Role Ambiguity and Role Conflict: A Review and Test of their Relation to Job Outcomes

Abstract

This study reviews and investigate the relationships of role ambiguity and conflict with job outcomes. A sample of (175) Saudi employees working in a Saudi Arabian service organization completed a questionnaire. The results show a significant relationships between both roles and general job satisfaction, as well as, job problems. Furthermore, only role conflict shows significant relationship with job commitment. However, both role ambiguity and conflict show no significant relationships with both subordinate performance and supervisor's satisfaction with that performance. These results reflect the results from previous studies. The findings of this study, therefore, indicate that there is a universal validity of role theories developed in the U.S.A.