Ashforth and Fried

Ashforth and Fried (1988) suggested that people develop scripts and their tracks through a series of more or less structured experiences. A job problem that occurs frequently is more likely to elicit script track process- ing, whereas one that occurs infrequently is more likely to elicit strategy processing. Experienced employees should have more script tracks and more accessible tracks than novices (Lurigio & Carroll. 1985; McKeithen, Reitman. Rueter, & Hirtle, 1981). Thus, we expected the length of an em- ployee’s job tenure to he positively related to the numher of script tracks in memory. For the present study, an individual’s number of script tracks included all the tracks in the employee’s various scripts for handling a prohlem.

Hypothesis 1: The frequency of the occurrence of job problems is positively related to the number of script trocks held in memory/or handling the probJems.

Hypothesis 2; The frequency of the occurrence of job problems is related to the type of cognitive structures in- dividuals access to handle them: For frequently occurring job problems, scripf track structures are accessed more

1994 Wofl’ord 183

often than strategy structures, whereas for rarely occur- ring job problems, strategy structures are accessed more often than script track structures.

Hypothesis 3; Employees with Jonger job tenure hold more script tracks in memory than those with shorter tenure.

Using control theory (Carver & Scheier, 1982) as a basis. Lord and Ker- nan (1987) argued that script processes adapt to feedback. Wofford and Goodwin (1990) found that feedback concerning discrepancies between goals and performance results in more new script track and strategy pro- cesses than does feedback tbat does not concern discrepancies. Bartunek and Moch contended that a manager can only change a schema structure by creating “crises” strong enough to “unfreeze” the schema [1987: 495). Tbeir results suggest that a major goal-performance discrepancy [for instance, utter failure to achieve a goal) is necessary to engage strategy processes. A minor goal-performance discrepancy (imperfect performance) engages a previously used script track.

Hypothesis 4: Goal-perform a nee discrepancy is related to the type of cognitive structures used; Previously accessed script track structures are accessed more frequently with minor goal-performance discrepancies, ivhereas new script track structures and strategy structures are ac- cessed more frequently with ma/or goal-performance dis- crepancies.

Little research has dealt with the accessibility of script tracks (Graesser, Gordon, & Sawyer, 1979). Hypothesis 5 is consistent with the “availability heuristic,” which states that the more accessible an instance is in memory, the more likely it is to occur (Kahneman & Tversky, 1987). Hypothesis 5 predicts that the more accessible a script track, the more likely it is to be chosen for use in handling a job problem. The hypothesis holds that people use a “satisficing” principle to select script tracks for implementation. They select the most accessible track rather than making a rational choice from the entire set of tracks in their memories.

Hypothesis 5: The accessibility of script tracks is related to the choice of tracks to handle joh problems: The script track that is most accessible in an employee’s memory is Ihe one most likely to be selected for handling a job prob- lem.

Gognitive complexity represents the degree to which individuals apply multiple perspectives when perceiving and evaluating stimuli within a par- ticular domain (Goodwin, 1991). Gognitive complexity affects the develop- ment of script tracks for a specific job situation. An individual wbo is high on the cognitive complexity trait is likely to try more approaches and to

184 Academy of Manogement /ournai February