Job satisfaction and referent selection in the sport industry.

摘要

This study analyzed the job satisfaction of administrators employed in the sport industry. The areas of satisfaction which were researched included overall satisfaction, satisfaction with pay, satisfaction with promotion, satisfaction with supervision, satisfaction with co-workers, and satisfaction with the work itself. However, the main purpose of the study was to contextualize the process of job satisfaction by introducing referent comparisons to this analysis. Referent selection research which evolved from Equity Theory (Adams, 1963), has been shown to be related to job satisfaction in similar non-sport studies. Specifically, this study determined if referent comparisons were made, if multiple referent comparisons were made, to whom those comparisons were made, and the relationship between job satisfaction and referent selection.;The Job Descriptive Index and the Job In General Scales were utilized to measure facet satisfaction and overall satisfaction respectively. Also, a Referent Selection Questionnaire quantified if comparisons were formed and to whom various comparisons were made. The three part questionnaire was distributed to administrators working full-time in the sport industry (n = 670). The sport administrators were employed in the state of Florida and represented the three segments of professional sport, fitness and sport firms, and tax-supported sport organizations.;Results of a descriptive analysis indicated the administrators experienced satisfaction with their overall employment, supervision, work, and co-workers and neutral satisfaction with pay and promotion. Chi-square analyses suggested the administrators overwhelmingly selected referents in the process of determining their satisfaction and in fact most of the time selected multiple referents in this process. When making referent comparisons, the greatest number of administrators chose to compare to "other individuals working in similar organizations in the field" for the facet of pay satisfaction. For the facets of people, promotion, and work satisfaction, the greatest number of administrators chose to compare to "individuals working in their own organization." However, for the facet of supervision satisfaction, the greatest number of administrators chose to compare to "past jobs." There was a relationship between satisfaction and referent selection in the facet of promotion. Those administrators making referent comparisons to "individuals in other organizations outside the field" were significantly less satisfied than those administrators making comparisons to "past jobs."