 7 with the regression analysis (Table 22 - Table 25) illustrates the work
characteristics that have the highest likelihood, ceteris paribus, to improve the individual
performance. The regression analyses show the strength of the relationship on the four individual
performance indicators and Figure 7 demonstrates the work characteristics that have the highest
room for growth (the lowest mean). For instance if the Rabobank wants to improve the employee
satisfaction of the respondents, they should improve the satisfaction with the workplace, since it has
the most room for growth (average of 3,46 on 5 point scale) and the strongest relationship with
employee satisfaction (beta = 0,335). Satisfaction with the workplace can be increased by improving
the suitability of the workplace for the work and by increasing whether the employees actually like
77

Dimensions of work
the furniture.
The highest probability to improve productivity is by increasing ‘empowerment impact’ (average of
3,27; beta = 0,187); the impact employees have on a department.
The highest likelihood to increase job flexibility is by improving the possibility of personalizing the
workplace (‘Control workplace’: average of 2,37; beta = 0,274)
The highest probability to improve innovation is again by increasing the impact employees have on a
department (‘Empowerment impact’: average of 3,27; beta = 0,259).
3.5.6 Validation of propositions
The majority of the propositions drafted in paragraph 3.2 do not apply anymore, since the factor
analysis demonstrated that the constructs under most dimensions, except for mobility, measure
different things. Consequently the propositions will be reviewed by validating if one of the constructs
under a dimension results in higher individual performance.
The data does not support any significant relation between mobility and one of the four individual
performance indicators, as a result proposition 1 ‘More mobility results in higher individual
performance’ is not accepted.
Interaction outside the organization seems to have a positive influence on employee satisfaction,
consequently proposition 2: ‘More communication and cooperation results in higher individual
performance’ is accepted.
Member flexibility has a positive influence on employee satisfaction, supporting proposition 3: ‘More
difficult and varying tasks results in higher individual performance’.
Dynamic teaming positively influences productivity, supporting proposition 4: ‘More modularity
results in higher individual performance’.
Work-life balance does not have a significant relation with any of the four individual performance
indicators, consequently proposition 5: ‘A better work-life balance results in higher individual
performance’ is not supported.
Proposition 6: ‘More intrinsic or extrinsic job motivation results in higher individual performance’ is
supported since extrinsic and intrinsic job motivation as well as career encouragement positively
influence respectively productivity and innovation.
Proposition 7: ‘More empowerment results in higher individual performance’ is supported, since all
three constructs of empowerment positively influence the individual performance on employee
satisfaction, productivity or job flexibility.
Trust in management positively influences employee satisfaction, supporting proposition 8: ‘More
trust results in higher individual performance’.
Using technology to search and gather information outside the organization and to publish and sort
78

Dimensions of work
information in the organization positively influences innovation, supporting proposition 9: ‘More
technology usage results in higher individual performance’.
No evidence is found that ‘a more open workplace results in higher individual performance’,
consequently proposition 10 is not supported.
No significant relation between the reward system and individual performance was found,
consequently proposition 11: ‘A reward system based on performance results in higher individual
performance’ is not supported.
Willingness to change was removed from the model, since the reliability was insufficient, thus
proposition 12: ‘More willingness to change results in higher individual performance’ cannot be
validated.
3.5.7 Revised conceptual model
Following the statistical analysis of the impact of work characteristics on individual performance a
revised conceptual model is generated (Figure 9), which illustrates the influence (beta) of the work
characteristics on each of the four individual performance indicators. The higher the beta, the more
influence a specific work characteristic has on one of the individual performance indicators.
The strongest relationship in the revised conceptual model is ‘Satisfaction workplace’, whether the
furniture of the workplace is liked and suitable for the work, on ‘Employee satisfaction’ with a beta of
0,335.
79

Dimensions of work
Interaction outside
the organization
Knowledge sharing
Member flexibility
Dynamic teaming
Extrinsic job
motivation
Intrinsic job
motivation
Carreer
encouragement
Empowerment
competence
Empowerment
impact
Empowerment
meaning
Empowerment
selfdetermination
Trust in
management
Seach/Gather
information outside
organization
Publish/Store
information in
organization
Control workplace
Satisfaction
workplace
.150
-.193
.252
-.178
.179
.213
.134
.142
.287
-.184
.187
.259
.320
.252
.154
.198
.174
.176
.274
.335
Figure 9 - Revised Conceptual model
Employee
satisfaction
Productivity
Job Flexibility
Innovation
80

Dimensions of work
Chapter 4: Conclusions, Limitations & Future research
4.1 Conclusions
This study commenced from a desire to create an optimum work design for the Rabobank. In order
to do so the research addressed the following research questions:
What are the critical success factors and potential effects of new ways of working for the Rabobank?
Subdivided in the following two issues:
a) What is the impact of enterprise architecture and high performance workplace technologies on
organizational performance?
b) What is the impact of dimensions of work on individual performance?
This study researched whether maturing the enterprise architecture, the usage of high performance
workplace technologies and the alignment herein improves organizational performance. Utilizing
more high performance workplace technologies appear to benefit organizational performance and
market performance. Hence organizations should definitely review which high performance
workplace technologies could benefit their organizations. Bear in mind that the technologies only
provide added value when they are actually adopted by a critical mass of knowledge workers. As
stated earlier it is not so much whether or not an organization adopts particular workplace practices
but rather how the workplace practices are actually implemented within an organization (Black &
Lynch, 2001). Similar to technologies, it is about how a technology is implemented and the success of
the implementation is reflected by the usage.
Maturing the enterprise architecture appears to benefit organizational performance and market
performance as well. Therefore organizations are recommended to mature their enterprise
architecture if this is in line with their operating model.
This research proposes sixteen work characteristics that influence individual performance. Especially
control of and satisfaction with the workplace has a strong influence on individual performance as
well as empowerment. The Rabobank should take special interest in providing much empowerment,
since it positively influences employee satisfaction, perceived productivity, job flexibility and
innovation.
Overall conclusion
High performance workplace technologies and a high enterprise architecture maturity are both
critical to lever the work characteristics in a manner that triggers the four individual performance
indicators, resulting in a high organizational performance.
Reviewing the revised conceptual model in the light of Rabo Unplugged, the new work design
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Dimensions of work
potentially increases:
Employee satisfaction, by an improvement in satisfaction with the workplace and empowerment
meaning,
Productivity, by an improvement of the impact that employees can have on a department,
Job flexibility, by an improvement of the freedom employees have (or sense) to do their work,
Innovation, by an improvement of the impact that employees can have on a department and by an
increased intrinsic motivation.
4.2 Limitations
A limitation for the research in chapter 2 is the small sample of respondents which have been
interviewed for this study, which possibly discredits the reliability of this research. The number of
interviews was limited due to the willingness of organizations to participate in this study. In addition,
some of the respondents regarded the questions about perceived organizational performance too
difficult to answer. As a result, only a small selection of respondents has answered the questions on
perceived organizational performance. Another limitation is that the response used in this research is
based on perception, which could possible bias the data.
A limitation of the research presented in chapter 3 is again the lack of sufficient response and a small
sample of respondents. Measuring on the large variety of work characteristics requires a high
response in order for the results of the statistical analyses to be accurate.
4.3 Future research
Two directions for future research are recommended in line with this study. The research presented
in chapter two is explorative and has been executed among a small sample of cases. A recommended
direction for future research is to evaluate the effect of high performance workplace technologies
and enterprise architecture on organizational performance on a large sample. For instance by means
of a survey among hundred CIO’s of different organizations.
The research in chapter three is explorative as well. It is recommended to execute the survey in
multiple organizations to create an overarching measurement instrument on work characteristics.
This provides organizations with insight on the work characteristics that influence productivity,
employee satisfaction, job flexibility and innovation.
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Dimensions of work
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Dimensions of work
List of Keywords
Nature of work
Work design
Dimensions of work
New ways of working
Information technology
Culture
Enterprise Architecture
High performance workplace
Workplace technologies
Organizational performance
Employee satisfaction
Perceived productivity
Job flexibility
Innovation
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Dimensions of work
Appendices
A) Interviews
Date / time Department Location Name Function Represents entity
23-3-2007 /
12.00 – 13.00
3-5-2007 /
12.00 – 15.00
17-9-2007 /
16.00 – 17.00
25-9-2007 /
16.00 - 17.15
26-9-2007 /
16.00 – 17.00
27-9-2007 /
9.00 – 10.00
27-9-2007 /
13.30 – 14.00
1-10-2007 /
13.45 – 15.30
3-10-2007 /
17.00 – 18.45
4-10-2007 /
10.00 – 11.00
4-10-2007 /
11.00 – 12.00
4-10-2007 /
15.30 – 16.30
6-11-2007 /
11.00 – 12.00
6-11-2007 /
11.00 – 12.00
Rabo
Unplugged
Achmea HR
Policies
Directoraat
Personeel
Divisie
Bancaire
Distributie
Rabobank,
Utrecht
Interpolis,
Tilburg
Rabobank,
Utrecht
Interpolis,
Tilburg
Groep ICT Rabobank,
Utrecht
Directoraat Rabobank,
Personeel Utrecht
Rabobank,
Utrecht
Kamer van
Koophandel,
Rotterdam
Operations RSM Erasmus
University,
Rotterdam
Rabo
Rabobank,
Unplugged Utrecht
Rabo
Rabobank,
Unplugged Utrecht
Groep ICT Rabobank,
Utrecht
Groep ICT Rabobank,
Zeist
Groep ICT Rabobank,
Zeist
H. v Egmond Program manager
Rabo Unplugged
Rabobank
H. de Kok-
Ooms
HR Consultant Interpolis/Achmea
K. Tarry-
Kruger
Rabo Unplugged Rabobank
H. Messcher Project manager en
a.i. Manager
DIM/Contract- and
CostManagement
Interpolis/Achmea
M. Aarts Projectmanager Rabobank
K. Baecke Junior HR project
employee
Rabobank
P. van Member of the Rabobank
Schijndel board of directors
T. van den Managing director Kamer van
Akker
Koophandel
Rotterdam
W. Roelofsen Senior associate
Portfolio Controller
Interpolis/Achmea
S. de Ruijter Rabo Unplugged Rabobank
I. de Jong Rabo Unplugged Rabobank
J. Jacobs IT Architect Rabobank
E.M. Coppers Manager Continuïteit
Werkplek Services TB
Rabobank
D.C. Ligthart Project manager Rabobank
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Dimensions of work
B) How architecture management practice evolve
How architecture management practice evolve
Business Silos
Business cases
Project methodology
Architecture maturity
Standardized
Technology Optimized Core Business Modularity
Architects on project
teams
IT steering committee
Architecture exeption
process
Formal compliance
process
Infrastructure renewal
process
Centralized funding of
enterprise applications
Centralized standards
team
Process owners
Enterprise architecture
guiding principles
Business leadership of
project teams
Senior executive
oversight
IT program managers
Enterprise architecture
core diagram
Postimplementation
assessment
Technology research
and adoption process
Full-time enterprise
architecture team
Source: Adapted from Ross, Weill and Robertson (2006) Enterprise Architecture as Strategy. Boston,
Harvard Business School Press
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Dimensions of work
C.1) Define the Enterprise Architecture maturity
Mark the most applicable answer (X)
Will be
used in
organizatio Heard of,
n in the but not
Used in the near used in Never
Management practices organization future organization heard of Explanation
Accurate and compelling analyses of the expected costs and benefits of a
proposed change to a business process or technology
A disciplined, consistent approach to converting an approved project concept
into an improved business process
Business cases
Standardized project methodology
An IT steering committee A small group of executives held accountable for determining IT priorities
Capital budget allocations supporting implementation of enterprisewide
Centralized funding of enterprise applications
standards
A funding mechanism for projects intended primarily to retire aging
An infrastructure renewal process
technologies and upgrade the technology base
A formal architecture compliance process A process for ensuring new projects are adopting standard technologies
Individual responsible for ensuring that technical standards are observed or
Architects on project teams
that necessary exceptions are adopted
An architecture exeption process A formal process for identifying when exceptions to standards add value
Technical experts who identify appropriate standards and recognize when to
A centralized standards team
retire or update those standards
Never
heard of
Heard of,
but not
used in
company
Will be
used in
company
in the near
future
Used in the
organization
Individuals who own, design, and implement one or more enterprisewide
processes
Though choices specifying how IT will be applied in the company (e.g., to
serve customer interests versus to cut business process costs)
High-level managers accountable for generating expected benefits and
actively involved in project management
High-level reviews of enterprise architecture initiatives and design of
incentives to encourage adoption
Individuals who coordinate systems and projects to map integration and
minimize redundancy
Enterprisewide process owners
A statement of enterprise architecture*
guiding principles
Business leadership of project teams
Senior executive oversight of enterprise
architecture
IT program managers
A tool that communicates a high-level picture of integration and
standardization requirements
A formal process for securing and communicating lessons learned from each
project
A process for identifying the new technologies that could have a significant on
the company
IT staff who help fit immediate business needs into the company's longerterm
vision
A one-page core diagram
Postimplementation assessment
A formal research and adoption process
A full-time enterprise architecture team
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Dimensions of work
C.2) Define the Enterprise Architecture in Dutch
Plaats een kruis (X) bij het meest geschikte antwoord
Zal door
de Van
organisatie gehoord,
Wordt gebruikt maar wordt Nog
gebruikt in worden in niet in de nooit
de
de nabije organisatie van
Management practices organisatie toekomst toegepast gehoord Beschrijving
Accurate en gedetailleerde kosten-baten analyse van voorgestelde
Business cases
veranderingen voor bedrijfsprocessen of technologiën
Een strakke, constante manier om een goedgekeurd project concept te
Gestandaardiseerde project methodologie
vertalen naar een verbeterd bedrijfsproces
Een kleine groep uitvoerders die verantwoordelijk zijn voor het bepalen van
de functies van IT
Door centraal aangestuurde financiering wordt de implementatie van
organisatiebrede standaarden van informatietechnologie ondersteund
Een proces dat projecten financiert die oude technologiën vervangt en
upgrade
Dit proces draagt zorg voor het gebruik van standaard technologiën bij
nieuwe projecten
Individuen die standaard technologiën in beeld brengen bij projectteams of
zorgdragen voor de benodigde uitzonderingen
Een formeel proces dat de toegevoegde waarde van uitzonderingen op de
standaard (technologiën) identificeert
Experts die geschikte (technologie) standaarden identificeren en aanvoelen
wanneer de standaarden moeten worden geupdate
Individuen die organisatiebrede processen beheren, creëeren en
implementeren
Lastige keuzes die specificeren hoe IT in de organisatie wordt
geimplementeerd (om enerzijds de klant optimaal van dienst te zijn en
High-level managers verantwoordelijk voor het genereren van de verwachte
voordelen en actief betrokken bij het managen van projecten
Beoordelingen op hoog niveau van enterprise architecture initiatieven en de
design van incentives om adoptie te bevorderen
Individuen die systemen en projecten coordineren om integratie in kaart te
brengen en overbodigheden te minimaliseren
IT sturings commissie
Centraal aangestuurde financiering voor
informatietechnologiën
Een infrastructuur vernieuwings proces
Een formeel architectuur controle proces
Architecten bij project teams
Een uitzonderingsproces voor architectuur
Een centraal team voor standaarden
Organisatiebrede eigenaren van processen
Vastgelegde, leidende richtlijnen voor
enterprise architecture*
Leiderschap van project teams
Overzicht van enterprise architecture op
hoog (management) niveau
IT program managers
Een tool dat een high-level figuur van integratie en standaardisatie
benodigdheden communiceert
Een formeel proces dat de geleerde lessen van elk project beveiligd en
communiceert
Een proces dat nieuwe technologien identificeert die een significante invloed
op de organisatie kunnen hebben
IT medewerkers die helpen bij het creëren van een fit van directe business
needs binnen de lange termijn strategie van de organisatie
Een kern diagram op 1 pagina
Post-implementatie assessment
Een formeel onderzoek en adoptie proces
Een full-time enterprise architecture team
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Dimensions of work
D) Added questions for characterization of Enterprise Architecture
maturity
1 In hoeverre is informatie in de organisatie digitaal beschikbaar?
(Is alle informatie binnen de organisatie digitaal beschikbaar?)
2 Worden er binnen verschillende afdelingen met verschillende technologieën gewerkt?
3 Hoe wordt informatie technologie gebruikt binnen de organisatie?
(Voor de functionaliteit (meer functies en makkelijker maken)
Technologie om kosten te besparen
De organisatie bouwt op de IT infrastructuur, bijvoorbeeld 1 gezicht voor de klant)
4 Is het (relatief) makkelijk om nieuwe technologieën aan de huidige toe te voegen?
(Denk hierbij aan het koppelen van systemen en integreren van informatie)
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Dimensions of work
E) Evaluation of High performance workplace Technologies
Evaluation of High performance workplace technologies
High performance
workplace
technologies
Workplace enhanced
business applications
Podcasting
Ubiquitous
Collaboration
Desktop Portals
Text Mining
Collective intelligence
Corporate Semantic
Web
Mashup
Basic content services
Desktop Search
Content integration
Folksonomies
Smart Enterprise
Suites
Open-Source Tools
for Web Content
Management
Web 2.0 Workplace
Technologies
Social Network
Analysis
Unified
Communication
Linux on Desktop for
Mainstream Business
Users
Mark the most applicable answer (X)
Used in the
company
Will be
used in
company in
the near
future
Heard of,
but not
used in
company
Never
heard of
Added
value of
HPW* Usage**
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Dimensions of work
Desktop Video
Automated Text
Categorization
Wikis
Corporate blogs
E-learning Suites
Public Semantic Web
Natural-Language
search
Enterprise Digital
Asset Management
Expertise Location
and Management
E-forms
Records Management
Enterprise Instant
Messaging
Shared workspaces
Unified messaging
Enterprise Portals
Taxonomy
Web Conferencing
Enterprise Content
Management
Multimedia
Messaging Service
Presence
Knowledge
Management
Web Content
Management
*Scale: 1 = not valuable; 5 = very valuable
**Scale: 1)Seldom, 2)sometimes, 3)neutral, 4)often, 5)very frequently Error! Not a valid link.
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Dimensions of work
F) Organizational performance
Questionnaire for perceived organizational performance
Variable and Items Mean Range α
Perceived organizational performance 1 – 4* 0,85
How would you compare the organization’s performance over the past 3 years to that of other
organizations that do the same kind of work? What about …
Quality of products, services, or programs?
Development of new products, services, or programs?
Ability to attract essential employees?
Ability to retain essential employees?
Satisfaction of customers or clients?
Relations between management and other employees?
Relations among employees in general?
Perceived market performance 0,86
Compared to other organizations that do the same kind of work, how would you compare the
organization’s performance over the last 3 years in terms of …
Marketing?
Growth in sales?
Profitability?
Market share?
* Scale: 1 ‘worse’, 2 ‘same’, 3 ‘better’, 4 ‘much better’
Source: Adapted from: Delany, J. T., & Huselid, M. A. 1996. The impact of human resource management
practices on perceptions of organizational performance. Academy of Management Journal. 39: 949-969.
Strategic Flexibility
On the scale provided, please indicate the extent to which it is
easy for your firm to . . .
Make changes in the services offered
Switch focus to different targets/markets
Apply resources to a wide range of uses
Switch the uses and applications of resources
Modify services to offer different benefits
Make fast changes in how resources are used
* Scale anchors 1 = not at all, 7 = very easy
Adapted from: Saini, A. and Johnson, J. (2005) ` Organizational Capabilities in E-commerce ', Journal of the
Academy of Marketing Science 33(3): 360—75.
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Dimensions of work
G) Description High Performance Workplace Technologies
Workplace Enhanced Business Applications is a term for solutions that integrate workplace functions with line-
of-business applications to optimize interactions between people, processes and enterprise information
management to support business directives. WEBA’s support anytime, anywhere and context sensitive
interactions with teams, organization infrastructure and applications, through a combination of collaborations,
presence awareness, messaging, imaging, presence and web 2.0 technologies. WEBA involves exploiting
foundation technologies that continuously evolve, while encouraging positive end-user behavior and fostering
interaction. These solutions are as much a cultural change as a technology and they can yield significant
benefits when blended with business applications.
Podcasting is the broadcast of recorded content. It is an highly efficient method for distributing audio and
spoken-word content and can be used complementary for text documents (minutes) to support corporate
communications.
Ubiquitous Collaboration entails technology that supports collaboration with anyone, at any place, at any time
as an inherent part of all work throughout the organization as well as outside the organization. Ubiquitous
collaboration is rising through an increase in mobile collaboration with PDA’s, in-car screens and phones and
integrated collaboration (information/services on one pc are available intracompany and intercompany). This
form of collaboration is usually accompanied by training programs to encourage the required culture change.
Desktop Portals are a successor to personal work portals. They are portal products running on client desktops,
consolidating all enterprise portals, and handling local applications and content. The majority of desktop
portals use rich-client technology. Desktop portals handle personalization and the portlet integration model.
Most portlets in desktop portals will be based on Web services technology. Desktop portals will also have the
capability to access applications and content on the local device. Personal productivity improvements and
reduced operating costs will see the greatest impact. Disconnected access allowed by desktop portals will allow
field sales, field support and disconnected knowledge workers to use a portal user interface (UI) and benefit
from the relevancy therein.
Text Mining analyzes unstructured information such as e-mails, documents or other typed content to derive
patterns and classifications in language or data. Its usefulness lies in visualizing or providing a different
perspective of a set of information.
Collective Intelligence is a method to generate intellectual content (such as code documents, indexing and
decisions) resulting from the collaboration of many individuals without central authority. In these
arrangements the quality is determined by peers. Examples of collective intelligence are open-source software
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Dimensions of work
and Wikipedia.
Corporate Semantic Web applies semantic web technologies (e.g. Resource Description Framework, Web
Ontology Language) to corporate web content. The gain of applying such technologies lies in cost reduction on
one hand and improved quality of content management, information access, system interoperability, database
integration and enhanced data quality on the other.
Mashup is a composite of application that rely on data from public websites, such as Google Maps, created
outside the enterprise. It is used to integrate content or functions from multiple sources and present easily
understandable items of interest. Mashups are built rapidly with relatively low development costs in order to
meet tactical needs and increase user satisfaction.
Basic Content Services is an enterprise-scalable document management application. The main purpose of these
services is to ease the management of individual and team documents by for instance reducing duplicate
documents and versions stored and routed via e-mail. It will enable companies to improve productivity by
reducing the time people spend filing and looking for documents.
Desktop Search is a personal knowledge search application that basically helps people in finding specific data
(information) in their e-mail and documents. It is used to reduce content recreation, increase content reuse
and increase productivity.
Content Integration provides access to a group of repositories of unstructured content (such as images,
documents and video) that are dispersed throughout the company in diverse applications and databases.
Content Integration has the highest potential impact in relating it to the semantic layer over structured data in
application databases, as well as linking a horizontal business information supply chain to vertical processes
and end-user context.???
Folksonomies is a way to obtain user-created metadata via websites through tagging.
Smart Enterprise Suites are the convergence of portal, content management and collaboration support in a
single, integrated product offering. It improves the integration of key applications for information management
and access, lowers the total cost of ownership and provide a platform for collaboration, content management,
information retrieval and business intelligence.
Open-Source Tools for Web Content Management this type of technology can be used for public web site or
intranet content authoring, organization and publishing.
Web 2.0 Workplace Technologies delivers a excess of consumer-based communications and collaboration
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Dimensions of work
technologies. These technologies – word processing, spreadsheets, blogs, wikis etcetera – are significantly used
by consumers, however it lacks enterprise adoption. Even though it provides new forms of open participation
between employees, customers and business partners. The technologies will reduce process cycle time and
increase user satisfaction.
Social Network Analysis is the use of information and knowledge from many people and their personal
networks. It involves collecting massive amounts of data from multiple sources, analyzing the data to identify
relationships and mining it for new information. Social Network Analysis can be used to identify target markets,
create successful project teams and serendipitously identify unvoiced conclusions.
Unified Communications are a convergence of multiple enterprise communication methods aimed at
enhancing individual, workgroup, and organizational productivity. Unified Communication products makes
communication outside the boundaries of the company possible between organizations, very large public
audiences and specific individuals.
Linux on Desktop for Mainstream Business Users can reduce costs, however an organzation should verify
whether it can be used on all dekstops, in case it doesn’t they should assess the ROI of running 2 operating
systems.
Desktop Video is used when Web-conferencing or via an instant messaging platform. The relatively inexpensive
webcams (starting around €10) are making video practical on mainstream desktop systems. The low added
value according to early adopters and companies hinder mainstream adoption.
Automated Text Categorization is the process of using statistical models or hand-coded rules to rate a
document’s relavancy to certain subject categories. Most automated text categorization is tightly integrated
with large portal, search and content management offerings.
Wikis are simple, text-based collaborative systems for creating and maintaining hyperlinked collections of Web
pages; it usually enables users to change pages or comments created by other users. Within corporations it is
regarded as “yet another workplace tool”, however it is used often in open-source projects and online
communities. Currently Wikipedia.org is the best-known publicly available wiki.
Corporate Blogging (Corporate weblogging) is the use of online personal journals by corporate employees,
individually or in a group, to further company goals. It can be used for “spinning” the marketing message in a
medium that has great immediacy, large reach, low cost and offers the opportunity for conversation with the
market. Blogging is easily exercised, however it requires long-term commitment, consistency and authenticity,
due to lack of interest blogs can fade away.
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Dimensions of work
E-Learning Suites are a set of products that, when combined, enable e-learning. The e-learning suites have four
key elements: learning management systems, delivery capabilities, learning content management systems and
professional services. They have impact on CRM, marketing, product development and improvement,
collaboration, performance management, and stakeholder support and training.
Public Semantic Web, applies semantic markup languages to public web content. It has the potential to
enhance application interoperability, automatation of information discovery, more contextually relevant
searches and search options that are difficult.
Natural-Language Search, is a technology that analyzes questions asked in normal human language (through
typed text or speech recognition) and delivers responses based on the words’ collective meaning, rather than
individual keywords.
Enterprise Digital Asset Management manages rich media assets for enterprises that do not sell these assets as
a product. DAM is frequently an extension of enterprise content management. The technology has a rol in
marketing and interactive e-learning content.
Expertise Location and Management (ELM) is the function of identifying human expertise and providing
methods of maintaining representations of categories, depth and location of where that expertise is distributed
(geographically, by time zones or other relevant parameters). ELM has three categories: expertise capture,
expertise profiling and community management. Gartner considers it a best practice for organizational agility,
since it has the following obvious benefits; improved research effectiveness, customer problem resolution, and
relationship and community building.
E-Forms provide a user interface to data and services typically offered on the Web. Electronic forms enable
users to interact with the enterprise applications and back-end systems linked to them. New e-form
applications include XML foundations, multiple data callouts, field-level validationa and embedded process
logic contained within a secure and often portable format. E-forms offer data integration , a crisp user
experience, process efficientcies and cost-avoidance potential. The savinsg from eliminating production,
delivery and data rekeying activities can offset much of the investment required to implement e-forms. Further
benefits arise form simplified adimnistraiton and better data quality through input validation logic an end-user
updates on pre-filled fields.
Records Management technologies enable organizations to automate their record-retention policies, which
forms an essential part of organization-wide life cycle management of records. Global companies will adopt RM
to comply with regulations (Sarbanes-Oxley), mititgate the risk of litigation an liability, and meet legal discovery
requirements.
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Dimensions of work
Enterprise Instant Messaging is a real-time message passing within private and public networks. According to
Gartner it is mandatory for a real-time enterprise that seeks to broaden information access and accelerate
business cycles. IM will allow rapid information dissemination with the use of presence.
Shared Workspaces are team-oriented collaboration tools that provide virtual workspaces for sharing
documents and files, supporting asynchronous and real-time collaboration activities. Shared Workspaces have
an impact on personal productivity for knowledge workers, innovation, decision support, improved
communication, transparency and accountability.
Unified messaging is the ability to access e-mail, voice and fax messages in a single queue using common
interface tools – graphical user interface or telephone user interface. Unified messaging can improve the
effectiveness of individuals, especially for those who manage multiple message formats (fax, e-mail, voice
mail).
Enterprise Portals are web software infrastructures that provide access to and interaction with relevant
information assets, knowledge assets and human assets by select targeted audiences, delivered in a highly
personalized manner. The benefits of enterprise portals include “damming the infoflood”, single sign-on,
enhanced customer support and tighter alignment with partners. These benefits lead to cost avoidance,
improved business agility, reducing cycle times and improving the quality of process execution.
Taxonomy is a classification, typically hierarchical, of information components and the relationships among
them. Taxonomies can be used to represent membership in various domains, and can support information
organization, discovery, presentation and access. Taxonomy technology includes search, presentation
(visualization), categorization and classification, it supports the discovery of and access to information by
serving as metadata for the content they organize. Taxonomy improves among others competitive intelligence,
search and retrieval and improves client relationship management.
Web conferencing consists of real-time electronic meeting and content delivery, screen and application
sharing, text chat, and group document markup with electronic whiteboarding, augmented by audio, data and
video. More advanced features include integrated voice over IP audio, file sharing, remote control, content
archiving, media streaming and polling. Web conferencing improves intra-company and intercompany
collaboration, customer service, learning and training.
Enterprise Content Management involves managing a multitude of content types including documents,
records, images, forms and increasingly rich media. By leveraging components like workflow, paper-based
processes can be electronically created, taking time out of the overall process.
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Dimensions of work
Multimedia Messaging Service enables the transmission of messages containing still images, video, audio and
text between mobile phones. The technology can be used for mobile marketing, or in areas such as field service
and maintenance.
Presence provides an application, such as instant messaging, with the indication of the availability and
connectedness of contacts. It can sense if users’ devices are online, their addresses, the types of devices they
are using, their geographic location via a global positioning system and the applications or documents they
have open on their system. It can be used to track subject-matter experts and aid in determining the best way
to contact them.
Knowledge management is a business process designed to manage an organization’s intellectual assets, it uses
a variety of technologies, such as portals, collaboration and content and information management. A few
organizations have successful, long-standing programs, and, across the globe, many others are undertaking
knowledge management for the first time. Although knowledge management can support individuals, teams or
the entire organization. It should concentrate on teams, as research shows that this is where the greatest
benefits arise in terms of productivity and innovation.
Web Content Management is the process of controlling the content of a web site through the use of specific
management tools. It’s functionality includes templating and change management, library services such as
version control and security and content deployment functions. Web Content Management helps with Web
site management, maintaining fresh content and reducing the amount of IT overhead. However, due to
external pressure (customer satisfaction and regulations), many organizations are discovering new ways to
manage the content on their websites.
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H) Questions guiding the case study interviews
1a Corporate culture:
1. Does the organization perceive itself to be dominant, submissive, harmonizing, searching out
a niche?
2. Is the "correct way for humans to behave to be dominant/proactive, harmonizing or
passive/fatalistic?
3. What is the correct way for people to relate to each other, to distribute power and affection?
Is life competitive or cooperative? Is the best authority system autocratic/paternalistic or
collegial/participative?
4. Is the group best off if it is highly diverse or it is highly homogenous? Should individuals be
encouraged to innovate or conform?
Source: Adapted from E. H. Schein, Organizational Culture, American Psychologist, 1990, 114.
1b Trends op het gebied van werk
1. Zijn er binnen uw bedrijf belangrijke trends/ontwikkelingen te onderscheiden t.a.v. het werk?
Zo ja, op welk specifiek gebied?
2) Aanleiding / trigger denken over nieuwe werk concepten
Wat is voor uw bedrijf de aanleiding geweest om over nieuwe werk concepten na te denken? Bij
deze vraag onderstaande in acht nemen.
Triggers Internal vs. External
Internal Human Resource Issues
· Executive Succession
· Expatriation
· Personnel turnover
Implementation Issues
· Implementation of IT
· Relocation
Inter-organizational issues
· Diversification
· Strategic alliances
· Joint ventures
External Business Environment Issues
· Unstable markets
· Rapidly changing customer demands
Technological Environment Issues
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· Rapid technological changes
Economic Environment Issues
· Globalization
· Recessionary pressures
· Economic reforms
Ecological & Political Environment Issues
· New “green” legislation
· Crises
· Political changes
Bron: D. Joseph, “Organizational Learning and Learning Organizations: Trigger events, Processes
and Structures”, Submitted for the Academy of Management Meetings, Ohio, Cincinnati,
August 1996 Organizational Development and Change Division
3) Adoption
a) External pressure
i. Welke externe invloeden zijn van invloed geweest op de adoptie van het Nieuwe
Werken? (concurrentie)
b) Organizational readiness
i. Hoe is het besluit om het Nieuwe Werken te gaan toepassen binnen uw organisatie tot
stand gekomen?
ii. Is uw organisatie op dit moment in staat het Nieuwe Werken succesvol te adopteren?
Denk aan:
Sufficient IT sophistication, financial resources, willingness to adopt, role
management, differences per department, differences per workstyle
c) Perceived characteristics New World of Work
4) Process
i. Wat zijn in uw ogen karakteristieken van het Nieuwe Werken? (Hoe typeert u het
Nieuwe Werken?)
ii. Vindt u deze karakteristieken op dit moment ook terug in uw organisatie? (gap tussen
projected and perceived characteristics (consistency)
a. Beschrijving / hoe is het veranderingsproces gestructureerd
i. Plan van aanpak Nieuwe Werken
ii. Fasebeschrijving
b. Interventies (events, communicatie, workshops, gebruik tools etc)
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Dimensions of work
5) Effects
i. Wordt er in het implementatieproces gebruik gemaakt van interventies zoals
scenario’s, workshops, kick-offs? En hoe zien die interventies eruit?
c. Rol mgt vs medewerkers
i. Wat is de rol van het management in het implementatieproces van het Nieuwe
Werken?
ii. Wat is de rol van de medewerkers in het implementatieproces van het Nieuwe
Werken?
iii. Worden de medewerkers betrokken in het plannen van het
implementatietraject?
iv. Via welke interne kanalen wordt de implementatie van het Nieuwe Werken
uitgevoerd? Vasthoudend aan traditionele organisatie structuur? Gebruik
makend van kwartiermakers?
d. Waar staat het casusbedrijf nu (in de tijd)
i. In welke fase m.b.t. het Nieuwe Werken implementatieproces bevindt de
organisatie zich nu?
e. Hoe ziet het verdere proces er (naar verwachting) uit (What are the aims)?
a. Perceived of feitelijk ervaren
i. Welke voordelen zal het Nieuwe Werken, in uw ogen, met zich meebrengen op
individueel niveau?
ii. Welke voordelen zal het Nieuwe Werken, in uw ogen, met zich meebrengen op
organisatie niveau?
iii. Welke voordelen zal het Nieuwe Werken, in uw ogen, met zich meebrengen op
business network niveau?
iv. Is er onderzoek gedaan naar (mogelijke) effecten van het Nieuwe Werken binnen
uw organisatie en zo ja wat zijn de resultaten?
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I) Keywords Enterprise Architecture phases (1)
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Dimensions of work
I) Keywords Enterprise Architecture phases (2)
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Dimensions of work
J) Organizational chart Rabobank Group
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Dimensions of work
K) Organizational chart Kamer van Koophandel Rotterdam
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L) New World of Work Questionnaire
Introduction page:
Welcome to the New World of Work Questionnaire
The way we work is changing as a result of changing customer demands, increasing globalization,
new technological advancements and consumerization of technology. This survey measures the
perception of knowledge workers and managers on the nature of their work activities and the
various characteristics of their work environment. These factors will be linked to work-related
outcomes (productivity, job satisfaction, flexibility and innovation) guiding our analysis.
The study will be conducted among various organizations within the Netherlands, for benchmarking
purposes and provocative insights. The results of this study will be used as a foundation of a
groundbreaking study initiated by RSM Erasmus University and Microsoft Nederland.
We are very interested in any comments you have about this questionnaire. Please use the
"Comment"-button on the bottom right corner of each page to submit your comments.
All results will be treated confidentially. However, we need your e-mail address to avoid double
entries and to enable future comparisons. Individual survey results will not be disclosed. Once we
have analyzed the results we will send you a short summary of the main outcomes of the study.
Select "Next" to start the questionnaire
Start questionnaire:
Work Dimensions
Virtuality
Workplace Mobility (Positive)
1. I work at different company sites
2. I work with mobile devices
3. I work at home during normal business days
4. I work while traveling, for example, at airports or hotels
Team distribution (Positive)
1. I collaborate with people in different time zones
2. I work with people via online conferencing
3. I collaborate with people who speak different native languages
( Seldom – Daily - Weekly - Monthly - Quarterly - Yearly)
Communication & Cooperation
Communication/Cooperation Within the Work Group (Positive)
1. Teams in the organization cooperate to get the work done
2. Members of my team are very willing to share information with each other about our work.
3. Members of my team cooperate to get the work done.
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Dimensions of work
Interaction Outside Organization (Positive)
1. The job involves interaction with people who are not members of my organization.
2. On the job, I frequently communicate with people who do not work for the same organization as
I do.
Task Interdependence (Positive)
3. My work is often completed with staff from other departments
4. My work often involves sharing information with other departments
5. My work often involves using information from other departments
Transparency (Positive)
1. Managers and supervisors of my work unit encourage openness.
2. The people I work with regularly share information on errors or failures openly
3. I receive information about the performance of my organization.
Task Characteristics
Job complexity Recoded
1. The job comprises relatively uncomplicated tasks
2. The job involves performing relatively simple tasks
Task variety (Positive)
3. The job involves doing a number of different things
4. The job involves performing a variety of tasks
Task identity (Positive)
5. The job is arranged so that I can do an entire piece of work from beginning to end.
6. The job allows me to complete work I start.
Skill Variety (Positive)
1. The job requires a variety of skills.
Modularity
Dynamic teaming is the practice of using modular structures to reorganize manufacturing teams
quickly and link them to necessary resources in response to product design or manufacturing
process changes.
Dynamic Teaming (Positive)
1. Teams can be reorganized in response to product/process changes
2. Teams can be reassigned to different tasks
3. Team members can be reassigned to different teams
4. Team members are capable of working on different teams
Process modularity is the practice of standardizing manufacturing process modules so that they can
be re-sequenced easily or new modules can be added quickly in response to changing product
requirements
Process Modularity (Positive)
5. Our work process can be adjusted by adding new process modules
6. Work process modules can be adjusted for changing work needs
Work-life Balance Recoded
1. How easy or difficult is it for you to balance the demands of your work and your personal and
family life (5-point scale: very easy to very difficult)?
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Dimensions of work
2. I have sufficient time away from my job to maintain adequate work and personal/family life
balance (5-point scale: strongly disagree to strongly agree).
3. When I take a vacation, I am able to separate myself from work and enjoy myself (5-point scale:
strongly disagree to strongly agree).
4. All in all, how successful do you feel in balancing your work and personal/family life (5-point
scale: very unsuccessful to very successful)?
Job Motivation
Intrinsic job motivation (Positive)
1. I enjoy trying to solve complex problems
2. The more difficult the problem, the more I enjoy trying to solve it
3. I enjoy tackling problems that are completely new to me
Extrinsic job Motivation (Positive)
1. I am keenly aware of the income goals I have for myself
2. I am strongly motivated by the money I can earn
3. I am keenly aware of the promotion goals I have for myself
4. I want to show other people how good I really can be at my work
Relationships with colleagues (Positive)
1. Can you count on your colleagues when you encounter difficulties in your work?
2. Do you get on well with your colleagues?
3. Are your colleagues friendly towards you?
Relationships with superior (Positive)
1. Can you count on your superior when you encounter difficulties in your work?
2. Do you get on well with your superior?
3. Is your superior friendly towards you?
Career Encouragement (Positive)
1. To what extent has a person more senior in position than yourself inside your organization
encouraged you in your career development (e.g., in promotion or advancement within or
outside your organization)?
2. To what extent have colleagues at the same level as yourself within your organization
encouraged you in your career development (e.g., in promotion or advancement within your
organization)?
3. To what extent has a person more senior in position than yourself outside your organization
encouraged you in your career development (e.g., in promotion or advancement within or
outside your organization)? (never, once, 2-3, 4-5, 6 or more, not applicable)
Empowerment
Empowerment: Meaning (Positive)
1. The work I do is very important to me (meaning 1).
2. The work I do is meaningful to me (meaning 3).
Empowerment: Competence (Positive)
1. I am confident about my ability to do my job (competence 1).
2. I am self-assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities (competence 2).
3. I have mastered the skills necessary for my job (competence 3).
Empowerment: Self-Determination (Positive)
1. I have significant autonomy in determining how I do my job (self-determination 1).
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Dimensions of work
2. I can decide on my own how to go about doing my work (self-determination 2).
3. I have considerable opportunity for independence and freedom in how I do my job (selfdetermination
3).
Empowerment: Impact (Positive)
1. My impact on what happens in my department is large (impact 1).
2. I have a great deal of control over what happens in my department (impact 2).
3. I have significant influence over what happens in my department (impact 3).
Trust
Trust in Management (Positive)
1. Management is sincere in its attempts to meet the workers’ point of view.
2. Management at work seems to do an efficient job.
3. Management can be trusted to make sensible decisions for the firm’s future.
4. I feel confident that the organization will always try to treat me fairly.
Trust in Employees (Positive)
5. Members of my team are sincere in their attempts to meet the managers’ point of view.
6. Members of my team at work seem to do an efficient job.
7. Members of my team can be trusted to make sensible decisions for the firm’s future.
8. I feel confident that members of my team will always try to treat me fairly.
Individual performance
Satisfaction
Employee Satisfaction (Positive)
1. I would recommend this organization to a friend if he/she were looking for a job
2. I feel personal satisfaction when I do my job well
3. I am proud to tell people that I am part of this organization
4. This is the best organization for me to work for
Productivity (Positive)
1. I believe I am an effective employee
2. Among my work group, I would rate my performance in the top quarter.
3. I am happy with the quality of my work output
4. I work very efficiently
5. I am a highly productive employee
Flexibility
Member Flexibility (Positive)
28. Most members of my team know each other's jobs.
29. It is easy for the members of my team to fill in for one another.
30. My team is very flexible in terms of changes in membership.
Job Flexibility (Positive)
1. How much flexibility do you have in selecting the location of where you work (5-point scale: none
to complete flexibility)?
2. How much flexibility do you have in scheduling when you do your work (e.g., scheduling hours,
time of day, etc.) (5-point scale: none to complete flexibility)?
3. How much flexibility do you have in scheduling what work you will do (e.g., content of work,
processes used, etc.) (5-point scale: none to complete flexibility)?
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Dimensions of work
Change & Innovation (Positive)
1. When a non-routine matter comes up in my work, I am quite adept at inventing new ways to
handle the situation
2. I try new ideas and new approaches to problems
3. I will be counted on to find a new use for existing methods or existing equipment
4. Among my colleagues and co-workers, I will be the first or nearly the first to try out a new
idea or method
Willingness to change Recoded
1. I would consider myself open to changes
2. I am somewhat resistant to changes
3. Overall, changes in the workplace are for the better
Technology
Usage
I use my computer-based information systems to:
Search for information within my department/work unit
Search for information within my organization (outside of my department)
Gather information (e.g. download) within my department/work unit
Gather information within my organization (outside of my department)
Search for information from sites outside of my organization
Gather information from sites outside of my organization
I use my computer-based information systems to:
Publish information that will be of use to members of my department/work unit
Publish information that will be of use to other departments at my organization
Store information in the network for general access in my department
Store information in the network for general access in my organization
Publish information that will be of use to people outside my organization
Store information in the network for general access by people from outside my organziation
With respect to my fellow colleagues, I can classify myself as a LIGHT / MEDIUM / HEAVY user of IT
Attitude Recoded (Negative)
If technophobia is defined as feeling discomfort about computers or any new technology, which of
the following best describes you
Not Technophobic
Mildly Technophobic
Moderately Technophobic
Highly Technophobic
Perceptions of the work environment
Inclination to work in an enclosed area (Positive)
1. I prefer a completely open office (no partitions) to more typical ‘‘cubicles.’’
(Strongly Disagree-Strongly Agree)
2. I am most effective in a(n) _______________ kind of work space.
Private, enclosed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Open, barrier-free
Distraction (Antwoordschaal Strongly Disagree – Strongly Agree) Recoded (Negative)
1. I find it difficult to concentrate on my work.
Yes, all the time 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, never
2. I experience auditory distractions in my work area.
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Dimensions of work
Yes, all the time 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, never
3. I have adequate privacy in my primary, individual work area.
Yes, most definitely 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, definitely not
4. I experience visual distractions in my work area.
Yes, all the time 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, never
5. My work environment is too noisy.
Yes, all the time 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, never
Control (Antwoordschaal Strongly Disagree – Strongly Agree) (Positive)
1. I determine the organization/appearance of my work area.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
2. I can personalize my workspace.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
3. I feel my work life is under my personal control.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
4. I can adjust, re-arrange, and re-organize my furniture as needed.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
5. The variety of work environments needed for my job is available to me.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
6. I can hold small, unplanned meetings in my office or work area as needed.
Yes, any time 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, never
Satisfaction with workplace (Antwoordschaal Strongly Disagree – Strongly Agree) (Positive)
1. Overall, my work area is appropriate for my work.
Yes, most definitely 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, definitely not
2. I like the style/quality of my furniture.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
3. Overall, I like my furniture.
Yes, very much so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 No, not at all
Reward system (Positive)
1. Employees are rewarded for providing high quality products and services to customers
2. Pay raises depend on how well employees perform their jobs
3. Awards in my work unit depend on how well employees perform their jobs
General Information
Name organization (Open)
Industry in which your organization operates
Manufacturing
Education
Government
Finance
Wholesale
Retail
Healthcare
Construction
Transportation
Insurance
IT
Other
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Dimensions of work
Function
Consultancy
General Management
Finance - Administration
Healthcare
Procurement and Logistics
Legal
Marketing - PR – Advertising
Research and Development
Government
Human Resources
ICT
Sales
Managerial Advancement
1. What is your level in the managerial hierarchy? (No supervisory responsibility, project
manager, first-line supervisor, middle manager, upper-middle manager, chief executive)
2. How many subordinates do you have (i.e., how many people do you delegate work to directly
or indirectly)? (open question)
Age
54
Gender
Educational Level
Professional degree
PHD
Master’s degree (University)
Bachelor’s degree (HBO, University undergraduate degree)
Associate degree
Some college, no degree
High-school graduate
Less than a high school diploma
Household situation
Single
Couple, partner non-employed
Couple, partner employed
Other
Children under 18 years
No children
youngest under 6 years
youngest 6 ± 12 years
youngest 13 ± 17 years
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Dimensions of work
Job Experience
How long do you work for your current organization? (Check one)
0-1/2 yr. 3-5 yr.
1/2 -1 yr. 5-10 yr.
1-2 yr. 10-or more yrs
How long have you been in your present position?
0- ½ yr.
½-1 yr.
1-2 yrs.
3-5 yrs.
5-10 yrs.
10 or more yrs.
How many positions or different jobs have you had within your current organization
1-3
4-6
6 or more
10 or more
How many contractual hours of employment do you have per week? (open)
How many hours do you work per week? (open)
How many hours do you usually work outside the office on a weekly basis? (open)
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Dimensions of work
M) Factor analysis dimensions of work
Mobility
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of
Component Total Variance % Total Variance Cumulative %
1 2,360 33,710 33,710 2,360 33,710 33,710
2 0,950 13,578 47,288
3 0,916 13,089 60,376
4 0,879 12,551 72,927
5 0,713 10,191 83,118
6 0,631 9,021 92,139
7 0,550 7,861 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
I work at different company sites
1
0,637
I work with mobile devices 0,629
I work at home during normal business days 0,522
I work while traveling, for example, at airports
or hotels
0,531
I collaborate with people in different time zones 0,591
I work with people via online conferencing 0,530
I collaborate with people who speak different
native languages
0,610
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 1 components extracted.
119

Dimensions of work
Communication & Cooperation
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings
Rotation Sums of Squared
Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance Cumulative % Total Variance %
1 3,509 31,897 31,897 3,509 31,897 31,897 2,532 23,022 23,022
2 1,938 17,621 49,518 1,938 17,621 49,518 2,451 22,284 45,306
3 1,289 11,718 61,236 1,289 11,718 61,236 1,752 15,930 61,236
4 0,980 8,905 70,141
5 0,749 6,810 76,950
6 0,643 5,841 82,791
7 0,580 5,270 88,061
8 0,384 3,493 91,555
9 0,347 3,153 94,707
10 0,323 2,934 97,641
11 0,259 2,359 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2 3
Teams in the organization cooperate to get the
work done 0,525 -0,445 0,236
Members of my team are very willing to share
information with other team members about
our work
Members of my team cooperate to get the work
done
0,594 -0,373 0,484
0,637 -0,268 0,468
The job involves interaction with people who are
not members of my organization 0,418 0,579 0,396
On the job, I frequently communicate with
people who do not work for the same
organization as I do
0,322 0,651 0,384
My work is often completed with staff from
other departments 0,694 0,239 -0,305
My work often involves sharing information with
other departments 0,719 0,383 -0,288
My work often involves using information from
other departments 0,647 0,426 -0,326
Managers and supervisors of my work unit
encourage openness 0,591 -0,362 -0,263
The people I work with regularly share
information on errors or failures openly 0,445 -0,365 -0,119
I receive information about the performance of
my organization 0,481 -0,346 -0,331
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 3 components extracted.
120

Dimensions of work
Task characteristics
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 2,499 24,992 24,992 2,499 24,992 24,992 2,181 21,812 21,812
2 2,210 22,099 47,091 2,210 22,099 47,091 2,126 21,264 43,076
3 1,332 13,321 60,412 1,332 13,321 60,412 1,734 17,336 60,412
4 0,987 9,865 70,277
5 0,685 6,846 77,123
6 0,566 5,661 82,784
7 0,517 5,167 87,951
8 0,485 4,848 92,799
9 0,374 3,738 96,537
10 0,346 3,463 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
The job comprises relatively uncomplicated
tasks
The job involves performing relatively simple
tasks
The job involves doing a number of different
things
The job involves performing a variety of tasks
Component
1 2 3
0,525 -0,404 0,532
0,533 -0,381 0,464
0,671 -0,240 -0,224
0,752 -0,120 -0,407
The job is arranged so that I can do an entire
piece of work form beginning to end
0,533 -0,247
The job allows me to complete work I start 0,269 0,432 -0,413
The job requires a variety of skills 0,725 -0,144 -0,331
Most members of my team know each other's
jobs
0,415 0,556 0,424
It Is easy for the members of my team to fill in
for one another
0,288 0,708 0,231
My team is very flexible in terms of changes in
membership
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 3 components extracted.
0,257 0,727 0,209
121

Dimensions of work
Modularity
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 2,752 45,862 45,862 2,752 45,862 45,862 2,339 38,986 38,986
2 1,397 23,278 69,140 1,397 23,278 69,140 1,809 30,154 69,140
3 0,688 11,465 80,605
4 0,526 8,759 89,364
5 0,412 6,862 96,226
6 0,226 3,774 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2
Teams can be reorganized in response to
product/process changes
0,679 -0,138
Teams can be reassigned to different tasks 0,679 -0,410
Team members can be reassigned to different
teams
0,749 -0,362
Team members are capable of working on
different teams
0,695 -0,330
Our work process can be adjusted by adding
new process modules
0,621 0,702
Work process modules can be adjusted for
changing work needs
0,632 0,691
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 2 components extracted.
Work-life balance
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 2,240 56,012 56,012 2,240 56,012 56,012
2 0,941 23,525 79,537
3 0,524 13,104 92,641
4 0,294 7,359 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
122

Dimensions of work
Job Motivation
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 3,921 24,506 24,506 3,921 24,506 24,506 2,465 15,405 15,405
2 2,214 13,839 38,345 2,214 13,839 38,345 2,375 14,847 30,252
3 1,945 12,154 50,499 1,945 12,154 50,499 2,136 13,352 43,604
4 1,736 10,850 61,349 1,736 10,850 61,349 2,090 13,065 56,668
5 1,065 6,657 68,006 1,065 6,657 68,006 1,814 11,337 68,006
6 0,855 5,342 73,347
7 0,777 4,859 78,206
8 0,714 4,461 82,667
9 0,563 3,517 86,184
10 0,424 2,649 88,833
11 0,406 2,538 91,371
12 0,355 2,222 93,593
13 0,330 2,060 95,653
14 0,322 2,014 97,667
15 0,230 1,438 99,105
16 0,143 0,895 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2 3 4 5
I enjoy trying to solve complex problems 0,509 0,604 -0,347 0,225
The more difficult the problem, the more I enjoy trying to
solve it
0,448 0,535 -0,375 0,137
I enjoy tackling problems that are completely new to me 0,497 0,615 -0,305 0,220
I am keenly aware of the income goals I have for myself
-0,395 0,211 0,705
I am strongly motivated by the money I can earn
-0,380
0,666
I am keenly aware of the promotion goals I have for myself 0,291
0,312 0,498 -0,149
I want to show other people how good I really can be at my
work
0,296 0,195
0,541 0,255
Can you count on your colleagues when you encounter
difficulties in your work?
0,582 -0,184
-0,443
Do you get on well with your colleagues? 0,677 -0,283
-0,100 -0,439
Are your colleagues friendly towards you? 0,695 -0,170
-0,100 -0,408
Can you count on your superior when you encounter
difficulties in your work?
0,650 -0,331
0,343
Do you get on well with your superior? 0,729 -0,374 -0,131 -0,167 0,366
Is your superior friendly towards you?
To what extent has a person more senior in position than
0,691 -0,404 -0,177 -0,147 0,353
yourself inside your organization encouraged you in your
career
0,413 0,349 0,646 -0,212
To what extent have colleagues at the same level as
yourself within your organization encouraged you in your
career development
To what extent has a person more senior in position than
yourself outside your organization encouraged you in your
career development
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 5 components extracted.
0,304 0,179 0,735
0,256 0,364 0,656
0,145
123

Dimensions of work
Empowerment
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 4,048 36,798 36,798 4,048 36,798 36,798 2,152 19,562 19,562
2 1,481 13,466 50,264 1,481 13,466 50,264 2,138 19,432 38,994
3 1,317 11,976 62,240 1,317 11,976 62,240 1,933 17,573 56,567
4 1,042 9,471 71,712 1,042 9,471 71,712 1,666 15,144 71,712
5 0,828 7,529 79,240
6 0,542 4,930 84,170
7 0,441 4,010 88,180
8 0,398 3,620 91,800
9 0,356 3,238 95,038
10 0,293 2,660 97,698
11 0,253 2,302 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2 3 4
The work I do is very important to me 0,409 0,653 0,458
The work I do is meaningful to me 0,450 0,521 0,565
I am confident about my ability to do my job 0,567 -0,528 0,369
I am self-assured about my capabilities to
perform my work activities
0,610 -0,541 0,362 -0,193
I have mastered the skills necessary for my job
0,329 -0,361 0,364
I have significant autonomy in determining how I
do my job
0,673
I can decide on my own how to go about doing
my work
I have considerable opportunity for
0,703
independence and freedom in how I do my job 0,690
My impact on what happens in my department
is large
I have a great deal of control over what happens
in my department
I have significant influence over what happens in
my department
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 4 components extracted.
0,711 0,172
0,638
-0,216 0,431
-0,259 0,395
-0,254 0,428
-0,261
-0,366 -0,487
0,736 0,177 -0,263 -0,394
124

Dimensions of work
Trust
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 3,340 41,753 41,753 3,340 41,753 41,753 2,399 29,991 29,991
2 1,097 13,707 55,460 1,097 13,707 55,460 2,037 25,469 55,460
3 0,879 10,987 66,447
4 0,853 10,665 77,112
5 0,556 6,946 84,058
6 0,526 6,572 90,630
7 0,450 5,630 96,260
8 0,299 3,740 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Management is sincere in its attempts to meet the workers
point of view
Management at work seems to do an efficient job
Component
1 2
0,672 -0,310
0,697 -0,196
Management can be trusted to make sensible decisions for
the firm's future
0,698 -0,370
I feel confident that the organization will always try to treat
me fairly
Members of my team are sincere in their attempts to meet
0,638 -0,434
the managers point of view 0,513 0,387
Members of my team at work seem to do an efficient job
0,608 0,506
Members of my team can be trusted to make sensible
decisions for the firms future 0,686 0,474
I feel confident that members of my team will always try to
treat me fairly
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 2 components extracted.
0,636
125

Dimensions of work
Technology
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 3,862 29,704 29,704 3,862 29,704 29,704 2,295 17,654 17,654
2 1,794 13,799 43,503 1,794 13,799 43,503 2,214 17,034 34,688
3 1,483 11,410 54,913 1,483 11,410 54,913 1,913 14,714 49,402
4 1,121 8,622 63,536 1,121 8,622 63,536 1,837 14,133 63,536
5 0,895 6,881 70,417
6 0,729 5,608 76,024
7 0,617 4,745 80,770
8 0,528 4,064 84,834
9 0,482 3,706 88,540
10 0,425 3,271 91,811
11 0,393 3,027 94,838
12 0,378 2,910 97,748
13 0,293 2,252 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2 3 4
Search for information within my
department/work unit
0,596 -0,206 -0,429 -0,281
Search for information within my organization
(outside of my department)
0,687 -0,250
-0,429
Gather information (e.g. download) within my
department/work unit
0,648 -0,358 0,165
Gather information within my organization
(outside of my department)
0,640
-0,412
Search for information from sites outside of my
organization
0,543 -0,487 0,221 0,340
Gather information from sites outside of my
organization
0,623 -0,465 0,328 0,173
Publish information that will be of use to
members of my department/work unit
0,494 0,250 -0,461 0,134
Publish information that will be of use to other
departments at my organization
0,625 0,469
0,222
Store information in the network for general
access in my department
0,538 0,128 -0,431 0,202
Store information in the network for general
access in my organization
0,516 0,529 -0,217 0,191
Publish information that will be of use to people
outside my organization
Store information in the network for general
0,411 0,487 0,573
access by people from outside my organziation 0,360 0,487 0,572 -0,131
With respect to my fellow colleagues, I can
classify myself as a ......... user of IT
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 4 components extracted.
0,179 -0,233
0,614
126

Dimensions of work
Workplace
Total Variance Explained
Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Rotation Sums of Squared Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 5,317 33,233 33,233 5,317 33,233 33,233 3,680 23,000 23,000
2 2,085 13,030 46,263 2,085 13,030 46,263 2,989 18,682 41,683
3 1,745 10,907 57,170 1,745 10,907 57,170 2,478 15,488 57,170
4 0,986 6,161 63,331
5 0,840 5,249 68,580
6 0,814 5,087 73,668
7 0,665 4,158 77,826
8 0,603 3,767 81,593
9 0,527 3,293 84,885
10 0,509 3,183 88,069
11 0,439 2,745 90,814
12 0,423 2,643 93,456
13 0,323 2,022 95,478
14 0,276 1,723 97,201
15 0,241 1,509 98,710
16 0,206 1,290 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2 3
I prefer a completely open office (no partitions) to more
typical cubicles
0,676 -0,321
I find it difficult to concentrate on my work 0,700 -0,285 0,337
I experience auditory distractions in my work area
0,690 -0,260 0,417
I have adequate privacy in my primary, individual work
area
I experience visual distractions in my work area
0,599 0,130 0,146
0,531 -0,382 0,260
My work environment is too noisy 0,692 -0,276 0,347
I determine the organization/appearance of my work area
0,382 0,689 0,374
I can personalize my workspace 0,357 0,710 0,300
I feel my work life is under my personal control
0,558 0,366
I can adjust, re-arrange, and re-organize my furniture as
needed
The variety of work environments needed for my job is
available to me
I can hold small, unplanned meetings in my office or work
area as needed
0,390 0,530 0,157
0,440 0,262 -0,366
0,420
Overall, I like my furniture 0,632
I like the style/quality of my furniture 0,586
Overall, my work area is appropriate for my work
0,702
Private, enclosed - Open, barrier-free 0,656 -0,350
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 3 components extracted.
-0,423
-0,532
-0,554
-0,284
127

Dimensions of work
Reward system
Total Variance Explained
Extraction Sums of Squared
Initial Eigenvalues
Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 2,004 66,784 66,784 2,004 66,784 66,784
2 0,581 19,355 86,138
3 0,416 13,862 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
128

Dimensions of work
Individual performance
Initial Eigenvalues
Total Variance Explained
Extraction Sums of Squared
Loadings
Rotation Sums of Squared
Loadings
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
% of Cumulative
Component Total Variance % Total Variance % Total Variance %
1 4,366 27,290 27,290 4,366 27,290 27,290 3,135 19,594 19,594
2 2,158 13,486 40,777 2,158 13,486 40,777 2,323 14,516 34,110
3 1,650 10,314 51,091 1,650 10,314 51,091 2,271 14,194 48,304
4 1,336 8,348 59,438 1,336 8,348 59,438 1,781 11,134 59,438
5 0,912 5,699 65,137
6 0,820 5,126 70,263
7 0,674 4,214 74,477
8 0,656 4,098 78,575
9 0,602 3,762 82,337
10 0,544 3,401 85,739
11 0,471 2,946 88,685
12 0,453 2,829 91,514
13 0,377 2,359 93,873
14 0,369 2,304 96,177
15 0,329 2,053 98,230
16 0,283 1,770 100,000
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
Component Matrix(a)
Component
1 2 3 4
I would recommend this company to a friend if he/she
were looking for a job
0,350 0,628 -0,207 -0,293
I feel personal satisfaction when I do my job well 0,456 0,258 -0,284
I am proud to tell people that I am part of this company 0,493 0,543 -0,276 -0,183
This is the best organization for me to work for 0,356 0,671 -0,351
I believe I am an effective employee 0,741 -0,259
0,208
Among my work group, I would rate my performance in
the top quarter
0,654 -0,233
0,233
I am happy with the quality of my work output 0,560 -0,188 -0,291 0,242
I work very efficiently 0,697 -0,140 -0,170 0,294
I am a highly productive employee 0,725 -0,258 -0,219 0,282
How much flexibility do you have in selecting the location
of where you work?
0,182 0,572 0,414 0,344
How much flexibility do you have in scheduling when you
do your work (e.g., scheduling hours, time of day, etc.)? 0,119 0,367 0,612 0,413
How much flexibility do you have in scheduling what work
you will do (e.g., content of work, processes used, etc.)?
0,311 0,338 0,449 0,165
When a non-routine matter comes up in my work, I am
quite adept at inventing new ways to handle the situation
0,578 -0,170 0,150 -0,408
I try new ideas and new approaches to problems 0,568 -0,110 0,349 -0,545
I will be counted on to find a new use for existing methods
or existing equipment
Among my colleagues and co-workers, I will be the first or
0,403
0,408 -0,267
nearly the first to try out a new idea or method 0,633 -0,300 0,326 -0,188
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.
a. 4 components extracted.
129

Dimensions of work
Endnote’s
i
Oscar Berg postulated a few interesting additions to the definition of knowledge worker in his blog ‘Defining The
Knowledge Worker’ (2 nd July 2007);
Your work and spare time is not defined by office hours. Your brain is not turned on at 8.00 AM and turned off at 17.00 PM,
a problem solving process continues in the back of your mind until it is completed.
Your results and contributions are more important than face time at the office.
Your availability is more important than being physically present during office hours. You sometimes meet with colleagues
and customers outside of the office in a more relaxed and creative environment. And you are mentally prepared for
customers or colleagues that might call you, chat with you or send you an e-mail after office hours, this doesn’t bother you
since things are often not urgent after office hours so you probably can find a time slot sooner or later to react on them.
And you utilize the kind of communication channel that is most convenient and suited for the situation you are currently in.
Berg (2 nd July 2007) Defining The Knowledge Worker, The Content Economy. Available from:
http://www.thecontenteconomy.com/search/label/Knowledge%20Worker?max-results=100 [16 th October 2007]
130