The literature on worker participation generally assumes that worker participation programs lead to positive work outcomes (e.g., job satisfaction) in more or less direct fashion. The current study challenges this assumption and posits that u22desire for participation,u22 and u22attitudes toward participation,u22 may affect the participation-satisfaction relationship. Data were gathered from a quality circle (QC) program at a large electronics manufacturing firm, using both quantitative (survey questionnaire), and qualitative (interviews, observation, meeting attendance) means. QC members and non members were compared on all attitude measures, and on general job satisfaction. The results indicated the following: (a) the participation-satisfaction thesis was not supported, (b) desire for participation emerged as a salient variable in terms of its relationship to job satisfaction and selected attitudes toward participation, (c) QC membership did not sufficiently enlist workers with a strong desire for participation, (d) management was criticized for interfering with the QC process, and (e) QCs were categorized as u22manager-dominated,u22 u22stable,u22 or u22in crisis.u22 The overall conclusion was that the relationship between worker participation and job satisfaction is more complex than it is characterized in extant literature. Recommendations for further research included: (a) the call for systematic exploration of desire for participation, and (b) analyses of the performance outcomes (e.g., productivity) of QCs in terms of the model tested in this study.
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