DYADIC DURATION AND THE PERFORMANCE-SATISFACTION RELATIONSHIP - A CONTEXTUAL PERSPECTIVE

This study examined dyadic duration as a contextual variable affecting the relationship between subordinate performance and job satisfaction . Dyadic duration, the length of time a subordinate has been directed by the same immediate superior, was expected to enhance the performanc e-satisfaction relationship in dyads of shorter duration and neutraliz e this relationship in dyads of longer duration. As anticipated, in sh orter duration dyads, performance was found to be positively associate d with satisfaction with the nature of work, characteristics of superv ision, and characteristics of coworkers. For dyads of longer duration, an unexpected inverse relationship was found between performance and all of these same variables. Overall, these results suggest that consi dering dyadic duration as a contextual variable offers a unique perspe ctive on the relationship between subordinates' performance and job sa tisfaction.