Magnifying work outcomes: Cultural tightness-looseness ameliorates the connection of university autonomy-role ambiguity

Abstract

This study aims to stimulate extensive research to determine the role ambiguity as a mediating variable between university autonomy and its possible outcomes (Job satisfaction job performance) through conditioning influence of cultural tightness-looseness. A survey was used to gather the data from 348 (with 77% response rate of participants) respondents working at various positions (i.e. managerial and teaching etc.) in both public and private universities and tested the proposed hypotheses and model. The findings show that university autonomy significantly relates to job satisfaction rather than job performance. Results also depict that role ambiguity works as a partial mediator (in case of autonomy and job satisfaction) while as a full mediator (for autonomy and job performance) the direct association of university autonomy and job performance are not found. This study develops theoretical knowledge about university autonomy and job outcomes through the moderated mediation of culture tightness-looseness and role ambiguity in the context of Pakistani universities. As an important dimension of culture CTL is an amount the strength of social standards in a civilization and the degree to which deviations from these norms are tolerated. This study also explores the key mechanism of submissively holding back of the relevant thoughts by which role ambiguity hampers job performance and satisfaction. Thus the ways to control this process through encouraging the staff receptive attention and the awareness of current experiences have also been discussed. © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.