Abstract
The problem: Motivating and retaining staff had become an ongoing problem at the student newspaper. Student staffers would quit abruptly when overwhelmed or dissatisfied, leaving the newspaper with critical positions vacant. This affected the performance of the newspaper.Method:
The newspaper was organized into self directed work teams (SDWTs). Staffers completed measures of ambiguity tolerance, locus of control, and Big Five personality dimensions (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience). The newspaper editor
(a student) and the staff advisor (who also works as a professional journalist) evaluated the performance of each staffer following the reorganization. Outcome variables were employee performance as measured by this evaluation, number of newspaper pages per issue, and advertising revenue dollars.
Results: Following the reorganization, the paper saw an increase in page count and advertising dollars. Internal locus of control was the sole significant predictor of employee performance under the SDWT structure. Unexpectedly, neither conscientiousness nor agreeableness correlated
with employee performance. Conclusion: Self-directed work teams can improve the performance of student organizations, but the SDWT structure is not right for everyone. Internal locus of control is the strongest predictor of individual performance under the SDWT structure.