Summary of Results of Hypothesis Testing

After analyzed the data, the following table showed on the summary of hypothesis testing result.

72 Table 15: Summary of Results of HypothesesNo.HypothesesResultsH1Work design is positively related to work outcomes. H1aTask characteristics are positively related to job satisfaction. SupportedH1bTask characteristics are positively related to job performance. SupportedH1cKnowledge characteristics are positively related to job satisfaction. Partially SupportedH1dKnowledge characteristics are positively related to job performance. Partially SupportedH1eSocial characteristics are positively related to job satisfaction. SupportedH1fSocial characteristics are positively related to job performance. Partially SupportedH1gWork context is positively related to job satisfaction. SupportedH1hWork context is positively related to job performance. Partially SupportedH2Work design is positively related to person-job fit. H2aTask characteristics are positively related to person-job fit. SupportedH2bKnowledge characteristics are positively related to person-job fit. Partially SupportedH2cSocial characteristics are positively related to person-job fit. Partially SupportedH2dWork context is positively related to person-job fit. SupportedH3Person-job fit is positively related to work outcomes. H3aPerson-job fit is positively related to job satisfaction.SupportedH3bPerson-job fit is positively related to job performance. SupportedH4Person-job fit will mediate the relationship between work design and work outcomes. H4aPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between task characteristics and job satisfaction.SupportedH4bPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between task characteristics and job performance. SupportedH4cPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between knowledge characteristics and job satisfaction.SupportedH4dPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between knowledge characteristics and job performance. SupportedH4ePerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between social characteristics and job satisfaction. SupportedH4fPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between social characteristics and job performance. SupportedH4gPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between work context and job satisfaction.SupportedH4hPerson-job fit will mediate the relationship between work context and job performance. SupportedH5Nationality will moderate the relationship between work design, person-job fit and work outcomes. Partially Supported

According to hypothesis 1, the researcher assumed that work design is positively related to work outcomes. While work design includes four dimensions, which are task characteristics, knowledge characteristics, social characteristics and work context. The result showed that most sub dimensions of work design are positively related to job satisfaction and job performance. But, job complexity is not positively related to job satisfaction and job performance. Fortunately, this is similar to Taiwan data, therefore the researcher suggested that future research should try to expand more on this dimension. Besides, received interdependence and equipment use are not related to job performance. In conclusion, task characteristics are positively related to job satisfaction and job performance, so the hypothesis 1a and hypothesis 1b are supported. But knowledge characteristics in hypothesis 1c and hypothesis 1d are partially supported. For social characteristics and work context, both of them are positively related to job satisfaction, which can support hypothesis 1e and 1g; but are partially supported hypothesis 1f and 1h.

From hypothesis 2, the researcher assumed that work design is positively related to person-job fit. And the result showed that the sub dimensions of work design are positively related to person-job fit, except for job complexity and received interdependence. In summary, task characteristics and work context are positively related to person-job fit, so the hypothesis 2a and 2d are supported. However, some of the dimension in knowledge characteristics and social characteristics are not positively related to person-job fit, which means the hypothesis 2b and 2c are partially supported.

In accordance with hypothesis 3, the researcher assumed that person-job fit is positively related to work outcomes. Under this condition, the result supported that person-job fit is positively related to job satisfaction and also job performance. This can support hypothesis 3a and 3b.

Baron & Kenny (1986) quoted that mediation illustrated the generative mechanism of the independent variable able to influence on dependent variable, it means that mediation used to explain on how or why external physical events take on internal psychological significance. To clarify, there are three variable systems in mediation model, which have direct impact of the independent variable to outcome variable, the impact of mediator to outcome variable, and path from independent variable to mediator.

When a variable reaches the following conditions, it operates as a mediator:

(a) variations in the independent variable essentially account for variations in the presumed mediator, (b) variations in the mediator essentially account for variations in the dependent variable, and (c) when path from mediator to outcome variable and path from independent variable to mediator are controlled, it makes a previously significant relationship of the independent and dependent variables no longer significant (Baron & Kenny, 1986). The strongest demonstration of mediation occurs when path from independent variable to outcome variable becomes zero, it is a strong evidence of a single or dominant mediator, which is known as fully mediation. On the contrary, if it does not become zero, this indicated that there are multiple mediating

factors, which is known as partially mediation (Baron & Kenny, 1986; Derek, Kristopher, Zakary & Richard, 2011).

In agreement with hypothesis 4, the researcher assumed that person-job fit will mediate the relationship between work design and work outcomes. The result showed that person-job fit can fully mediate the relationship between sub dimensions of work design and job satisfaction; except for decision-making autonomy, work methods autonomy, information processing, specialization, social support, ergonomics and work condition because their previous relationship still significance, it means that these dimensions are partially mediated. Furthermore, person-job fit can fully mediate the relationship between sub dimensions of work design and job performance;

excluding task variety, task identity, information processing, social support and feedback from others because they still have direct effect on job performance, which means that these few dimensions are partially mediated. So, to sum it up, even some sub dimensions of work design are fully mediated and some of them are partially mediated. But it appeared that all of them supported hypothesis 4 which assumed that person-job fit will mediate the relationship between work design and work outcomes.

In short, the result supported hypothesis 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g and 4h.

Moderator is a variable that affects on strength or direction of relationship between independent variable and dependent variable. This variable affects zero-order correlation between two variables, which means that it occurs when the direction of the correlation changes (Edwards & Lambert, 2007).

Under hypothesis 5, the researcher assumed that nationality will moderate the relationship between work design, person-job fit and work outcomes. Besides, in this study, the researcher would use motivating potential score instead of work design, as the outcome of motivating potential score is similar to work design. Surprisingly, some of them support the hypothesis, while some of them do not support hypothesis.

Moreover, differences way of moderation occurred because under some condition Taiwanese have a stronger effect, and under some conditions Thais have a stronger effect. In this study, the result showed that nationality moderates the relationship between P-J fit and job performance. Moreover, nationality moderates the relationship between MPS and job satisfaction. After all, the researcher had included MPS, P-J fit and the two interactions into the model, and the results indicated that nationality moderates the relationship between MPS, P-J fit, job satisfaction and job performance. In accordance with these results, hypothesis 5 is partially supported.

To sum up, result can support almost all of the hypotheses. However, there were only few hypotheses that cannot be fully supported by the result. What matters here is work design, P-J fit and work outcomes are important factor of work. It is also important to keep in mind that nationality is also important because different countries have differences work conditions as shown in the result of the hypothesis 5.