Factors impact on job stress of middle managers in vietnam

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
International School of Business
------------------------------

DUONG QUI SUU

FACTORS IMPACT ON JOB STRESS OF
MIDDLE MANAGERS IN VIETNAM

MASTER OF BUSINESS (Honours)

Ho Chi Minh City – Year 2015


UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
International School of Business
------------------------------

DUONG QUI SUU

FACTORS IMPACT ON JOB STRESS OF
MIDDLE MANAGERS IN VIETNAM

ID: 22120108

MASTER OF BUSINESS
SUPERVISOR: CAO HAO THI

Ho Chi Minh City – Year 2015

I

ABSTRACT
Purpose - This study aims to determine the factors impact on job stress of middle
manager in Vietnam and examine how effect of job stress on job performance of people
who get stress at work. A quantitative research design with a sample of 151 valid
respondents was employed. To test reliability and validity of variables, Cronbach’s Alpha
and EFA were applied. Multiple linear regression method was conducted to test the
hypotheses that were described on research model. One-Way ANOVA was used to test the
impact of demographic variables on job stress of middle managers in Vietnam.
Findings - the results have showed that four independent factors which are work
overload, conflict at work, lack of support and unfavorable work environment have
positively impact on job stress. The factor of work overload has strongest effect on job
stress; the second is conflict at work; the third are lack of support and unfavorable work
environment factors have nearly the same impact on job stress. The results also indicated
that job stress has negatively effect on job performance. Finally, the ANOVA testing
results have pointed out that gender and marital status have no difference effect on job
stress. Whereas management experience and age have different level of influence on job
stress of middle managers in Vietnam.
Key words: Middle managers, Job stress, Job performance, Work overload, Conflict at
Work, Lack of support, Work environment


II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am sincerely thank you to the lecturers at International School of Business (ISB) of
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh city (UEH) have given me valuable knowledges
during the past years. Especially, Mr. Cao Hao Thi, my supervisor, patiently offered
valuable advice and enthusiastic guides at each step to support me implementation this

research.
I would like to extend “thank you” to all my colleagues at Schindler Vietnam Co., Ltd,
Nissey Vietnam Co., Ltd, Metkraft Vietnam Co., Ltd, Hiep Phuoc Power Co., Ltd, PLUS
Vietnam Industrial Co., Ltd, Crown Dong Nai Co., Ltd, Ba Huan Co., Ltd, and thank to
all my classmates at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, have actively
supported me to completed this study.


III

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................... I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... II
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................ III
LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... V
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................... VI
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1
1.1

Background and Problem Statement ............................................................................................. 1

1.2

Research Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 3

1.3

Research Questions ....................................................................................................................... 3

1.4

Research Contribution................................................................................................................... 4

1.5

Research Scope ............................................................................................................................. 4

1.6

Research Structure ........................................................................................................................ 5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................... 6
2.1

Job Stress ...................................................................................................................................... 6

2.2

Job Performance............................................................................................................................ 7

2.3

Relationship between Job Stress and Job Performance ................................................................ 7

2.4

Factors That Impact on Job Stress ................................................................................................ 8

2.5

Research Hypotheses .................................................................................................................. 11

2.5.1

Hypotheses between organizational factors and job stress ................................................ 12

2.5.2

Hypotheses between demographic factors and job stress ................................................... 14

2.5.3

Hypothesis between job stress on job performance ............................................................ 15

2.6

Research Model .......................................................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................ 18
3.1

Research Process ......................................................................................................................... 18

3.2

Measurement Scales.................................................................................................................... 20

3.2.1

Measurement scales for independent factors .................................................................... 20

3.2.2

Measurement scales for dependent factors ......................................................................... 21

3.2.3

Measurement scales for demographic factor ...................................................................... 22


IV
3.3

Questionnaire Design .................................................................................................................. 23

3.4

Data Collection Method .............................................................................................................. 24

3.4.1

Sampling method ................................................................................................................. 24

3.4.2

Pilot study ........................................................................................................................... 24

3.4.3

Main survey ......................................................................................................................... 27

3.5

Data Analysis Method................................................................................................................. 27

3.5.1

Reliability testing assumptions............................................................................................ 28

3.5.2

Validity testing assumptions................................................................................................ 28

3.5.3

Hypotheses testing assumptions .......................................................................................... 29

3.5.4

ANOVA testing assumptions ............................................................................................... 29

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS.................................................................................. 31
4.1

Descriptive Data.......................................................................................................................... 31

4.2

Reliability Testing ....................................................................................................................... 32

4.3

Validity Testing .......................................................................................................................... 34

4.4

Hypotheses Testing ..................................................................................................................... 39

4.5

ANOVA Testing ......................................................................................................................... 42

4.6

Data Analysis Results and Findings............................................................................................ 43

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................... 46
5.1

Overview of Research ................................................................................................................. 46

5.2

Discussion of the Findings .......................................................................................................... 47

5.3

Practical Implications.................................................................................................................. 49

5.4

Limitations and Further Research ............................................................................................... 50

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 52
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................. 56
APPENDIX A1: English version of primary questionnaire ................................................................... 56
APPENDIX A2: Vietnamese version of primary questionnaire ............................................................. 59
APPENDIX A3: English version of final questionnaire ......................................................................... 62
APPENDIX A4: Vietnamese version of final questionnaire .................................................................. 65
APPENDIX A5: Sources of questionnaire items .................................................................................... 68


V

LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1: Summary of the factors leading to job stress based on previous research ....... 10
Table 3.1: Measurement variables for independent factors based on previous research .. 21
Table 3.2: Measurement variables for dependent factors based on previous research ..... 22
Table 3.3: Pilot test results of Cronbach’s Alpha .............................................................. 26
Table 4.1: Sample profile of respondents .......................................................................... 31
Table 4.2: Cronbach’s Alpha reliability test results .......................................................... 33
Table 4.3: Final results of Cronbach’s Alpha after deleted unsupported variable ........... 34
Table 4.4: First EFA test for independent factors results .................................................. 35
Table 4.5: Final EFA test for independent factors results ................................................ 36
Table 4.6: EFA testing results of job stress factor............................................................. 37
Table 4.7: EFA testing results of job performance factor ................................................. 38
Table 4.8: The first model testing results .......................................................................... 39
Table 4.9: The second hypotheses testing result ............................................................... 41
Table 4.10: The results of testing hypotheses ................................................................... 42
Table 4.11: ANOVA testing for Demographic Variables ................................................. 43

VI

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Research model ............................................................................................... 16
Figure 3.1: Research Process ............................................................................................. 19
Figure 3: Regression histogram……….............................................................................69


1

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, many challenges of business environment that requires management
team of each company have to working hard to maintain and develop company business.
There are a lot of duties that management team of companies have to do daily such as
develop a good team, update new technologies, motivate employees to deliver higher
performance, complete paper works, plan and control business results (Brotheridge &
Long, 2007). Besides that management team is also deal with unexpected issues may
happen daily such as conflict at work, poor work environmental conditions, lack of
support from supervisors, colleagues and subordinates, wasting time for unnecessary
things. From these reasons, middle management in companies normally gets high stress
at work (Fayza, 2013). Today, job stress has become a major problem that management
team has to deal with daily. In order to understand more clearly the about job stress and
how it impact on job performance of managers who get stress at work, this research had
focused on studying stress factors and examined the effect of job stress on job
performance of middle manager in Vietnam.
1.1 Background and Problem Statement
Vietnam is a developing country. There are many big companies including foreigner
and Vietnamese’s companies have opened business in Vietnam. They need a good quality

labor force to develop business. Middle managers have become a target of all companies
for hunting. Besides advantages, the job requirements of middle manger have higher and
higher over time. They are considered an important link between the top management and
employees. Managers have to set up plan, manage and communicate among employees to
implement company’s strategy. Therefore, management team normally get high pressure
from work, especially middle managers they get a lot of pressures from their supervisors,
colleagues and requirements of managing their subordinates to achieve the company's
goals (Aizzat et al, 2005). For that reason middle managers have always been in a state of


2

high stress at work. This study focus on investigating the factors leading to job stress and
examine the relationship between job stress and job performance of middle managers
who are working at companies in Vietnam.
There are many studies talk about the stress at work on the world (Perrewe &
Ganster 1989., Dua, 1994., Beehr, 1998., Fayza, 2013, Aizzat et al., 2005, Hassan,
Hamid, & Saeid, 2014), these research had presented that the factors leading to job stress
came from various reasons including role conflict, role ambiguity, work overload, lack of
support from organization, less reward and recognition, career block, less opportunity to
promotion, pressure of time. The level of stress was also difference based on
demographic variables such as gender, marital status, age, experience or personalities of
each person. Aizzat et al., (2005) had stated that people had high ambition, expectation or
high neuroticism would get higher stress at work. Another research of Yu-Chi Wu (2011)
had indicated that there is a relationship between job stress and job performance, people
who get higher stress at work may deliver lower job performance than people who get
less job stress.
In Vietnam, there are some research had studied the influence of job stress on
quality of life, health. Le Quoc Nam (2008) had presented that the causes of stress may
be work overload, work long hours, unstable job, poor work environmental conditions

such as hot, noise, lack of space, unsafe, air pollution. This author had also presented the
consequences of job stress that people be in highly stress usually feel exhausted
whenever, headache, sleep problem, less concentrate, easy angry, even feel hopeless and
suicide. However, most articles in Vietnam had presented the causes of stress and given
the general impact of stress on the health, quality of life of people who are facing with
job stress. Very few studies have deeply researched the influence level of each stressor
factors impact on job stress as well as examine the effect of job stress on job performance
of middle managers in Vietnam. Therefore, this study will focus on identifying the
factors that lead to stress at work, and evaluated the strength each factor affecting on job


3

stress. This study is also examining how impact of job stress on job performance of
middle managers who are working at companies in Vietnam.
1.2 Research Objectives
The objectives for this research are to investigate factors leading to job stress and
examine the influence of job stress on job performance of middle managers who are
working at companies in Vietnam. The three specific objectives have addressed in this
research. Firstly, to identify the factors that impact on job stress of middle managers who
are working in Vietnam. Secondly, to examine the strength of each factor affect on job
stress and testing how the demographic variables impact on job stress of middle
managers. Thirdly, to examine the impact of job stress on job performance of middle
managers who are working at companies in Vietnam.
The middle managers were understood as communicators and translators of the top
management strategic intentions (Ahmad. S. 2013). Ahmad (2013) had stated that middle
managers play a key role in organizational strategic activities and outcomes. They are the
important link between the top management and employees. Middle managers
communicate, plan, manage and turn the ideas of top management into reality. The role
of middle management team is extremely important to the success or failure of an

organization. Middle managers include department heads, brand managers, functional
managers, supervisors, section chiefs, team leaders who are working in companies in
Vietnam. Middle managers will be the target respondents for this research.
1.3 Research Questions
Based on research background and research objectives, research questions were
developed to investigate job stress as well as verified how job stress impact on job
performance of middle managers in Vietnam. The three specific research questions in this
research are:
RQ1: What factors impact on job stress of middle managers who are working at
companies in Vietnam?


4

RQ2: Whether each factor impact on job stress of middle managers and strength of
its influence? How do demographic variables impact on job stress?
RQ3: How does job stress impact on job performance of middle managers in
Vietnam?
1.4 Research Contribution
Job stress is a big affect on the quality of work of employees in Vietnam. Ability to
deal with stress will help employee improve their performance, so this research will
investigate the factors leading to job stress. The findings through data analysis results will
help managers in Vietnam understand the factors that impacted on their stress at work.
From that, the managers can find the properly way to control their stress better to enhance
productivity.
1.5 Research Scope
The scope of this research is focusing on investigating the factors that impact on job
stress of middle managers who are working at companies in Vietnam. Middle managers
include group leaders, supervisors, section chiefs, managers or directors, who are
working with their bosses, co-workers and their subordinates daily. Quantity of

respondent from each company fluctuated from 1 to 30 depend on the size of company.
The selected respondents may be working on various types of businesses including
manufacturing, services and both of foreigner’s companies and Vietnamese’s companies
in Vietnam. The respondents will answer questions by face to interview, answer the
questionnaire through email or mark suitable choices on hard copy of questionnaire. To
make sure data collected reliable for analysis, a pilot study was conducted by face to face
interview and group discussion. The feedbacks from pilot study have used for modifying
the questionnaire that have applied for main survey.
Data gathered from the sample were used to analyze and verify the correlations
between independent factors and dependent factors. The first step would be coding of


5

each variable then test reliability by Cronbach’s Alpha, test validity by Exploratory
Factor Analysis (EFA), and hypothesis test by multiple regression analysis. In order to
examine the relationship between demographic variables and job stress the One-way
ANOVA was conducted. SPSS software version 22 was used for data analysis in this
research
1.6 Research Structure
This research has structured by five chapters including, Chapter 1 introduce the
background, objective of study, research questions, scope, significant and contribution of
research. Chapter 2 reviews theories relative to job stress, job performance, develop
hypotheses and research model. Chapter 3 describes the methods employed in conducting
the investigation, including research design, sampling, and instrument development stated
the research methodology. Chapter 4 analyzes data and carry out the strength of each
independent factors impact on job stress, explain how job stress impact on job
performance. Furthermore, how the demographic variables influence on job stress also
state in this chapter. Chapter 5 presents conclusions and interpretation of results. From
that, recommend practical implications to managers dealing with job stress better to

enhance their job performance.


6

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
The main factors to investigate in this research are job stress and job performance of
middle manger in Vietnam. Therefore, this chapter focuses on presenting definitions,
theories and previous research related to job stress and job performance. Through
reviewing previous research and theories, the factors that impact on job stress are found
in this chapter. The research hypotheses are developed and the research model is
established to describe relationship among studied factors in this research.
2.1 Job Stress
The definitions of stress had been given under different ways. According to National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1999) “Work stress is defined as the harmful
physical and emotional responses that occur when job requirements do not match the
worker’s capabilities, resources, and needs”. Safaria, et al. (2011), has presented that
“stress is an interactional process between environmental system and the adaptive
resources of the individual system” (p. 92). Stress was separated to two kinds of stress
including positive stress and negative stress (Krit, 2011). The positive stress have good
effect for people who get it, example someone have done a good job and company has
reward him/her in front of top management and require him/her say something about
his/her results. In this case he/she would get a little bit nervous and make his/her stress,
that was considered a positive stress. This research focus on studying the negative stress,
that makes people suffering, tired when facing with stress at work.
The causes of job stress have been divided to two main groups (Aizzat, et al. 2005).
The first group was external factors such as job demands, problem in work, budget
control, environmental conditions, organizational culture, bosses personality, relationship
with colleagues. The second group was internal factors such as personality, ambition,
age, genders, emotion. This study has focused on investigating both of stressors including

external factors and internal factors that lead to job stress of middle managers in
Vietnam.


7

2.2 Job Performance
Job performance can be understood in various ways. Campbell (1990) had described
that work performance as behaviors or actions which are relevant to the goals of an
organization. Ojo, et al. (2014) had quoted that “job performance can be defined as
measurable actions, behavior and outcomes that employees engage in or bring about that
contribute to organizational goals”. Job performance can be understood that the quantity
and quality of outcomes of individual or group contribute to organizational goals (Wu,
2011). Today, in the global competitive environment, many organizations have extended
measure job performance level by establishing work standards include assessing the
results and behaviors of employees that contribute to the success of the organization
(Chen, 2009). Based on study of Motowidlo & Van Scotter (1994) the job performance
can be divided into task performance and contextual performance. Task performance
refers to outcome of individual’s efforts that directly associated with organizational
expectations, whereas contextual performance refers to how willing of employees engage
voluntarily in unofficial activities, cooperate with others, comply with organizational
rules and processes, build the culture of company (Chen, 2009). Job performance of
employees has played important roles in leading to the success of an organization, for
that reason, job performance was one of key factor has been studied in this research.
2.3 Relationship between Job Stress and Job Performance
Job performance of employees depended on numerous of factors such as employee’s
abilities, characteristic of jobs, supporting from organization. However, job stress was
one of important factor impact on job performance (Chen, 2009). According to Ojo, et al.
(2014) had concluded that the greater the stress at work, the less productivity of work
force, and job stress had impacted a lot on quality of work and job performance. Afsheen,

(2012) had stated that when people was working in organizations face higher levels of
stress, their performance would be decreased and was mostly unable to deliver their best.
People who got high stress at work would deliver lower job performance than people who
got less stress at work (Mehmet et al, 2015, Afsheen et al, 2012). Recently, the job


8

environment in Vietnam has changed dramatically, it required employees have to deliver
higher performance and get high pressure from their work. Thus, in this study the
relationship between job stress and job performance of middle manager in Vietnam was
explored and the findings were used for practical implication in Vietnam.
2.4 Factors That Impact on Job Stress
The previous researches have mentioned about the causes and effect of job stress.
Causes of distress may come from various factors such as work long hours, job safety,
lack of time, work overload, work environmental conditions such as noisy, hot, lack of
spaces, management culture, boss personalities, unfair at work, less reward/recognition/
promotion (Dua & Jagdish, 1994). Demographic variables were also affecting on job
stress of people who are facing with them, so demographic variables were considered one
of source of stress. Consequences of job stress make people feel tension, anxiety, worries,
depression, always feel exhausted, easy angry, poor concentrate, easy make mistakes
(Idris, Dollard, & Winefield, 2010).
According to Aizzat, et al. (2005) had mentioned that the factors affecting on job
stress come from five organizational variables including conflict, blocked career,
alienation, work overload and unfavorable work environment. Author had stated that
people got conflict at work, felt less opportunity to develop career, isolated from
coworkers, worked many task at the same time and poor work environmental conditions
such as noise, hot, less space would get higher stress than the other. In addition Aizzat, et
al. (2005) had proved that the personality trait was also impacting on the job stress,
people who had higher level of neuroticism would get higher level of job stress than

people who had lower level of neuroticism. Beehr (1998) showed that the stressors may
came from limited time to finish job requirement, personality, work environmental
conditions, business process, organizational factors, human and colleagues.
Another article of Moore (2000) “One road to turnover: An examination of work
exhaustion in technology professionals” stated that role conflict, role ambiguity,


9

workload, autonomy and fairness of reward were affecting on job stress and it lead to
work exhausted and turnover intention. Quote from article “Role stressors, participative
control, and subjective fit with organizational values: Main and moderating effects on
employee outcomes” (Cameron & Nerina, 2008). The stressors had been mentioned that
role conflict, role ambiguity, not enough abilities to do the work, participative control,
lack of support from supervisor, subjective fit in organization. These stressors had
affected to job satisfaction and intention to left company. Based on Davidson and
Sutherland (1992) had indicated the time pressure, working long hours, insufficient time
to pursue leisure interests, volume of paper work, insufficient time spend with family,
travel to and back from the work, lack of support, inadequacy of communication flow or
ambiguity, staff shortage or overload, and role conflict were positively related to job
stress.
Based on previous research, the factors leading to job stress of middle managers
were summarized in Table 2.1. There were numerous factors that impact on job stress.
However, these factors could overlap each other. Therefore, this research has
consolidated these factors into some significant factors. The first group was work
overload, lack of time, work long hour, limit of time, time pressure, not enough abilities
and staff shortage. These stressors had the same source of stress is overload, so this group
would be represented by a factor namely “Work Overload”. Work overload was defined
as “the amount of work that exceeds what individual can accomplish in a given period of
time” (Perrewe & Ganster, 1989). Overload when people had been required working too

long hour, over ability and many tasks in short time (Michelle & John, 2005). For these
reasons, work overload was considered a significant factors impacting on job stress of
middle managers in companies.


10

Table 2.1: Summary of the factors leading to job stress based on previous research
Stressors
Research
papers or
authors

Work overload,
lack of time,
work long hour,
Limit of time,
Time pressure,
Not enough
abilities
Staff shortage

Role
Conflict
Role
ambiguity
Conflict at
work
Conflict
interests,

point of
view

Unfavorable
work
environment
Unfavorable
environmental
conditions,
noisy, hot,
lack of space
Unexpected
situation

Management
culture
Business
process
Communication
flow ambiguity
Boss’
personalities

Lack of
support from
supervisors
Lack of
support from
organization

+

+

+

Aizzat, et
al. (2005)

+

+

+

Beerhr.
(1998).

+

Moore &
Ellen
(2000)

+

+

Cameron
& Nerina

(2008)

+

+

+

+

Davidson
&
Sutherlan
d (1992)

+

+

+

+

+

Block
career
Unfair at
work,

+

+

+

+

+

+

Less
reward/
recognition
/promotion
Job safety

Lack of
support from
colleagues
and relative
departments

Dua &
Jagdish,
(1994)

+

Alienation
from
coworkers

+

+

+

The second group of factors leading to job stress was conflict. Conflict at work
included role conflict, conflict of interest, conflict about points of view, solutions. Even
role ambiguity in workplace had also created the conflicts among employees within
company (Simon & Friedman, 2002). All kind of conflicts would be consolidated to one
factor namely “Conflict at Work” and this research examine how effect of conflicts at
work on job stress.
The group number three was lack of support from colleagues and organization. Lack
of support from colleagues included lack of support from supervisors, coworkers,
subordinates and lack of support from organization was presented by organizational


11

culture, business process, reward/ recognition policy, communication flow, career
development. All these factors have the similar source of job stress is “Lack of Support”.
Besides that Kelloway and Day, (2005) had also stated that poor interpersonal
relationships in the workplace were consistently identified as a source of stress. Because
of that, lack of support from colleagues and organization was studied as critical factor
impact on job stress of middle managers.
Finally, unfavorable work environment such as crowding, noise, air pollution, dirty,

dusty, ergonomic problem (Fayza, 2013) were a big issues that impact on job stress of
employees. These factors were combined to one factor namely “Unfavorable Work
Environment” in this research.
Besides above external factors which were work overload, conflict at work, lack of
support from colleagues and unfavorable work environment has impacted on job stress,
the internal factors such as personality, emotion, education, ambition, family problem or
quantity of children were also the sources of job stress. Moreover demographic factors
including gender, age, marital status and work experience (Aizzat et al. 2005) has also
impacted on job stress of employees. People have high ambitious, easy angry, easy get
emotional, pessimistic thinking had tended to get high stress than other. The old people
who older than 45 years with lower stress than young people (Aleksandar, 2013). The
managers who have long work experience had less stress at work than the people who
have less experience (Aizzat et al, 2005). To examine whether demographic factors
impact on job stress or not, it will be studied as independent factors in this research.
2.5 Research Hypotheses
Stress at work could be caused by work environment, organization and individual
characteristic (Aizzat,

et al. 2005. Mohanty & Chowdhury, 2014). There were a

numerous factors affecting on work stress. However, this research have just investigated
four organizational variables could impact on job stress namely conflict in work, work
overload, lack of support from colleagues and unfavorable work environment. Besides


12

that, previous research (Kelloway, et al. 2005, Mohanty, 2014) had also expressed that
individual variables such as gender, age, marital status, work experience had also
influenced on stress at work. In addition, there were a lot of previous research (Yu-Chi

Vu, 2011, Ojo, et al. 2014, Afsheen, et al. 2012) indicated that people who got higher
stress at work tend to deliver lower job performance than the other. This section reviews
previous research to developed hypotheses for verifying the impact of four organizational
factors on job stress, examine the correlation between demographic factors and job stress
and studied the relationship between job stress and job performance of middle managers
in Vietnam.
2.5.1 Hypotheses between organizational factors and job stress
The first factor that was considered one of source of job stress is work overload.
Moore (2000) had found that work overload was strongest contribution to work
exhaustion and it lead to turnover intention, (p. 141). According to Perrewe et al, (1989)
the high job demands had lead to more strain as evidenced by low job satisfaction and
high anxiety. Another paper “Stress and Construction Site Managers” of Davidson and
Sutherland (1992) indicated that work overload was one of factor impacting on stress and
job dissatisfaction. Vietnam is a developing country. Most companies in Vietnam want to
expand their business in worldwide. It required the management team of companies
working hard to achieve company goals. Therefore the job demands of management team
have increased corresponding with company strategy. They need to work longer hour,
control multiple tasks as the same time. So work overload could be considered positively
impacted on job stress, the hypothesis was developed to test the correlations between
work overload and job stress as following:
H1: Work overload has positively impacted on job stress of middle managers in
Vietnam.
Conflict at work occurs when two or more people confront with disagreement
because of different needs, aims, point of view and interest (Hasani & Boroujerdi, 2013


13

pp.99-100). According to Spratlen (1995) the conflict at work had come from
interpersonal conflict which included mistreatment. There were four types of

mistreatment namely verbal, physical, environment and others. Verbal mistreatment
could be yelling, swearing and loud emotional burst. Physical mistreatment was defined
as finger point, kicking objects. Environmental mistreatment could be ignored, isolation,
and other mistreatment such as misuse email, memo, post it notes. The author had also
mentioned that interpersonal conflict was negatively effect on job satisfaction and job
performance. Another research of Tidd and Friedman (2002) had indicated that conflict
in work was positively related to work stress, (p. 239). According to Nanik, et al (2011)
had quoted that role conflict and role ambiguity was positively related to work stress and
people who got high stress at work stress had low job satisfaction. Based on previous
research the conflict at work had positively impacted on job stress. This problem could be
happened with middle managers who are working at companies in Vietnam. In order to
test the effect of conflict at work on job stress of middle managers in Vietnam, a
hypothesis was developed to examine the correlation between conflict at work and job
stress as following.
H2: Conflict at work has positively impacted on job stress of middle managers in
Vietnam.
Another factor affecting on job stress of middle managers was lack of support from
supervisors, co-workers, relative departments, organization’s policy or even subordinates
had not supported to complete the work (Davidson et al, 1992, Spence, Purdy, Cho and
Almost, 2006). Spence et al, (2006) had pointed out that lack of support from the
managers was the main stressor at work. The author also stated that key components of
manager’s

job

satisfaction

were supportive

communication

with

supervisors,

participation in management decisions, empowerment to manage the work, and effective
administrative systems. If managers had not got support or instructions from their
supervisors, their work had become more difficult and delivered lower results. From that,
managers had been discouraged on work and stressfully. Besides lack of support from


14

supervisors, lack of support from coworkers or relative departments was also considered
one of source of stress at work (Pamela et al, 2010). Normally, in order to achieve the
company’s goals that required all people or all departments in company have to work
together, the results of one department would affected to results of other departments. As
a middle manager lead a team in company, they really need support from co-workers to
complete their work, if mangers got lack of support from relative people in company,
they would got high stress at work. A hypothesis was set up to examine the relationship
between lack of support within organization and job stress of managers in Vietnam.
H3: Lack of support from relative people in organization has positively impacted on
job stress of middle managers in Vietnam.
Unfavorable work environment was one of stressor at work. According to
Fairbrother and Warn (2003), the physical conditions such as high noise level,
overcrowding in the workplace or lack of privacy was positive related to stress at work.
Ornelas and Kleiner (2003) had illustrated that poor environmental conditions such as
unpleasant or dangerous physical conditions, noise, crowding, air pollution have
positively impact on job stress. This problem could be corrective with work
environmental conditions in Vietnam, especially people working at manufacturing

factory, construction site, even people working at hospitals or banks, they had also facing
with noise, crowding or sitting long hour on chair. These reasons could make people
stressful at work. A hypothesis was developed to verify correlation between unfavorable
work environmental and job stress of middle manager in Vietnam.
H4: Unfavorable work environment has positively impacted on job stress of middle
managers in Vietnam.
2.5.2

Hypotheses between demographic factors and job stress

According to Aizzat et al (2005) had stated that personality traits of employees had
impacted on their job stress. People with high ambition, easy angry, worry about job,
result orientation, pessimistic thinking had tended to get high stress than other. Pilar et al
(2013) had stated that men perceive greater pressure from quantitative demands in the


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workplace, while women perceive greater pressure from qualitative or psychological
demands. But men are generally more pessimistic than women with regards the risk of
suffering an illness in the workplace. Mirei et al (2007) had indicated in the paper “The
Relation between Cumulative Fatigue and Marital Status in Japanese Workers” that
unmarried status was more associated with fatigue than was married status and being
overworked, so marital status was also considered a variables affecting on job stress. The
old people who older than 45 years with lower stress than young people (Aleksandar,
2013). The persons who have long work experience had less stress at work than the
people who have less experience (Aizzat et al, 2005). A hypothesis was developed to
examine how demographic variables which are gender, marital status, age and work
experience influence on job stress of middle managers in Vietnam.
H5: Demographic factors has related to job stress of middle managers in Vietnam.

2.5.3 Hypothesis between job stress on job performance
Previous research had illustrated that people who got high stress at work tend to
deliver low job performance (Chen, 2009. Yu-Chi Wu, 2011). When people get high
stress, they will have problem with sleeping, exhausted, less concentrate on work, so job
stress had negatively impacted on job performance of employees who get high stress at
work (Ojo, et al. 2014). Moreover, Afsheen et al, (2012) had stated that stressful people
would be easy to get angry, depression, worrying and easy make mistake at work. For
these reasons job stress had limited ability of staffs to solving problem and ability to
achieve their job’s goal as expected. This situation could happen with managers in
Vietnam. A hypothesis was developed to test relationship between job stress and job
performance of middle manger in Vietnam as following.
H6: Job stress has negatively impacted on job performance of middle managers in
Vietnam.


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2.6 Research Model
Based on literature review, there were four significant organizational factors leading
to job stress including conflict in work, work overload, lack of support from relative
people in organization and unfavorable work environment. The previous research also
indicated that demographic variables had contributed increasing stress at work. In order
to verify the correlations among these factors, a research model had been developed as
Figure 2.1.
RESEARCH MODEL

Work overload
H1+
Conflicts at work
H2+

H6Job stress

Lack of support

H3+
H4+

Unfavorable work
environment

Job performance

H5
Demographic
variables

Figure 2.1: Research model
Based on research model above the job stress factor had played two roles were
independent and dependent factors. Therefore, the research model was considered a path
model. So that, this research model needs to assess the suitability by generalized squared
multiple correlation coefficient in this research.
In summary, Chapter 2 has showed comprehensive discussion about the theories
related to all factors had mentioned in research model. The literature review indicated
that there were four organizational factors had positive impacted on job stress namely


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work overload, conflict at work, lack of support and unfavorable work environment. The

research model was developed to examine the relationship between independent factors
and dependent factors. In addition, the model has also examined the effect of
demographic variables on job stress. People who got higher stress could deliver lower job
performance than others who got less stress at work, so the correlation of job stress and
job performance was also examined in this study.