2019-2020 年 春 季学期研究生课程考核

Individual Assignment Cover Sheet

Organizational Behavior (PhD)

考 核 科 目: Organizational Behavior (Research Proposal)

学生所在院（系）: School of Management

学生所在学科 (Discipline): Business Administration

学 生 姓 名 (Student Name): Saleem Muhammad

学 号 (Student Number): 19BF10075

学 生 类 别: Doctorate Students

DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY OF WORK:

I affirm that the attached work is entirely my own except where the words or ideas of other writers are specifically
acknowledged. This assignment has not been submitted for any other Course at HIT or any other institution. I
have revised, edited, and proofread this paper.

Student Signature：Saleem Muhammad Word Count：2008

Rubrics Grade and Comments

Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
1 Demonstrated the ability to communicate according
to the normal conventions with respect to language
use, grammar and referencing.
2 Relevance of the Topics （10’）

3
Demonstrated the ability to identify, select and use
essential readings. (8’)
4
Included relevant information, which was presented
in a clear and integrated way. (8’)
5
Analysed, critically, the issues using appropriate
concepts and methods. (8’)
6
The key elements of the topic were outlined and
clearly justified. (8’)
7 Sufficiency and accuracy of the References (8’)

* S = satisfactory; U = unsatisfactory. To achieve a pass Percentage:

grade, criterion 1 must be assessed as satisfactory.

考核结果： 阅 卷 人：
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Research Proposal
On
“ORGANIZATIONAL CYNICISM AS A MEDIATOR AMONG CORE SELF
EVALUATION, NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY AND JOB SATISFACTION OF
UNIVERSITY TEACHERS OF PAKISTAN”

ABSTRACT
In this project we will see the positive attitude of employees’ is essential factor for accomplishment
of organizational goals. The organization’s management is focusing to recognize the very important
aspects that affect the employees’ attitude which leads to their job satisfaction. In this paper
organizational cynicism will play as mediating role among core self-evaluation, negative affectivity
and job satisfaction. For the purpose of data collection for this study the structured questionnaires
will be used from public sector Universities of Pakistan. This questionnaire will cover five
dimensions. These dimensions will be comprised of demographic information, questions about core
self-evaluation, negative affectivity, organizational cynicism and job satisfaction. It has been
hypothesized that there is a relation between the extent of organizational cynicism among the
university teachers and the level of their job satisfaction. In addition, an empirical evidence-based
analysis may contribute to understand the nature of mind-set of the population under study and to
guide for exploring the avenues for future research. For the purpose of analyzing data, we will use
correlation, Chi –Square statistical tests and drawing inferences.

KEYWORDS: Organizational cynicism, core evaluation, negative affectivity and job

satisfaction.

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1. INTRODUCTION
In this modern era, this is very tough for firms to remain alive among competitive environment
where business strategies have been ever undergoing change in response to the market demands.
Accordingly, the role of organizations also changes. With the changing role of organizations, the
employees’ attitude also changes towards their performance. Consequently, it affects the
performance of the organizations.

Presently, organizations’ management has to face new challenges regarding the declining
performance of the organizations and the attitudes of employees towards their own performance.
Positive attitude of employee may lead to enhancement of organizations’ performance. It is crucial
for management to identify the causative factors of declining positive attitude of employees towards
their performance and the level of their job satisfaction. Researchers are arguing that more than
forty percent working employees of Americans failed to meet their expectations. Resultantly, what
they perceived was the unethical treatment of their organizations’ managers and uncertainty in
organizations. Chan Kanter and Mirvis, 1989 said that Failure in expectations and ambiguities in
the organization repeatedly linked with the organizational cynicism. They also stated that a lot of
employees were pessimistic specially those employees who were young and under the age of 30. It
is basic requirement for the organizations to be aware of the elements that may contribute in
development of organizations. The managers also need to be vigilant about the declining
performance of employees and to know how organizational cynicism speaks about the performance
of workers.
1.2. Purpose of Study
The main aim of this project is to illuminate the factors affecting the organizational cynicism and
how organizational cynicism is related to job satisfaction of employees. In a developing country
like Pakistan, many aspects of human behavior are required to be researched. The extent of positive
attitude of employees affects the level of organizational performance and their job satisfaction. This
aspect of studying affecting the performance of organizations has got a little attention in Pakistan.
By considering this knowledge aperture, the purpose of this project is to make an estimate of effect
of cynicism as mediating factor among the core negative evaluation affectivity and on job
satisfaction of employees. Specifically, the study intention is to explore and analyze the workers’
disillusionment from the organizations at their place of work and how the varying extent of their
attitude towards organizations affects the level of their job satisfaction.
1.3 Significance of Study

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We know that significance of study means, how much this study will make contribution. Mainly the
focus of this project is to sort out the critical elements of job satisfaction in association with the
extent of their positive evaluation of their organizations. In this particular study, financial benefits,
relation with supervisory staff and coworkers, and evaluation of the working conditions have been
identified as the potential causative factors of varying level of their job satisfaction. It is predicted
that this project will give important input into by widening the scope of investigation on cynicism
into job related field within organizational culture. Besides, it will give an important understanding
of the dynamics influencing the performance of the university teachers in Public sector universities
called as higher educational institutions.
1.4. Objectives of Study

The objectives of this project are:

 To investigate the dynamics of cynicism of organization

 To explore how the core self-evaluation and negative affectivity develops

pessimistic organizational attitudes

 To examine an association (if any) between job satisfaction level and the extent of
cynicism based on core self-evaluation and negative affectivity

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review means to study read and observe the secondary data like from previous research
papers, books, articles and publications related to this particular topic. Here we will discuss the
terms and concepts related to this topic.
2.1 Organizational Cynicism

A large number of studies showed that the cynicism toward business promoted by high expectations
and subsequent disillusionment in the work setting is perception held by a great part of the
American public (Kanter and Mirvis, 1989; Mirvis and Kanter, 1992). The researchers defined the
cynicism differently like a belief, personality trait, a specific trait and an emotion. On the other
hand, Dean, Brandes, & Dharwadkar (1998) gave the concept that organizational cynicism is an
attitude exemplifying negative belief about their organization, negative emotional reaction and
manners which have dependable influence and cognition.
2.2. Core Self Evaluation.
Andersson (1996) explained the core self-evaluation through a case study. She expressed some
variables influencing the cynicism of organizations. Exclusively, she recommended that locus of
control and self-esteem (among the other employees) might control the influence on organizational

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cynicism. Andersson gave an example of a person with low self-esteem who might negatively react
to upsetting organizational proceedings. Moreover, a person who is internally opposed to external
locus of control is likely to respond in a negative way when confronted with state of affairs in
which he/she identifies within which he/she have little control (Ashford, 1988). Hence these aspects
of studies led to further investigate the dynamics of cynicism of organizations and degree of job
satisfaction of university employees.
2.3 Negative Affectivity
Watson and Clark, (1984) has explained about negative affectivity of the persons who were
extremely dissatisfied with their jobs and commonly focused on the negative evaluation of
organization and understanding extra distress (Brief et al., 1995). The results of this negative
affectivity indicated a highly negative response towards the proceedings at the work place (e.g.,
Brief et al.,1995). It has been persistently studied that demonstrated the relationship with the
organizational manners. Brief et al., (1995) and Fisher (2000) have given the example that negative
affectivity is continually verified to predict job satisfaction. It showed that employees with high
negative affectivity were seem to be less satisfied with their jobs.
2.4 Job Satisfaction and Organizational Cynicism
Conceptually, job satisfaction can be explained as an attitude of employees toward their jobs. It has
been researched from situational point of view (e.g., Hackman & Oldham, 1976). Furthermore, job
satisfaction has been researched in relating to a wide range of constructs, for example, there was a
verified relationship between job satisfaction, well-being, and family conflict (Heller, Watson, &
Ilies, 2004). Other researchers studied job satisfaction and turnover (Trevor,2001). Even job
satisfaction and organizational cynicism both were visualized as an attitude. They are by no means
overlapping constructs as stated by Dean et al. (1998)
2.5 Construction of Hypothesis
H1: Organizational cynicism and core self-evaluation are negatively related to each other.
H2: Organizational cynicism and negative affectivity are negatively related to each other.
H3: Organizational cynicism and job satisfaction are negatively related to each other.
H4: Organizational cynicism is mediating the relationship between negative affectivity and job
satisfaction.
H5: Organizational cynicism is mediating the relationship between core self-evaluation and job
satisfaction.

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2.6 Theoretical Framework

Independent Variables Dependent Variable

Core Self
Evaluation

Organization Job satisfaction

al
Cynicism

Negative
Affectivity Mediator

In this project, we will try to examine the differential impact of organizational cynicism as mediator
and independent variable core self-evaluation and negative affectivity and its impact on employees’
job satisfaction. This study will be conducted within the conceptual framework of Kristyn, A. Scott
(2008) Halifax, Nova Scotia David Zweig who has found a significant impact of these variables on
employee’s job satisfaction.

3. RESEARCH DESIGHN

3.1. Data collection

For conduction of our proposed study, we will gather data from all Pakistani public sector
universities teachers having different positions like research and administrative staff, lecturers,
assistant professors, associate professor and professors. For the purpose of analyzing data ,we will
use correlation, Chi –Square statistical tests and drawing inferences. The sample of this research
would be approximately 2000 public sector Universities employees. These universities employees
would be split up into two categories i.e. one is teaching staff and second is administrative staff.

3.2. Tools for data collection

We will use structured questionnaire techniques for collection of data from our respondents. This
questionnaire will cover five dimensions. These dimensions will be comprised of demographic
information, questions about core self-evaluation, negative affectivity, organizational cynicism and
job satisfaction. Perceptions of organizational cynicism will be measured on the five items by Dean
et al., (1998). In this study the job satisfaction will be measured with six items Brayfield and Rothe

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(1951) and alpha coefficient in this study is 0.90 which will be answered on a 5- point Likert scale
ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The negative affectivity will be measured through
using the twenty items ten positive and ten negative items which was used by PANAS; Watson,
Clark, & Tellegen, (1988). The alpha 0.90 all the items will be measured with five-point likert scale
ranging from 1-5 strongly disagree to strongly agree. Finally, core self-evaluation will be measured
through 12 items which was used by the Judge et al., (2003). Alpha is 0.83. All the items will be
measured with five-point Likert scale ranging from 1-5 strongly disagree to strongly agree.

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REFERENCES

Andersson, L.M. (1996). Employee cynicism: An examination using a contract violation

framework. Human Relations. 49 1395 1419.
Brayfield, A.H., & Rothe, H.F. (1951). An index of job satisfaction. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 35, 307 311.
Brief, A.P., Butcher, A.H.,& Roberson, L.(1995). Cookies, disposition, and job attitudes: The
effects of Positive mood inducing events and negative affectivity on job satisfaction in a
field experiment. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,62, 5562.
Cook, W.W., & Medley, D.M. (1954). Proposed hostility and pharisaic virtue scales for the MMPI.
Journal Of Applied Psychology, 38, 414418.
Dean, J.W., Brandes, P., & Dharwadkar, R. (1998). Organizational Cynicism. Academy of
Management Review, 23,341��352.
Fisher, C.D. (2000).Mood and emotions while working: Missing pieces of job satisfaction? Journal
of Organizational Behavior,21,185202.
Hackman, J.R., & Oldham, G.R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory.
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,16,250279.
Heller, D., Watson, D., & Ilies, R. (2004). The role of person vs. situation in life satisfaction: A
critical examination. Psychological Bulletin.
Judge, T.A., Erez, A., Bono, J.E., & Thoresen, C.J. (2003). The Core Self Evaluations Scale:
Development of A measure. Personnel Psychology,56,303331.
Kanter, D.L., & Mirvis, P.H. (1989). The Cynical Americans. Living and Working in an Age of
Discontent And Disillusion. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Kristyn A.Scott Halifax, Nova Scotia David Zweig (2008). Dispositional predictors of
organizational cynicism Department of Management University of Toronto Scarborough
Reichers, A.E., Wanous, J.P., & Austin, J.T. (1997). Understanding and managing cynicism about
Organizational change. Academy of Management Executive,11,4859.
Stanley, D.J., Meyer, J.P., & Topolnytsky, L.(2005). Employee cynicism and resistance to
organizational change. Journal of Business and Psychology,19,429459.
Trevor, C. O.(2001).Interactions among actual ease of movement determinants and job satisfaction
in The prediction of voluntary turnover. Academy of Management Journal,44, 621638.
Vanous, J.P., Reichers, A.E., & Austin, J.T. (2000). Cynicism about organizational change. Group
& Organization Management,25,132153.

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Watson, D., Clark, L.A.,& Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures\ of
positive And negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 54,1063 1070.

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