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Virginia Tech

A hypothesized, general causal model of a gainsharing program

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This research study investigated how gainsharing works to affect organizational performance. Six top managers at Commonwealth Paper (a pseudonym) described how they believe their gainsharing program works to affect company operations and performance. From their verbal descriptions, a site-specific causal model was created. This site-specific model was then compared to the gainsharing literature and a general model hypothesized. Future research studies could build on the research findings to enhance the quality of the general case model. Additional site-specific models and the enhanced general model could later be translated to a mathematical simulation model to see what might happen to a gainsharing program over time. The research findings suggest that gainsharing works to affect organizational performance by providing additional forces for performance goal achievement. Gainsharing, however, does not provide a management practice or process through which performance goals are achieved. Because gainsharing can also provide forces for setting safe performance goals, it should be implemented in a culture where a critical mass of managers and workers are both intrinsically motivated and allowed to perform well.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1991

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Rossler, Paul Edward
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Koelling, C. Patrick
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Agee, Marvin H.
  • Torgersen, Paul E.
  • Kiser, K.J.
  • Triantis, Konstantinos P.
  • Pappas, E.C.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-07282008-134445
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38877

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Rossler, Paul Edward. A hypothesized, general causal model of a gainsharing program. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/38877