| Abstract: | There exists a need for basic research on the nature of work outcomes, to facilitate integration of theory and results and to aid in the sampling of outcomes for research and evaluation. Existing research, primarily using factor analysis, has led to a hierarchical model, with numerous sub-factors grouped under the major factors of "intrinsic" and "extrinsic." Recent research, however, has shown that industrial/organizational psychologists do not agree on the definition of intrinsic and extrinsic. It is argued that a more useful approach is a dimensional model, which allows each work outcome to be described by a set of values on multiple dimensions. A multidimensional scaling analysis of 21 outcomes yields a latent structure with three dimensions: value attached to the outcome by society, level of psychological need met, and extent to which the outcome is inherent in the work itself. Implications for the sampling of outcomes and integration of different literature are discussed. The results suggest that a multidimensional model of work outcomes is more useful than a categorical approach built on the intrinsic/extrinsic dichotomy. |
