Dimensions of Job Scripting in Services Organisations

Abstract

The role of scripts as a job design tool, and the functional and dysfunctional impacts of mindlessness that can result from the habitual and repetitive performance of scripts is examined from a service perspective. Five dimensions of scripts are then proposed: script complexity – the degree to which scripts require cognition during their performance; script intensity – the degree to which the script permits variation and adlibbing in its performance; number of scripts – an absolute measure of the number of scripts that must be learned to perform the job; percentage of time in script – the percentage of work time spent in scripted behaviour; and percentage of scripted duties – the percentage of a worker′s job duties or tasks that are scripted. These dimensions are then examined in the context of the degree of customer‐induced uncertainty experienced by service organisations. Finally, a model is proposed that relates the five script dimensions to high, medium, and low levels of customer‐induced uncertainty.