Title: Occupational stress and health outcome among British and German managers

Author(s): B.D. Kirkcaldy; R.M. Trimpop; S Williams

Journal: unknown

Year: 2002 Volume: 17 Number: 6 Page: 491 -- 505

DOI: 10.1108/02683940210439405

Publisher: Emerald

Abstract: A large sample of German and British managers selected from the private and public sectors completed the pressure management indicator (PMI). The PMI is a 120-item self-report questionnaire developed from the occupational stress indicator (OSI). The PMI provides a global measure as well as differentiated profiles of occupational stress. Outcome measures include work satisfaction, organisational security, organisational satisfaction, and commitment, as well as physical wellbeing (physical symptoms and exhaustion) and psychological health (anxiety depression, worry and resilience). In addition moderator variables are assessed including type A behaviour, internal locus of control and coping strategies. The data from the PMI show that, when compared with British managers, the German managers reported greater job satisfaction and lower levels of resilience. The German managers displayed substantially higher pressure from the home-work interface but less pressure from the need to have their achievements recognised. German managers reported higher levels of impatience (a sub-scale of type A behaviour), coupled with high internal control (extent to which individual feels able to influence and control events) and made more use of coping strategies, especially problem focussed measures.

Title: Problems and pressures facing lone mothers in management and professional occupations - a pilot study

Author(s): Susan Gill; Marilyn J Davidson

Journal: Women in Management Review

Year: 2001 Volume: 16 Number: 8 Page: 383 -- 399

DOI: 10.1108/EUM0000000006290

Publisher: Emerald

Abstract: Investigates the problems and pressures facing lone mothers in management and professional occupations. Qualitative data were gained from semi-structured interviews with 20 lone mothers, and the sample also completed the Pressure Management Indicator questionnaire. The interviews revealed that the lone mothers experienced some of the problems and pressures previously reported by women in dual career couples, including difficulties with childcare, work overload and role conflict, but to a much greater degree. Finds also that the death of a partner, separation or divorce affects the career aspirations and career development of the women in the sample and that the lone mothers were less able to take advantage of job-sharing and part-time working because of greater financial pressures. The lone mothers reported higher levels of pressure from workload and the home/work balance than comparative normative groups. However, as stress moderating strategies they employed better use of problem-focussed coping than other women and made more use of social support than other managers.

Title: Group differences in post-merger stress

Author(s): Sheila Panchal; Susan Cartwright

Journal: Journal of Managerial Psychology

Year: 2001 Volume: 16 Number: 6 Page: 424 -- 433

DOI: 10.1108/02683940110402398

Publisher: Emerald

Abstract: Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are popular business strategies and have been on the increase in recent years. The present study investigated post-merger stress in a sample of field sales employees from a recently merged organisation. A survey methodology was utilised to examine group differences, comparing those from the two pre-merger companies and those new to the merged organisation. Results revealed that group differences in both sources and effects of stress existed. Those from the dominant pre-merger company reported the highest stress levels and most negative work attitudes. Results were discussed in relation to previous research. It was concluded that group differences in response to large-scale organisational change are prevalent and the group context of the situation should be recognised and explored by managers in change situations.

Title: The impact of outdoor management development (OMD) programmes

Author(s): Thomas A Hamilton; Cary Cooper

Journal: Leadership and Organization Development Journal

Year: 2001 Volume: 22 Number: 7 Page: 330 -- 340

DOI: 10.1108/EUM0000000006163

Publisher: Emerald

Abstract: This study investigated the impact of an outdoor management development (OMD) programme for teambuilding skills. A total of 26 first line recruitment managers attended and were asked to complete three questionnaires: (pre and post attendance) team climate inventory (TCI); occupational motivation questionnaire (OMQ); and the pressure management indicator (PMI). Of the participants, 12 (control group) were asked to complete the questionnaires one month prior to the course. Three of the four main TCI scales showed no improvement after the course. There was an increase in the post-group scores for the achievement/development and stimulation scales of the occupational motivation questionnaire. However, the PMI results indicated that as many as 50 per cent of the participants were experiencing high levels of pressure and reported low levels of mental wellbeing pre and post attendance. It was concluded that a greater impact could be achieved if the participants were not over-pressured and/or not experiencing low levels of mental wellbeing.

Title: Introduction of the PMI Job Stress Assessment Method in Finland

Author(s): S. Piitulainen, S. Mauno, U. Kinnunen

Journal: Evaluating job stress and well-being with Pressure Management Indicator: a review and the psychometrics of the method. Reports from the Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä 348, 2002.

Year: 2002 to 2003

Abstract: This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Pressure Management Indicator (PMI) on the basis of data on the personnel of four Finnish organisations. Differences in job stressors, well-being and personal and organisational resources according to gender and the type of organisation were also analysed. The PMI questionnaire was sent to 1 835 employees of two public sector organisations (N = 731) and two private sector organisations (N = 383), of whom 1 114 (61%) returned the questionnaire. The structure and reliability of most the PMI scales turned out to be quite adequate and in line with the scoring key of the PMI questionnaire. Gender and organisation showed significant interaction in terms of experienced job stressors and well-being: men in the private sector more often perceived job stressors and suffered from reduced well-being than their women colleagues. In contrast, women in the public sector organisations were more often affected by job stressors and impaired well-being than their male counterparts. As regards the moderating role of personal and organisational resources as moderators between job stressors and well-being (psychosomatic symptoms, job satisfaction), only coping skills were found to moderate the relationship between job stressors and job satisfaction. Specifically, when the level of job stress was low, strong coping increased job satisfaction, but when the level of job stress increased, strong coping reduced job satisfaction.