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ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE AND JOB SATISFACTION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGE FACULTY
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to measure the job satisfaction and perceived organizational climate of faculty employed by independent colleges and universities, and to determine if relationships existed between the two variables. The data were secured from a questionnaire mailed to 300 randomly selected full-time faculty employed by the twelve institutions affiliated with the Great Lakes Colleges Association. A response rate of 61 percent was obtained. Job satisfaction was measured by the Job Descriptive Index which categorizes satisfaction into five distinct dimensions: work, supervision, pay, promotions, and co-workers. Organizational climate was delineated into three dimensions and was measured by Likert scales. The three dimensions of organizational climate were: perception of power, assessment of rewards, and perception of organizational goals. Three major hypotheses were tested to determine relationships between organizational climate and job satisfaction. Correlation and regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicated that the faculty surveyed were highly satisfied with their work, supervision, and co-workers. Respondents indicated a low level of satisfaction with pay and promotions. According to the respondents, the power structure of an independent higher education institution follows the typical line of authority from central administration to faculty as a group, to department chairperson, to individual. Respondents were most displeased with financial rewards when compared to their own internal expectations and compared to individuals from non-educational settings. Teaching was indicated to be the most important goal of an independent institution, but research and personality also play an important role. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between rewards assessment and all dimensions of job satisfaction. Perception of power and organizational goals were only moderately related to job satisfaction. However, when power and goals were associated with rewards assessment, significant relationships were established with some dimensions of job satisfaction. The faculty which participated in this study were generally satisfied. Prediction of faculty satisfaction in independent institutions may be accomplished through the careful analysis of the organizational climate.
Subject Area
Higher education
Recommended Citation
MILLER, GARY ARTHUR, "ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE AND JOB SATISFACTION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGE FACULTY" (1986). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8620815.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8620815