Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

39
to investigate the time-dependant effects on both effort and reward, and
on the experience of high cost/low gain conditions (Chmiel, 2000).
The two theories as critiqued above are probably the two most wellused
models of stress in the workplace, and although many aspects of
both the ERI and JSCS have been demonstrated in various empirical
studies (and reviews of literature), the present thesis is to focus using the
JDCS as its primary theoretical position. Both theories can be seen to
have a strong association with the transactional model, i.e. neither model
lays the responsibility for a stressful reaction seemingly solely at the
individual’s feet, with the JDCS deriving from the stimulus approach also.
The reasoning behind the adoption of the JDCS as a point of reference as
opposed to the ERI in the current study is due to a variety of reasons.
First of all, the JDCS has been used as the one of the reasons behind the
development of the UK Health and Safety Executive’s management
standards, a set of values which the HSE has set as a guideline for
organisations to adhere to, as well as an ‘Indicator Tool’ for agents to
assess the company’s performances against the guidelines set out.
Secondly, despite both of the theories having often conflicting results with
respect to research, the JDCS has been most often and most successfully
utilised within organisations and organisational stress.
Discussion Box 4: How the JDCS fits with the rest of the project
JDCS, Psychosocial sources & Soft Systems Models (SSM) of Change Psychosocial
underpinnings of the JDCS fit well with the use of SSM (Chapter IV, Section 2a) due to the
fuzzy, human-based nature of these methods and the psychosocial focus of the current study.
JDCS & Primary Interventions Primary interventions of workplace stress (Chapter III,
Section 1e) focus on the actual work environment as opposed to increasing an individual’s
ability to cope with stress, thus focussing on the psychosocial nature of stress.