Authors:

• Tomislav Hernaus, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business
• Matej Černe, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business
• Aleša Saša Sitar, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business
• Matija Marić, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business
• Sara Melkić, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business

Keywords:

Job design | Task performance | Strategic ambidexterity | Cross-functional integration | Multilevel mediation | Latent profile analysis

Abstract

This two-study, top-down multilevel research examines how to create high-performance jobs within well-designed organizations. By integrating a broad strategic human resource management perspective with the traditional strategy–structure–performance framework and influential job demands–resources theory, we explored whether and how the alignment of cognitive job demands and task-related resources mediates the cross-level relationship between strategy–structure fit and employees' task performance. Multilevel mediation analyses were performed using nested, time-lagged data (Study 1: 874 employees across 49 organizations; Study 2: 479 employees and 171 managers across 40 organizations). Results consistently show that strategy–structure fit, as a macrolevel context, is too distal to directly influence individual work performance. Instead, the alignment of strategic ambidexterity and cross-functional integration enhances microlevel job demands–resources fit, which then improves employees’ task performance. These replicated findings, further supported by latent profile analysis, highlight the importance of contextualizing job design within organizational systems and introduce a multilevel, multi-fit framework with practical insights for human resource and organizational design professionals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed in the article are:

• SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, Technology and Infrastructure

The article is published in:
Technology in Society (ScienceDirect)

The content is freely accessible at:

Contextualizing job design for individual work performance: the role of organizational strategy and structure