ASA MODEL/THEORY

(Attraction-Selection-Attrition)

LAARNI TIZEL L. PEBRA

MGT 109, Organizational Theory and Development
 OUTLINE
• Overview
• ASA Model/Theory
• ASA Model Implications for Organizations
 OVERVIEW
Benjamin Schneider ‘s ASA model is
based on Bowers (1973) paper that
pointed out that people are not
randomly assigned to settings, but
they choose themselves in and out
of them, then behave in them, and
thus perhaps determine them.

In short, “The People Make the

Place”.

This is contrary to other studies like

that of Mischel (1968) which
argued that situations, not persons,
caused behavior.
 ASA MODEL/THEORY
ATTRACTION
People’s preferences for
particular organizations
are based on some
estimate of the fit or
congruence of their own
personal characteristics
(personality, values, and
motives) with the
attributes of the
organization they are
evaluating.
 ASA MODEL/THEORY
SELECTION
In the recruitment and hiring procedures,
organizations select people who they think are
compatible with the attributes the organization
desires.

Ample research demonstrate that fit to an

organization’s culture has implications for employee
job satisfaction, turnover, and absenteeism.

The greater the degree of misfit, the more likely an

employee will be to experience dissatisfaction with
the job, be absent, and quit.
 ASA MODEL/THEORY
ATTRITION
It refers to the idea that people will leave an
organization they do not fit.

Of course, economics and job market prospects

moderate the extent to which people leave an
organization they do not fit.
 ASA MODEL/THEORY
SUMMARY
ASA proposes that three
processes – attraction,
selection, and attrition – result
in organizations containing
people with distinct
personalities, and it is these
distinct personalities that are
responsible for the unique
structures, processes, and
cultures that characterize
organizations.
 ASA MODEL IMPLICATIONS FOR
ORGANIZATIONS
As an outcome, organizations will become
increasingly homogenous over time. They will come
to be populated by people of similar personality
profile.

Although it was indicated that there are positive

consequences of good fit for people and
organizations (regarding satisfaction, commitment,
and turnover), the ASA model suggests that the
outcome good fit could be detrimental to the long-
term viability of an organization, particularly if an
organization experiences volatility in its market.
 ASA MODEL IMPLICATIONS FOR
ORGANIZATIONS
Research in social psychology on the effects of
homogeneity on group problem solving supports the
notion that groups engaged in creative problem-solving
tasks do better if they are heterogeneous.

However, as this research implies, the ASA model predicts

that the negative consequences of homogeneity may only
manifest themselves at the upper levels of the
organizational hierarchy (where managers are faced with
strategic decisions). Elsewhere the positive benefits of
homogeneity may outweigh the costs.
USE OF SMARTPHONE APPS IN
ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT
 OUTLINE
• What is Smartphone
• Productivity Pay-off of Mobile Apps at Work
• Some Smartphone Apps to Boost Workplace
Productivity
• The Negative Impact of Smartphones
 WHAT IS SMARTPHONE

The developments and evolutions of the mobile

phone made it smarter; eventually people
started calling it ‘Smartphone.’
 PRODUCTIVITY PAY-OFF OF MOBILE
APPS AT WORK
It seems that in a world that goes increasingly
mobilized, enterprises are starting to embrace
the idea of improved productivity as a result of a
mobile business app.
Companies supporting mobile technologies (as
perceived by their employees) saw increase in
productivity, among other gains, and this
increase seems to be facilitated by the following
four factors:
 PRODUCTIVITY PAY-OFF OF MOBILE
APPS AT WORK
1. Better User Experience
An app that has an easy and intuitive user interface
and covers an effective workflow (e.g. no double
input of data) will be used to a greater extent,
resulting in more work getting done.

On the other hand, mobile apps give the

opportunity to be geographically flexible by
definition, but if this feature is not combined with
ease of use, then they quickly become redundant.
 PRODUCTIVITY PAY-OFF OF MOBILE
APPS AT WORK
2. Flexibility, Collaboration, and Time
The most obvious feature of a mobile application is that it
gives a greater level of flexibility for the employees. Freed
from a 9-5 schedule, your employees can benefit from
individual peak times to improve overall performance.

With enterprise social apps and other channels, collaboration

of employees is made easy. They can easily update or even
train each other for better outputs.

Mobile apps also help to get more things done when your
team is out on the field for deals: the real-time input of the
data (of prospective customers or of orders) results in a faster
sales process.
 PRODUCTIVITY PAY-OFF OF MOBILE
APPS AT WORK
3. Access to Corporate Data
Input is just one side of the equation – the output,
wherever and whenever, is just as important. Mobile
business applications help companies better manage
their data to reach their full potential.

If everyone has access to the same dataset, regardless of

whether or not they are in the office, it radically increases
effectiveness and productivity.

A good example is checking and knowing about the latest

promotion or a recall on a product before closing a deal.
 PRODUCTIVITY PAY-OFF OF MOBILE
APPS AT WORK
4. More Savings
For a new mobile tool to be considered for
productivity improvements, it should prove that
through the productivity gains, business gains
are achieved. It could be visible as savings in
time or money for the organization.
SOME SMARTPHONE APPS TO BOOST
WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
BYOD policies can be very beneficial if they are well thought
out. However, it can also create an imbalance in the
workplace.

The truth is that most companies are better off allowing

BYOD, but it’s not appropriate for every organization. Allowing
employees to bring their own devices to work can hinder
productivity if the right safeguards aren’t place.

It’s important to have a well-thought-out BYOD policy in place.

One of the most important steps is choosing the right apps.
SOME SMARTPHONE APPS TO BOOST
WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
1. Evernote
Employees rarely have access to their computers while taking
notes. Taking notes on your mobile device before transferring
them to your computer can be tedious and exhausting.

Evernote is the perfect solution. It syncs your mobile device

and desktop, which minimizes the steps in the notetaking
process.

There is another great benefit of Evernote. You can use your

phones voice to text tool to create text documents. This is a
much more efficient way to create documents and minimizes
the risk of keyboard related injuries.
SOME SMARTPHONE APPS TO BOOST
WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
2. Wunderlist
Wunderlist is an excellent time management
app. You can create detailed list of tasks that you
need to complete and easily check them off as
they are completed.

This app is a must-have for virtual assistants and

other professionals that have numerous
responsibilities.
SOME SMARTPHONE APPS TO BOOST
WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
3. 1Password
Do you have trouble keeping track of your
passwords? Do you often waste time resetting
ones that you forgot? How much time do you
waste trying to login to accounts you barely use?

1Password is a great password management

service. It remembers all of your passwords and
safely stores them.
SOME SMARTPHONE APPS TO BOOST
WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
4. AwayFind
Email clutter is one of the biggest problems we deal with
every day. The average employee spends a whopping 13 hours
a week checking and sending emails.

While email is an important way to communicate, it’s a

massive time sink for people that get a lot of unimportant
messages.

AwayFind is the solution you are looking for. It is a great app

for managing your inbox. You can specify the recipients you
want to prioritize and worry about other messages later.
SOME SMARTPHONE APPS TO BOOST
WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY
5. Slack
Slack is a communication app that’s far more
efficient than email or phone. It empowers
teams of people to communicate quickly and
effortlessly without wasting energy on tasks that
don’t add value.
Clearly, apps like these improve workplace
efficiency. When used appropriately, businesses
have cost-effective options for handling pain
points that previously demanded expensive
tools and software platforms
 THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF
SMARTPHONES
Increased Distractions
• There are several types of distractions relating to
smartphones which negatively influences and interrupts
the focus of many employees. We have all been there- our
smartphone screen lights up, vibrates or rings that is
initiated from an incoming phone call, text message, or
social media notification.

• This directly contributes to the distractions that exist which

impacts the concentration level of an employee. It is close
to impossible for an individual to ignore any notification,
pointless or important, when he or she is in the
workplace. It takes a lot of self-control to ignore
notifications that do not require immediate attention.
 THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF
SMARTPHONES
Higher Vulnerability to Outside Security Threats
• Perhaps the biggest disadvantage to allowing personal
smartphones and mobile devices in the workplace is
that they increase company vulnerability to outside
security threats. Each individual device represents a
new portal through which a hacker could gain access to
essential company files, servers, and programs.

• In an age when cyber security is one of the chief

concerns of IT departments, smartphones are often
regarded as irresponsible. Most individuals don’t take
the initiative to secure their devices properly and/or
don’t want their employer having access to their
personal property to install security measures.
• The ultimate answer to the question of whether
smartphones have had a positive or negative impact on
the workplace must be: “It depends.” Under the right
corporate leadership, smartphones are tools for good.
Given the wrong guidance, they can be potentially
harmful.

• Clearly, smartphones have a place in the modern

workplace. But we all have to decide how we’re going
to handle them so they become tools for productivity
and efficiency, not 3x5-inch vessels of distraction and
openings for invasion.