題目： The effects of coworker monitoring and sanction systems on stress levels
氏名： 鈴木敦子
担当教員： ラドフォード・マーク H.B.
In this research we investigated how potential differences in the way people think, or what they believe, impacts worker stress levels in the workplace. To investigate this aim, we focused on the shared job system, which we hypothesized would generate a belief of monitoring from coworkers and it would lead to stress. In addition, we looked at potential cultural factors, such as trust, thinking style and relationship mobility.
With economical globalization, the number of non-Japanese working under Japanese management, which is said to be characterized by strong mutual monitoring and sanctioning, is increasing. In this study we examined the general hypothesis that those who have what is sometimes called a westernized way of thinking and belief system would feel higher stress from the monitoring from coworkers than those who have what is commonly thought of as being a typical Japanese way of thinking and belief structure.
Based on available research we made the following predictions: (1) There is a positive correlation between the amount of job sharing, and a belief that performance is being monitored by coworkers; (2) there is a positive correlation between the monitoring from coworkers and stress factors; (3-1) there is a stronger correlation between monitoring from coworkers in the workplace and stress in those who are high in trust than those who are low in trust; and (3-2) there is a stronger correlation between monitoring from coworkers in the workplace and stress in those who have an analytic way of thinking than those who have a holistic way of thinking. In relation to relationship mobility, we have two potentially contradictory predictions. It is possible that those high in relationship mobility are not so accustomed with mutual monitoring and feel high stress. Likewise, it is possible that those high in relationship mobility also think they can leave the workplace if they feel discomfort. The two possible predictions are: (3-3-a) There is a stronger correlation between monitoring from coworkers in the workplace and stress in those who are high in relationship mobility than those who are low in relationship mobility; and (3-3-b) there is a stronger correlation between the monitoring from coworkers in the workplace and stress in those who are low in relationship mobility than those who are high in relationship mobility
In this study we used questionnaires to collect data. Measures included: Sources of role stress; Interpersonal sensitivity; Depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21); Shared job system; Monitoring in the workplace; Relationship mobility; General trust; and Analytic-Holistic thinking style. Respondents were parents or acquaintances of Hokkaido university students. All participants were Japanese. A total of 120 questionnaires were distributed with a return of 82 questionnaires, representing a 68% return rate. Of the 82 questionnaires returned 37 were from females and 45 were from males.
First, there was a positive correlation between the degree of shared job and monitoring from coworkers. This result suggests that in the workplace where coworkers share their job, a ‘monitoring from coworkers system’ is likely to be formed. To avoid the potential for loafing to occur, there is the need for monitoring from coworkers. Second, there was a positive correlation between monitoring from coworkers and stress, unassertive interpersonal behavior and work overload. Most importantly, those low in trust feel less role ambiguity and those high in trust feel high depression when they are in high monitoring from coworkers environment. However, contrary to our predictions, for the person who has a holistic thinking style, they feel much lower self-esteem when they are in high monitoring from coworkers. There were no interaction effects between monitoring from coworkers and relationship mobility on any of the stress factors. The implications of these results and some limitations of the study are discussed.