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Not all that it might seem: why job satisfaction is worth studying despite it being a poor summary measure of job quality

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Brown

    (University of Leeds, UK)

  • Andy Charlwood

    (University of York, UK)

  • David A Spencer

    (University of Leeds, UK)

Abstract

Interest in data on job satisfaction is increasing in both academic and policy circles. One common way of interpreting these data is to see a positive association between job satisfaction and job quality. Another view is to dismiss the usefulness of job satisfaction data, because workers can often express satisfaction with work where job quality is poor. It is argued that this second view has some validity, but that survey data on job satisfaction and subjective well-being at work are informative if interpreted carefully. If researchers are to come to sensible conclusions about the meaning behind job satisfaction data, information about why workers report job satisfaction is needed. It is in the understanding of why workers report feeling satisfied (or dissatisfied) with their jobs that sociology can make a positive contribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Brown & Andy Charlwood & David A Spencer, 2012. "Not all that it might seem: why job satisfaction is worth studying despite it being a poor summary measure of job quality," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 26(6), pages 1007-1018, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:26:y:2012:i:6:p:1007-1018
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wheatley, Daniel, 2014. "Travel-to-work and subjective well-being: A study of UK dual career households," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 187-196.
    2. Francis Green & Alan Felstead & Duncan Gallie & Hande Inanc, 2016. "Job-Related Well-Being Through the Great Recession," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 389-411, February.
    3. Daniel Wheatley & Craig Bickerton, 2017. "Subjective well-being and engagement in arts, culture and sport," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 41(1), pages 23-45, February.
    4. Santero-Sanchez, Rosa & Segovia-Pérez, Mónica & Castro-Nuñez, Belen & Figueroa-Domecq, Cristina & Talón-Ballestero, Pilar, 2015. "Gender differences in the hospitality industry: A Job quality index," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 234-246.
    5. Achatz, Juliane & Gundert, Stefanie, 2017. "Arbeitsqualität und Jobsuche von erwerbstätigen Grundsicherungsbeziehern," IAB-Forschungsbericht 201710, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    6. Díaz-Chao, Ángel & Ficapal-Cusí, Pilar & Torrent Sellens, Joan, 2014. "Workplace or working environment? Job quality and economic crisis in Spain," EconStor Preprints 162057, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    7. David A. Spencer, 2014. "Conceptualising Work in Economics: Negating a Disutility," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 280-294, May.
    8. Ángel Díaz-Chao & Pilar Ficapal-Cusí & Joan Torrent-Sellens, 2016. "Economic Crisis and Job Quality in Spain: A Multi-dimensional and Micro-data Empirical Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 613-633, January.
    9. Laia OLLÉ-ESPLUGA & Johanna MUCKENHUBER & Markus HADLER, 2019. "Job Quality in Economy for the Common Good Firms in Austria and Germany," CIRIEC Working Papers 1921, CIRIEC - Université de Liège.
    10. Daniel Wheatley & Zhongmin Wu, 2014. "Dual careers, time-use and satisfaction levels: evidence from the British Household Panel Survey," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 443-464, September.
    11. Staelens, Lotte & Louche, Céline & D’Haese, Marijke, 2014. "Understanding job satisfaction in a labor intensive sector: Empirical evidence from the Ethiopian cut flower industry," 2014 International Congress, August 26-29, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia 182815, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Krzywdzinski, Martin & Lechowski, Grzegorz & Mählmeyer, Valentina, 2019. "Lean Work and Gender Inequalities: Manufacturing Consent at a Multinational Car Plant in Provincial Russia," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(2), pages 123-141.
    13. Begoña Cueto & Gabriel Pruneda, 2017. "Job Satisfaction of Wage and Self-Employed Workers. Do Job Preferences Make a Difference?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(1), pages 103-123, March.

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