Job Level and National Culture as Joint Roots of Job Satisfaction

Abstract

Pour examiner les variations de la satisfaction au travail dans une perspective transculturelle et interfonctions, des donées d'enquête d'une compagnie internationale auprès de 129,087 répondants de 39 pays ont été analysées. Des analyses à plusieurs niveaux ont montré que la satisfaction au travail est positivement liée au statut et au niveau de l'emploi exercé dans les pays individualistes sans que soit le cas dans les pays collectivistes. De plus, la relation positive entre la satisfaction au travail et le niveau de l'emploi exercé ne se marque que pour les emplois offrant l'opportunité d'exercer ses compétences dans les pays individualistes. Le niveau de l'emploi est même négativement lié à la satisfaction au travail pour des emplois offrant peu d'opportunité d'exercer ses compétences dans les pays collectivistes.To examine cross-cultural and cross-occupational variations in job satisfaction, data from a multinational company survey with 129,087 respondents from 39 countries was analysed. Multilevel analyses showed that job level is positively related to job satisfaction in individualistic countries but not in collectivistic countries. Moreover, the positive relationship between job level and job satisfaction holds only for jobs with much opportunity to use one's skills and abilities, especially in individualistic countries. Job level is even negatively related to job satisfaction in jobs with little opportunity to use one's skills and abilities in collectivistic countries.

Culture, participative decision making and job satisfaction

“…Such findings suggested that even after decades following the transition to market economies, employees still felt that using their initiative to make decisions within the workplace would be viewed with contempt (Lange, 2009). Taking a different approach, Xu and Van de Vliert (2004) found that job level was positively correlated to job satisfaction within individualistic countries.…”

“…When comparing the effects of different cultures on job satisfaction, the use of data collected through questionnaire surveys seems to be the most feasible approach. With the EVS, and the study by Xu and Van de Vliert (2004) including over 30 countries, data collection by any other approach would seem impractical when considering the costs, time, and logistics involved.…”

“…With numerous countries participating in the EVS and the study by Xu and Van de Vliert (2004), concerns must be raised whether the questionnaires were equivalent across countries. In order to make data collection feasible, questionnaires needed to be translated into different official languages or dialects.…”

“…Xu and Van de Vliert (2004)  129, 087 questionnaire responses (across 39 countries). Job satisfaction was measured by averages -questions on fairness/respect, recognition, benefits, career opportunities, job security, and training.…”

“…In terms of the questionnaire used within the study by Xu and Van de Vliert (2004), professional translation agencies were used. In this instance, no statements were made whether the agencies followed the same guidelines.…”