Fire fighters are involved in critical decision making situations, and under-performance and lack of job satisfaction due to burnout could adversely affect the welfare of the people that are being provided with the service. This study thus investigated the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction amongst operational fire fighters. Two measuring instruments were used: the Pines, Aronson & Kafry (1981) Burnout Index, and the Smith, Hulin and Kendall (1969) Job Descriptive Index. This study was conducted amongst 102 fire fighters working for a local authority. Through a literature review, burnout and job satisfaction were defined, and a link between the two constructs outlined. Through an empirical study, the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction was determined. Supporting evidence indicates a negative correlation between burnout and job satisfaction, as well as revealing social support amongst co-workers as being an important buffer against the effects of burnout. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

Much research has been done on the job satisfaction of secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The aim of this research was to investigate factors that influence the job satisfaction of these teachers. A literature review of theories on job satisfaction was undertaken. In the empirical investigation, a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used. In the quantitative phase, the data collection was done by means of a self-constructed structured questionnaire that focused on four work factors that were identified during the literature review, namely salary and benefits, management, work characteristics, and interpersonal relationships. The stratified, random sample consisted of 300 secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa. The data were statistically analysed using the Statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software programme, and the results were appropriately interpreted. In the second, namely the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with a sample of 10 teachers who were purposefully selected from a larger sample. The data were analysed by using the constant comparative method. The results make a significant contribution to new knowledge and understanding of current issues relating to the job satisfaction of teachers in selected secondary schools in Addis Ababa. The results indicated that the teachers were significantly dissatisfied with most aspects of their work. Salary and benefits emerged as the primary dissatisfying aspect of all the work factors. Other areas of dissatisfaction related to poor fringe benefits and opportunities for promotion, the management style of the principals, the lack of decision-making opportunities for the teachers, as well as the opportunity to develop personally, and the poor relationships teachers have with the principals and the parents. The data also indicated that teachers who were 50 years and older, were significantly more satisfied with their work than the younger teachers. Accordingly, teachers with 21 years and more experience were also significantly more satisfied with their work than the less experienced teachers. In addition, all four of the identified factors were found to have statistically significant correlations with job satisfaction. Qualitative data confirmed the quantitative results. Finally, recommendations were made in order to enhance the job satisfaction of secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, and for further research. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Management Studies / Master / Master of Business Administration

The purpose of this study was to investigate job satisfaction among physical education instructors at Teachers Colleges in Thailand by using the Faculty Job Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction Scale developed by Olin R. Wood, which was translated into the Thai language by Vatthaisong. The investigation was based on the 10 facets of job satisfaction selected from Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene theory: achievement, growth, interpersonal relations, policy and administration, recognition, responsibility, salary, supervision, the work itself, and working conditions. The questionnaire consisted of 68 items. A 6-point rating scale was used for the 10 facets of job satisfaction. A total of 169 physical education instructors from 36 Teachers Colleges in Thailand, or 86.22% of the population, participated in this study. For this investigation, frequencies, percentages, one-way ANOVA, and the Scheffe method were used for data analysis. Significance was established at the .05 level. From the findings of this study it could be concluded that physical education instructors were satisfied with their jobs. The major sources of satisfaction were ranked as follows: interpersonal relations, the work itself, achievement, recognition, responsibility, working conditions, growth, policy and administration, supervision, and salary. The gender variable did not contribute significantly to job satisfaction, while region, age, level of education, work position, years of teaching experience, and salary level did contribute significantly to job satisfaction. There were no significant differences between the overall job satisfaction (item 68) of the physical education instructors and their demographic classifications. The levels of overall job satisfaction derived from the 10 facets and item 68 were similar. Thus it could be concluded that physical education instructors at Teachers Colleges in Thailand were satisfied with their jobs.

The purposes of this study were to determine the employment status of North Texas State University clothing and textiles majors who graduated between 1969 and 1978 and to provide a measurement of their job satisfaction. The data were gathered through two mailed questionnaires, a general one developed by the researcher, and the Job Descriptive Index, a standardized job satisfaction index. Graduates in clothing and textiles tended to seek and obtain employment related to their major field of study, and they are generally satisfied with their jobs. Factors tested statistically in this study included age, marital status, parental status, salary, tenure, and organization size. No significant differences in job satisfaction or employment tatus were evident relative to any of these factors.

Thesis (M. Tech. Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences--(Vaal University of Technology, 2010)). / Organisations are starting to think and operate more strategically and are beginning to realise that their survival depends on information. Information management relates to management activities concerning information. Information and the supporting systems are important business assets for establishing and leveraging information-based resources and competence, which allow organisations to compete and survive in the current competitive economic markets. In order for the information management department to support business optimally, they need to retain existing talented people who have the essential knowledge, expertise and competencies to do the work. Adding to this is the need to make the job environment more attractive to current and future job applicants. In order to do this, the management team of the information management department need to understand why people behave as they do. They must have the ability to control, direct and change behaviour, as well as be able to use the right motivation to make the job environment within the information management department more attractive. The purpose of this study is to examine staff retention in an information management environment. The literature study explores the theoretical framework of staff retention, motivation and job satisfaction. A quantitative research approach was followed and a questionnaire was used to elicit data from 50 employees working in an information management department of a petrochemical organisation. The questionnaire was used to measure employee job satisfaction levels and to identify job satisfaction factors. The findings reveal that communication, good working conditions, job security, opportunities for learning and growth, and recognition are seen in this order as being the most important job satisfaction factors. It is clear that employee expectations for job satisfaction are not met in the areas of recognition and good supervision/leadership. In addition, it is noted that employee expectations for job satisfaction are only partially met in the areas of communication, opportunities for learning and growth, promotional opportunities and compensation/pay. The value of this research is that it makes a useful contribution to the current knowledge of the management team in the information management department. The research information collected through this study can be used to establish the optimal mix of motivating factors in order to ensure that current employees are retained and that a sought-after working environment for new appointments is created.

Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2006 xii, 117 leaves / In 2005, Masonite (Africa) Ltd embarked on a level 1 learnership program, in line with the National Skills Development Strategy. Within a few months, it became apparent that there was a need to investigate the job satisfaction of the level 1 learners (learners) in the work component of their learnership program. To investigate their job satisfaction, a study was conducted which was guided by three objectives. These were: firstly to determine the general job satisfaction of the learners; secondly, to assess the satisfaction of the learners according to twenty dimensions of the job, as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and thirdly, to investigate the relationship between the job satisfaction of the learners and their demographic variables gender, age, work experience and level of education. / M

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the extent to which registered nurses’ practice was affected by emergency department overcrowding. Participants were recruited from a tertiary hospital by using the purpose sampling method. Data collection was done using a semi-structured interview guide. Individual interviews were conducted with eight registered nurses working in the paediatric emergency department. Data analysis was conducted using thematic content analysis and Yin’s (2003:178) five-phase cycle. The study findings revealed that the lack of professional nurse leadership and the difficult existing relationship with the physicians were obstacles that had to be obviated if the paediatric ED were to function optimally and best practice were to be achieved. It was revealed that a problematic issue in the setting was that the most critical decisions on allocating where patients should be treated were made by physicians who have more authority than nurses. It was recommended that the ED need to be clearly defined in the policies as an outpatient, emergency care or as an episodic patient care area as “Admission” can mean admission to the ED or admission as an inpatient/boarded patient. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)