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A multi-society examination of the impact of psychological resources on stressor–strain relationships

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Abstract

This paper sequentially addresses a conceptual and an empirical goal. Our conceptual goal was to develop a globally relevant model of the relationship between work role stressors and strain using conservation of resources (COR) theory as our foundation. Stressors included in the model are role conflict and role ambiguity, with three resources – mastery, optimistic orientation, and self-esteem – as moderators on the stressor–strain relationship. With this conceptual framework developed, we explored our empirical goal, a test of the model using both societal-level and individual-level indicators. First, we pan-culturally tested the model across our seven-society sample. Next, we split these societies into high and low gross national income categories. Likewise, we split the respondents in our sample, regardless of their country, into high and low idiocentrism/individualism and allocentrism/collectivism categories and tested at these group levels. Our findings showed that personal resources – mastery, optimistic orientation, and self-esteem – generally served to buffer the experienced strain due to work role ambiguity and conflict. This study provides specific information that can assist the global business community in understanding how stress pervades their workforces. Overall, our findings offer substantial evidence that a global model of stress is truly viable, providing direction for future research on stress in the global workforce.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA

    David A Ralston

  2. Keppel Offshore and Marine, Singapore

    Chay Hoon Lee

  3. Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA

    Pamela L Perrewé

  4. University of North Florida, Jacksonville, USA

    Cheryl Van Deusen

  5. Hochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung und Finanzen, Ludwigsburg, Germany

    Günther R Vollmer

  6. Free University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Isabelle Maignan

  7. Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China

    Moureen Tang & Paulina Wan

  8. Clinica de Stress e Biofeedback, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Ana Maria Rossi

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  1. David A Ralston
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  2. Chay Hoon Lee
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  3. Pamela L Perrewé
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  4. Cheryl Van Deusen
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  5. Günther R Vollmer
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  6. Isabelle Maignan
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  7. Moureen Tang
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  8. Paulina Wan
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  9. Ana Maria Rossi
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Additional information

Accepted by Kwok Leung, Area Editor, and Lorraine Eden, Editor-in-Chief, 3 June 2009. This paper has been with the authors for five revisions.

Appendices

Appendix A

See Table A1.

Table A1 Measurement items and validity assessment
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Appendix B

See Table B1.

Table B1 Measurement equivalent of stressors, strain, and psychological resources across the seven countries
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Ralston, D., Lee, C., Perrewé, P. et al. A multi-society examination of the impact of psychological resources on stressor–strain relationships. J Int Bus Stud 41, 652–670 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2009.68

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2009.68

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