Toward a Tolerance Theory of Worker Adaptation

Bibliographic Data

ID9891452
AuthorsDerek Biddle (University of Bath, corresponding author), Geoffrey Hutton (Centre for the Study of Organizational Change and Development, University of Bath; 17 Combe Park, Bath, BA13NP, England.)
Year1976
Volume29
Issue9
Pages833-862
Publication date1976-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Relations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-7267 • E-ISSN: 1741-282X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/001872677602900903
OpenAlexW2134095824
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited18

The paper examines the ways in which people can achieve toleration of what is to them, and may appear to others as, an unsatisfying or impoverished work situation. The examination is based on an empirical study of six departments or workshops in an engineering company in the South of England. The analysis is made, not in terms or motives, needs, and attitudes, but in terms of living space-the psychological territory which serves to mediate and protect an individual's inner world and sense of worth. Jobs themselves, and organizational action, define apermitted living space which may or may not be congruent with the individual's required living space. Adaptive actions, to adjust individual living space or to construct group living spaces, are exemplified from the research cases, and shown to affect people's relations with their jobs, supervision, management, and unions. Links are made with the psychology of play and creativity and the social psychology of neighborhood

Action (physics · Adaptation (eye · Affect (linguistics · Construct (python library · Creativity · Organizational commitment · Organizational space · Organizational studies · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Space (punctuation) · Toleration · Employment and Welfare Studies · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology · Work-Family Balance Challenges · Workaholism, burnout, and well-being

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