Productivity in an Organizational Setting: A Systematic View of the Causalities at Work

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to portray productivity in a larger context than has previously been presented, using system analysis. The result was a single causal loop diagram describing productivity in a work setting. Information on the components affecting productivity and how they interact was gathered from the industrial and organizational psychology (I-O psychology) literature as researchers in that field have spent a great deal of effort on shedding light on the subject. Articles from well-known I-O psychology journals were selected for further analysis through a systematic literature search. From these articles, 45 causal loop diagrams (CLDs) were constructed based on the causalities described in their theoretical background sections and results. These CLDs were subsequently synthesized in two steps to create a single CLD describing productivity. The resulting CLD provides an opportunity to view productivity in the workplace in a wider context.

Feeling Stressed and Unproductive? A Field Evaluation of a Therapy-Inspired Digital Intervention for Knowledge Workers

“…The organizational psychology literature has instead focused on identifying, measuring, and mapping out the factors associated with knowledge worker productivity in an attempt to operationalize the term. Examples of factors that have been identiied include company climate [64], autonomy [48], and oice environments [39]. In particular, Oskarsdottir et al [102] have drafted a łholistic theory of knowledge worker productivityž that includes factors related to an individual knowledge worker like one's job satisfaction, job commitment, motivation, engagement, and well-being, suggesting a widening consideration of knowledge worker productivity.…”