Define the concept

1
How to define things

• Define the concept
• Define the contrasting concept
• Identify criteria that determine inclusion into
  concept
• Identify examples that illustrate each of the
  criteria
• Identify corresponding examples that can be
  confused w/examples of the concept

2
Defining the Target vs. Contrasting Concept Job
vs. Role

• Definition of a job
• Group of tasks under one job description that can
  be performed by a single person (Ilgen
  Hollenbeck, 1991)
• Are there additional aspects to this definition?
• Check refs cited by original, i.e., Pepinsky
  Pepinsky, 1961 McGrath Altman, 1966 Roby
  Lanzetta, 1958 Hackman, 1969

3
Criteria to determine whether something is a job

• Created by people (or their agents) who benefit
  from it
• Job elements are agreed upon (e.g., could be
  formally described by organization)
• Job elements are separate from the person holding
  the job (i.e., incumbent)
• Do not change daily (but can, over a period of
  time)

Ilgen Hollenbeck, 1991
4
Defining Target vs. Contrasting Concept Job vs.
Role

• Definition of a role
• Group of tasks that emerge from doing a job in a
  particular situation
• Not formalized
• Less precise
• See refs in orignal for similarities and
  differences to this defn
• Specified, communicated maintained by social
  sources (including incumbent) who are not prime
  beneficiaries

Ilgen Hollenbeck, 1991
5
Examples of the Concept Job

• Job of a university instructor
• Delivering lectures
• Grading assignments
• Who is the prime beneficiary?

6
Examples of the Contrasting Concept Role

• Role of a university instructor
• Providing lecture outlines ONLINE or via
  handouts
• Grading assignments in a week
• Identify the social sources

7
Examples of the Contrasting Concept Role

• Role of a student
• Answering questions in class
• Submitting well fastened assignments
• Reading non-required articles cited in lecture to
  further understand lecture material vs. coming to
  office hours for clarification on material
• Is being a student a job?
• Yes Complete and submit assignments
• No Identify the beneficiary

8
To define a concept well, you need to identify

• the contrasting concept
• criteria that determine inclusion into concept
• examples that illustrate each of the criteria
• examples that can be confused w/examples of the
  concept