The Relation of Individual Search Activity to Subjective Job Characteristics

A part of the process of managerial problem solving is search. A number of subjective job characteristics, namely discretion, variety, unpredictability, and work interdependence, were examined to determine whether they are able to discriminate between managers who engage in a high level of search activity and managers who engage in a low level of search activity. Discretion was found to be the most important subjective job characteristic. Variety and work interdependence also contribute to the discrimination of managers along the dimension of search activity.