Job enlargement, job crafting and the moderating role of self-competence

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between job enlargement and some specific job crafting behaviors and to analyze the moderating role of self-competence.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered from 158 workers in a large retail company and analyzed through a regression methodology.

Findings

Job enlargement is positively related to specific job crafting behaviors, such as increasing structural and social resources. Self-competence does not moderate the relationship between job enlargement and increasing structural resources; however, it does negatively moderate the relationship between job enlargement and increasing social resources.

Research limitations/implications

This is a cross-sectional, single source study.

Practical/implications

Organizations may implement job design policies aimed at facilitating the way workers proactively craft their jobs (increasing social and structural resources) by promoting a collaborative organizational culture and decreasing the social costs of job crafting initiatives.

Originality/value

This study clarifies the role of contextual and personal antecedents to job crafting. More specifically, it shows that enlarged jobs and employees’ level of self-competence may significantly influence employees’ job crafting in the workplace.

Citation

Berdicchia, D., Nicolli, F. and Masino, G. (2016), "Job enlargement, job crafting and the moderating role of self-competence", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 318-330. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-01-2014-0019