VALUE INCONGRUENCE AND OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND STRAIN: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Value incongruence has been defined as the difference between personal value hierarchy, and the perceived value hierarchy of a reference group or organization, in this case an employing organization. The Rokeach Value Survey is a widely utilized and generally accepted measure of the rank order priorities of values. (Rokeach, 1982). Occupational Stress and Strain is estimated utilizing the Occupational Environment Scales, the Personal Strain Questionnaire, and the Personal Resources Questionnaire of Osipow and Spokane (1983). The scales of the Personal Resources Questionnaire were used as control variables since these scales are negatively related to the measures of stress and strain. Other estimates of occupational strain were systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate, under rest and stress conditions, and the Tension Time Index (Pulse Rate x Systolic Blood Pressure x 10(\u27-3)). The relationships between incongruence of 36 values and 20 dependent measures of stress and strain were determined by the Spearman Rho correlation coefficient. Subjects in the study were 47 volunteer employees of an international electronic fund transfer programming firm. They ranged in age from 21 to 46 years, with a mean of 28.54. Female subjects numbered 28 and male 19. Subjects were also divided into management and non-management groups, of 25 and 22 subjects respectively, and the above computations repeated in order to test for differences in the two groups. The interactions between personal values and perceived organizational values were also computed in order to test the hypothesis that relationships strengthen as values are ranked higher in importance. Finally, a Kendall Coefficient of Concordance was computed for management and non-management groups regarding perceived organizational values in order to estimate the degree of agreement among subjects in perception of these values. Results indicate that there are significant and consistent relationships between value incongruence and occupational stress and strain, and that these relationships are both positive and negative for selected comparisons. Management and non-management groups differ in important ways. The relationship between incongruence with a particular value, and stress and strain, tends to become stronger as that value is ranked as more important, and weaker as that value is ranked as less important. There existed considerable disagreement among subjects in perceptions of organizational values. Alternative interpretations, suggestions for further research, and suggestions regarding the utility of these procedures and results are discussed