TIME-SPENT RESPONSES AS TIME ALLOCATION STRATEGIES: RELATIONS WITH SALES PERFORMANCE IN A STOCKBROKER SAMPLE

Most research on job analysis treats within-job interrater disagreement on structured job analysis surveys as measurement error. The present research conceptualized time-spent responses as expressions of time allocation strategies for the relatively autonomous stockbroker job, and differences between responses as reflecting different strategies. Stockbrokers ( n = 580) in a large financial services firm provided time-spent data on a job analysis survey, and results showed that for relatively inexperienced stockbrokers (with 1-4 years'job experience), and for more experienced stockbrokers with more than 4 years'experience, adjusted RS between sales performance and time spent on activity factors were both .49. Also, there was evidence suggesting that the relatively inexperienced and experienced stockbrokers spend significantly different amounts of time on some activities and that different patterns of relationships between time spent and sales performance exist for the two groups. Discussion focuses on difficulties with interpreting certain time-spent/performance relationships, and research approaches that might better separate differential time allocation strategies from measurement error.