The Balance Theory and the Work System Model … Twenty Years Later

Abstract

This article describes the origins of the work system model and the Balance Theory, which were developed as a way of integrating knowledge about work from various bodies of literature: job/organizational design, job stress, and human factors and ergonomics. Key concepts of the Balance Theory are reviewed. The work system model and associated design principles are described. Originally, the Balance Theory emphasized the impact of work on job stress; other worker outcomes were later described such as job satisfaction, and worker health, safety, and well-being. In conclusion, the article describes four emerging areas of application of the Balance Theory: (a) impact of the work system on worker performance, (b) multilevel analysis of the work system, (c) understanding the nonwork sphere, and (d) application to health care and patient safety, also known as the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model of work system and patient safety.

I am indebted to Professor Michael J. Smith for giving me the opportunity to do a Ph.D. under his guidance and support. His vision and dedication to improving work and health are unique and well recognized by many generations of researchers and practitioners in the areas of human factors and ergonomics, occupational safety and health, industrial engineering, labor relations, business, and government. I am also proud to belong to a generation of researchers and practitioners trained in and committed to KU Smith's theory of behavioral cybernetics (K. U. Smith & Smith, 1966; T. J. Smith & Smith, 1988), such as Michael J. Smith was.

Notes

¹The Job Strain model is also known as the Job Demand-Control or JDC model.

²The Sociotechnical Systems Theory focused on the interactions between the technology and the social/work system (Emery & Trist, 1965; Trist & Bamforth, 1951).

³A bibliometric analysis of articles published in Human Factors between 1970 and 2000 by Lee, Cassano-Pinche, and Vicente (2005) shows that the article by Smith and colleagues, “An Investigation of Health Complaints and Job Stress in Video Display Operations,” published in Human Factors in 1981 was by the far the most cited article, with 133 citations; the second article on the list had only 72 citations.