Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2002

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Human Resource Development

Major Professor

Ernest W. Brewer

Committee Members

Connie Hollingsworth, Alan Chesney

Abstract

The main purpose in conducting this study was to examine the relationship between certain job characteristics and job satisfaction among police officers. A second purpose was to find any significant differences between job satisfaction and such demographic factors as working status, age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, education, years of experience, intention to leave employer, intention to leave field, complaints, and lawsuits status. The researcher surveyed 465 participants who were members of the Fraternal Order of Police in Tennessee. The respondents were sent a booklet containing demographic questions, intent to leave questions, complaints and lawsuit questions, and 2 surveys: the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) for assessing overall level of job satisfaction and the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) for assessing job characteristics. A total of 281 participants responded (63.4%) the majority of whom were married White males. Statistical methods utilized in this study included calculating means, standard deviations, one-way analysis of variances (.05 level of probability with 95% confidence interval), multiple analyses of variances, and Tukey tests for significance. Finally, the Pearson r test was used to test any relationships between job characteristics and JSS total or JSS subscales. Major findings of the study showed that (a) officers who are retired or no longer working in the law enforcement field were less satisfied with supervision, contingent rewards, and co-workers but more satisfied with benefits than respondents currently working in the field; (b) as law enforcement officers grew older and as their experience as officers grew, they were more likely to become less satisfied with supervision in their departments, and (c) officers intending to leave their employer or the field of law enforcement in the next five years were less satisfied overall than were officers planning to stay, and officers intending to leave their employer were less satisfied with pay, promotion, contingent rewards, and communication than were officers intending to stay with the employer. Further, results showed that 19% of the variability in the JSS could be attributed to autonomy, task identity, skill variety, significance, and feedback; autonomy and feedback were significant in predicting job satisfaction.

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