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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until September 01, 2025

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Workplace Stressors: The Eye of the Beholder and Cultural Differences

Kiratikosolrak, Pakanat
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1695075534589826

Abstract Details

2023, Doctor of Business Administration, Cleveland State University, Monte Ahuja College of Business.
Considered typical in the workplace, Organizational Politics (OP) is a well-known workplace stressor that causes harmful consequences. Researchers pay attention to how individuals respond to OP based on their perception of organizational politics (POPS). Drawing on the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, POPS triggers a primary appraisal that a work context is threatening and puts pressure on employees to engage or disengage in politicking to meet their goals resulting in emotional strain. However, OP are not always perceived as a threat. Some individuals can perceive them as an opportunity. This dissertation investigates cultural orientation as the lens that affects how individuals perceive POPS and, in turn, how cultural orientation affects variations in the amount of emotional felt strain. Specifically, this research focuses on Vertical and Horizontal Individualism and Collectivism as dimensions of cultural orientation. As our workplace increases in global diversity, these differences become even more relevant (Mackay, 2004). Drawing on Conservation of Resource Theory (COR), emotional strain caused by POPS often requires additional coping efforts which are taken away from resources that could otherwise be devoted to job performance. Perceiving high social support availability encourages confident self-mastery of problems and enhances their ability to cope with situational stress. However, in the political environment, support at work may be limited or competitive in nature. This research investigates how social support from outside the employee’s work domain (e.g., friends, families, or significant others) can buffer the negative effect of job strain on employee attitudes (job satisfaction and turnover intention). Data were collected from a Vietnamese education company. There were significant relationships between POPS, Job Strain, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intentions. Culture and Social Support were not significant moderators; however, this study is the first to look at cultural orientation from the individual perspective. The results of the sample tested suggest ramifications for the study of workplace culture. The results will help enhance researchers’ knowledge of the effect of POPS on employee attitudes which link to employees and organizational performance. It also heightens practitioner knowledge of workplace politics to minimize POPS detrimental to employees, teamwork, and organization.
Vickie Gallagher (Committee Chair)
Liam Maher (Committee Member)
Sorin Valcea (Committee Member)
Ping Deng (Committee Member)
Management
Perception of politics; POPs; Culture; Job satisfaction, Turnover intentions

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kiratikosolrak, P. (2023). Workplace Stressors: The Eye of the Beholder and Cultural Differences [Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1695075534589826

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kiratikosolrak, Pakanat. Workplace Stressors: The Eye of the Beholder and Cultural Differences. 2023. Cleveland State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1695075534589826.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kiratikosolrak, Pakanat. "Workplace Stressors: The Eye of the Beholder and Cultural Differences." Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1695075534589826

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1695075534589826
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This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.