Reducing Organizational Rule Breaking Through Task Variety: How Task Design Supports Deliberative Thinking

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Derfler-Rozin, Rellie; Moore, Celia; Staats, Bradley R.
• 署名单位: University System of Maryland; University of Maryland College Park; Bocconi University; University of North Carolina; University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; University of North Carolina School of Medicine
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2016.1094
• 发表日期: 2016
• 页码: 1361-1379
• 关键词: rule breaking; task variety; deliberative thinking; Type 1 and Type 2 processes; job design

摘要

In this paper we argue that task design affects rule breaking in the workplace. Specifically, we propose that task variety activates deliberative (Type 2) processes as opposed to automatic/intuitive (Type 1) processes, which, in turn, helps prevent individuals from breaking rules in order to serve their own hedonic self-interest. We use data from the home loan application processing operations of a Japanese bank to establish the phenomenon in the field. We document that increased task variety at a daily level is associated with lower levels of rule breaking in the form of violating corporate break time policies (Study 1). We further explore the relationship between task variety and rule breaking in three lab experiments, using different operationalizations of rule breaking (Studies 2, 3a, and 3b) and provide direct evidence for the mediating effect of deliberative thinking in this relationship (Studies 3a and 3b). We discuss implications for rule compliance in organizations, behavioral ethics, and work design.