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Job satisfaction has positive outcomes for individuals and organizations. These include decreased turnover and conflict, increased productivity, improved work quality and creativity and innovation. Determinants entail work–life balance, advancement and development opportunities, relationships with co-workers and managers, working conditions and intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, among others. Understanding these determinants across workers and contexts is critical for effective management and the achievement of organizational goals. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

This study, based on data from the International Social Survey Program, examines the impact of various aspects of work-life balance, rewards and work relations on job satisfaction across occupations.

Findings indicate more differences than similarities among countries and occupations with workers in managerial and professional positions experiencing the highest job satisfaction levels.

Although extensive research has documented the benefits and determinants of job satisfaction, it has not focused on global comparisons across occupational categories.

This study offers a global comparative analysis of variables associated with job satisfaction, specifically work-life balance, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and work relations on job satisfaction for hotel housekeepers.

The study analyzes these variants across 29 countries using International Social Survey Program data.

Findings indicate significant differences in job satisfaction for hotel housekeepers across countries, lower job satisfaction for hospitality occupations compared to all other occupational categories, lower job satisfaction for hotel housekeepers than employees in other hospitality occupations, and a statistically significant positive impact of some elements of work-life balance, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and coworker relations on job satisfaction.

The hospitality industry is characterized by poor work-life balance, high turnover rates and limited rewards. Hotel housekeepers report lower levels of satisfaction than other hospitality workers in terms of work-life balance, pay, relationships with managers, useful work and interesting work. Housekeepers play an important role in hotel quality and guest satisfaction. As such, understanding and addressing factors contributing to job satisfaction for hotel housekeepers is critical for managers

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to determine if job satisfaction increases with age, and if this is consistent across countries; and second, if individuals belonging to the same age cohort, who experience similar life conditions and events and have been posited to share common attitudes and behaviors, differ in terms of job satisfaction, and if this difference is comparable across countries.

The study provides a comparative analysis of the impact of age and generational differences on job satisfaction globally, based on non-panel longitudinal data from the most recent wave of the International Social Survey Program (Work Orientations IV, 2015).

Age has a positive statistically significant impact on job satisfaction (e.g. the older you get, the more satisfied you are with your job). However, the same analysis with each specific age cohort indicates that age is only statistically significant with the baby boomers. Statistically significant cross-generational differences exist in the levels of job satisfaction across generations and cross-generational differences in the determinants of job satisfaction. Most differences are seen between the silent generation and the other three age cohorts.

Previous comparative studies have found that job satisfaction across generations, even within the same or similar countries, shows little variation. Research measuring the relationship between age and job satisfaction indicates three key contradictory findings – satisfaction increases with age, decreases with age, or no relationship exists. The current large-scale, global study updates and extends previous research by exploring similarities and differences in job satisfaction and work quality characteristics by age cohort, with a global sample.

Using Westover's job satisfaction model (based on Kalleberg's 1977 findings and Handel's 2005 study) the purpose of this paper is to re‐examine the job satisfaction‐gender paradox by analyzing cross‐national gender differences in job satisfaction, specifically as these changes relate to differences in the characteristics that men and women experience in the workplace.

This research uses non‐panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program (work orientations I, II, and III: 1989, 1997, 2005 – survey questions on job characteristics and job quality) to examine cross‐national gender differences in job satisfaction and its determinants.

Descriptive statistics and regression analysis show that there is little consistent difference in mean job satisfaction and intrinsic job characteristics scores between men and women across the participating countries in the three ways of data.

The main limitations of this research include: that the key variables are subjective single item indicators; the non‐panel longitudinal nature of the data, meaning one cannot specifically test the direction of causality among the variables examined as easily as would be possible with panel longitudinal data; and some variables of interest and other important control variables could not be included in the analysis, as data were not available for all three waves of the survey.

Due to the fact the worker job satisfaction impacts individual well‐being and a variety of organizational performance outcomes, organizations need to recognize gender differences in employee workplace experiences and the determinants of job satisfaction, particularly from a cross‐national perspective.

As there is a variety of ethical considerations related to gender differences in the workplace, as well as the fact that job satisfaction impacts a variety of societal outcomes, organizations need to recognize gender differences in job satisfaction, and its determinants cross‐nationally.

The main contribution of this paper is the re‐examination of the job satisfaction‐gender paradox by analyzing cross‐national gender differences in job satisfaction from 1989 to 2005, specifically as these changes relate to differences in the characteristics that men and women experience in the workplace.

The vast cross‐disciplinary literature exploring work quality and job satisfaction has linked worker experiences to many individual, organizational, and social outcomes, yet this research has largely failed to shed much light on why cross‐national differences in worker satisfaction and its determinants persist over time. The purpose of this paper to: empirically test (using various bivariate descriptive procedures and comparative OLS regression) significant, cross‐national differences in job satisfaction and its determinants; and explore the reasons for these cross‐national differences, moving beyond the research of social psychologists and organizational behavior researchers, to also include import macro cross‐national factors that directly influence these differences.

In this research, the author applies and extends Handel's Post and Neo‐Fordist framework for understanding job characteristics and job satisfaction, using non‐panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program (Work Orientations I, II, and III:, 1989, 1997, 2005 – survey questions on job characteristics and job quality) and various welfare state country‐contextual variables.

OLS regression results of job satisfaction by country show that for countries with relative higher levels of welfare state safety net provisions, intrinsic work characteristics provide greater overall predictability in overall perceived job satisfaction. Once more, extrinsic work characteristics generally have greater salience and predictability in overall perceived job satisfaction in countries relatively lower levels of welfare state safety net provisions. Furthermore, the results clearly show that regardless of country level of welfare state safety net provisions, intrinsic work characteristics add the most overall predictability to perceived job satisfaction of workers within the study countries. Finally, an often accepted job satisfaction model, commonly considered to be widely generalizable across a wide variety of cross‐cultural and cross‐national contexts, actually appears to have a lack of applicability across countries.

What are the key country‐level contextual and global‐macro variables driving these country differences in job characteristics and perceived worker satisfaction? Prior research could not answer this question. However, this research is the first and only empirical inquiry to look at the relationship between macro welfare state country‐contextual factors and job satisfaction. Like many work attitudes, job satisfaction is a dynamic construct that changes in response to personal and environmental conditions. Finally, monitoring job satisfaction over time and in different contexts allows one to better examine and understand the salient factors that affect job satisfaction.

There is a growing body of comparative research examining country differences in job satisfaction and its determinants. However, existing research cannot explain similarities in job satisfaction levels across very different countries, nor can it explain the differences between seemingly similar countries. Moreover, there has been no significant research conducted to date that has examined the country-level contextual conditions that are poised to impact worker satisfaction and its determinants. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

In this research, the author address this existing gap in the academic literature on job satisfaction by using non-panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program (Work Orientations I, II, and III: 1989, 1997, and 2005) to examine cross-national differences in job satisfaction and its determinants. The author compare and combine previous international political economy theoretical work and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine global macro-level variables and their impact on worker satisfaction cross-nationally.

Study results demonstrate that both intrinsic and extrinsic work characteristics strongly impact worker job satisfaction. Furthermore, country by country regression and HLM results suggest that there are important country differences in both the perceived importance of various work characteristics and workers’ self-report experiences with both intrinsic and extrinsic work characteristics.

To get a clearer picture in the HLM analysis as to the full impact of these various country-contextual impacts on differences in perceived job characteristics and worker satisfaction, future research needs to examine a greater number and wider variety of countries, while exploring other theoretically relevant country-level variables that may help to explore country-level differences from these various cross-national theoretical frameworks. Additionally, a more diverse and greater number of participating countries would also potentially help in achieving levels of significance in the level-2 covariates in the HLM models.

Due to the fact the worker job satisfaction impacts firm performance and various measures of worker well-being, firms (regardless of economic sector or private/public status) need to be cognizant of these differences and unique challenges and work to tailor management philosophy and policy to create a unique work atmosphere that will benefit the interests of both the employer and the employee, as well as society at large.

While the nature of work has changed dramatically in the post-war era in response to economic shifts and an increasingly global economy, particularly over the past two decades, this paper examines the previously unexamined country-level contextual and global macro-historical variables driving differences in work quality and perceived worker satisfaction.

The purpose of this research is to explore key work domains that impact worker job satisfaction and organizational commitment, which in turn impact long‐term worker productivity and performance.

The paper utilizes factor analysis, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis, and basic descriptive statistics (Pearson Correlations, standard deviations, means) to explore the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment and 17 unique work domains.

Survey data confirm 17 statistically valid and reliable work domains that are relevant to understanding worker job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Additionally, OLS regression results produce highly explanatory models of worker motivation and job satisfaction.

The main limitation of the research is the lack of generalizability of the findings – that it represents data from just one organization, not a sampling of organizations. While the statistical results are highly significant and demonstrate a high level of validity and reliability in the measures, research findings can only tentatively be applied to other organizations.

In an increasingly competitive global market, more and more organizations have to ask the difficult question, “How can we get more out of our employees?” However, although there are diverse “quick‐fix” methods of achieving rather short‐term gains in worker productivity and performance, long‐term and enduring improvement requires a strengthening and spreading of core organizational values and beliefs that help to create a high engagement and achievement organizational culture.

The main contribution of this paper is the development of 17 unique and highly statistically reliable and valid work domains relevant to organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Additionally, the new “passion” domain is found to be particularly predictive of worker job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss experiential education as a way to develop future consultants in human resource management and marketing with the goal of developing consulting competence.

This is a conceptual paper that proposes, outlines, and discusses a model, containing 11 dimensions of consulting competence.

The conceptual model includes 11 building blocks: foreign language competence, non-verbal competence, perception of cultural distance, cultural self-awareness, knowledge, skills, motivation, effectiveness, appropriateness, contextual interaction patterns, and affinity. Considerations for each of these elements are introduced and discussed.

This model and the explanation of its components should guide management and marketing educators in their efforts to build and develop experiential education programs of excellence.

The model proposed and outline in this paper will assist institutions of higher education and faculty members to guide students in their development of a successful career in consulting.

The purpose of this paper is to extend Handel's intrinsic and extrinsic framework for understanding job characteristics and job satisfaction to the worker experience in socialist and post‐socialist Hungary.

Non‐panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program (work orientations I and II: 1989 and 1997 – survey questions on job characteristics and job quality) are used to examine the changing job quality and job satisfaction determinants in socialist and post‐socialist Hungary.

Descriptive statistics and regression analysis show that there are many significant changes in the intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics and perceived job satisfaction of Hungarian workers from 1989 to 1997.

The main limitations of this research are that the key variables are subjective single‐item indicators; the non‐panel longitudinal nature of the data means the direction of causality among the variables examined cannot be tested specifically; and some variables of interest and other important control variables cannot be included in the analysis, as data were not available for both waves of the survey.

Since worker job satisfaction impacts firm performance and various measures of worker well‐being, firms (regardless of economic sector or private/public status) need to be cognizant of these differences and unique challenges facing Hungarian workers and work to tailor management philosophy and policy to create a unique work atmosphere that will benefit the interests of both the employer and the employee.

The main contribution of this paper is the analysis of changes in intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics in Hungary, in light of the sweeping political and economic changes that accompanied the transition from a socialist state to a post‐socialist regime.

The main purpose of this paper is to explore cross‐national differences in job satisfactions and its determinants over time (1989‐2005), which, in turn, impact long‐term worker productivity and performance.

Utilizing non‐panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program on Work Orientations I, II, and III for 1989, 1997 and 2005, various bivariate and multivariate descriptive statistics and ordinary least squared regression analysis are used to explore the relationship between job satisfaction and its key determinants cross‐nationally in six countries (West Germany, Great Britain, the USA, Hungary, Norway and Israel).

For all countries, findings clearly show that intrinsic rewards explain the most variance in the respondents' job satisfaction, followed by work relations with management. In contrast, public service motivation‐fit (PSM‐fit) and work relations with co‐workers are found to play a less prominent role in shaping job satisfaction. Additionally, findings show that the above‐mentioned determinants of job satisfaction vary by country. Additionally, apart from age, which is found to be a significant antecedent of job satisfaction for 1989, 1997 and 2005 waves, the significance of the personal antecedents tends to vary with each wave.

The primary limitations to this research relate to the use of a pre‐existing dataset. The measurement of the study variables, particularly job satisfaction and public service motivation (PSM), is constrained by the limited single‐item measurement scales used in the surveys. Additionally, the measurement scale of PSM could be more rigorous. Data collected from self‐completed survey such as this can also suffer from common method variance; the respondents may have a distorted perception of their organizational conditions. Despite these limitations, this research supports the descriptive literature and empirical studies that look at job satisfaction, PSM, workplace rewards, and interpersonal dynamics.

In an increasingly competitive global market, more and more organizations have to ask the difficult question, “How can we get more out of our employees?” However, though there are diverse “quick‐fix” methods to achieving rather short‐term gains in worker productivity and performance, long‐term and enduring improvement requires a strengthening and spreading of core organizational values and beliefs that increase overall worker satisfaction to help create a high engagement and achievement organizational culture.

The main contribution of this paper is in looking at cross‐national differences in worker satisfaction and its determinants cross‐nationally over a 16‐year period. Additionally, the paper develops and justifies the use of a new construct, PSM‐fit, as an important component to understanding job satisfaction.