UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

La Verne, California

A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO PERCEIVED JOB

SATISFACTION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN CALIFORNIA

W
COMMUNITY COLLEGES

IE
EV
A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirement for the Degree
Doctor of Education
in
Organizational Leadership
PR

James Christian Temple

College of Education and Organizational Leadership

Organizational Leadership Department

May 2013
 UMI Number: 3573694

All rights reserved

INFORMATION TO ALL USERS

The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted.

In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript
and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed,
a note will indicate the deletion.

W
IE
UMI 3573694
Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author.
EV
Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC.
All rights reserved. This work is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code
PR

ProQuest LLC.
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346
 W
IE
EV
PR

Copyright © 2013 by James Christian Temple

All rights reserved

PR
EV
IE
W
 ABSTRACT

A Quantitative Study of Factors Contributing to Perceived Job Satisfaction

of Information Technology Professionals Working in
California Community Colleges

By James Christian Temple, EdD

Purpose. The purpose of this replication study was to understand job satisfaction factors
(work, pay, supervision, people, opportunities for promotion, and job in general) as
measured by the abridged Job Descriptive Index (aJDI) and the abridged Job in General
(aJIG) scale for information technology (IT) professionals working in California
community colleges. In addition, this study examined the importance of job satisfaction
factors as perceived by IT professionals working in California community colleges based
on their length of time as an IT professional in the California community college
workforce.

W
Methodology. The participants in the present study were 198 IT professionals from 14
community college districts in California. The participants responded to an online survey
instrument assessing their perception of 5 job satisfaction facets and their job in general.
IE
The results were then compared to the study being replicated to identify the similarities
and differences in the data.
EV
Findings. Examination of the quantitative data from the respondents indicated that IT
professionals at California community colleges perceived their coworkers to be the main
contributor to their satisfaction and motivation at work followed closely by the nature of
the work itself. Second, perceived opportunities for promotion contributed the least to
their level of satisfaction with their job. Third, analyzing the data based on the
PR

participant’s years of experience produced no significant difference in the results.

Finally, the comparison of results between the studies showed similarities in perceived
satisfaction for the individual facets and in the overall assessment of job satisfaction.

Conclusions. The data from the study support the conclusion that IT professionals in
California community colleges perceive their coworkers and the nature of the work as the
main factors in their job satisfaction and motivation regardless of their years of
experience as an IT professional.

Recommendations. Focusing efforts on improving job satisfaction should be

emphasized by leaders of IT professionals in California community colleges.
Relationships with coworkers and the intrinsic rewards of the work itself are perceived to
be the main contributors to overall satisfaction with extrinsic rewards of pay and
opportunities for promotion perceived to contribute to their dissatisfaction. Leaders
should foster satisfaction and retention of IT professionals through reinforcing existing
job satisfiers and improving factors perceived based on this study to be dissatisfiers.

iv
 CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................... iv

FIGURES ................................................................................................................... ix

TABLES .................................................................................................................... x

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................... xii

DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... xv

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1

W
Background of the Problem ...................................................................... 2
IE
California Community Colleges ........................................................ 2

IT Professionals ................................................................................. 4
EV
Problem Statement .................................................................................... 5

Job Satisfaction Theories ................................................................... 6

PR

Survey Instrument .............................................................................. 8

Purpose Statement ..................................................................................... 12

Research Questions ................................................................................... 12

Significance of the Study .......................................................................... 13

Definitions of Terms ................................................................................. 15

Limitations of the Study ............................................................................ 16

Organization of the Study ......................................................................... 17

II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................. 18

Organization of the Literature Review ...................................................... 19

v
 Background of the Problem ...................................................................... 19

Community Colleges ......................................................................... 19

California Community Colleges ........................................................ 21

Public Versus Private Employment ................................................... 24

IT Professionals ................................................................................. 26

Job Satisfaction ......................................................................................... 28

Process and Content Theories on Job Satisfaction and Motivation ... 30

Content Theories ................................................................................ 30

W
Process Theories ................................................................................ 35

Survey Instrument .....................................................................................

IE 37

Job Descriptive Index ........................................................................ 37

EV
Job in General Scale........................................................................... 42

Online Surveys .......................................................................................... 44

Research Gap ............................................................................................ 45

PR

Summary ................................................................................................... 46

III. METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................... 48

Purpose Statement ..................................................................................... 48

Research Questions ................................................................................... 49

Research Design ........................................................................................ 50

Population and Sample.............................................................................. 53

Sample Size ............................................................................................... 54

Instrumentation ......................................................................................... 54

vi
 Field-Test .................................................................................................. 58

Data Collection Procedures ....................................................................... 60

Analytic Procedure .................................................................................... 63

Limitations of the Study ............................................................................ 67

IV. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA ........................................................................ 68

Purpose Statement ..................................................................................... 68

Research Questions ................................................................................... 69

Population and Description of the Sample ................................................ 70

Demographic Information ......................................................................... 73

W
Participation by District ..................................................................... 73
IE
Years of Experience in the IT Profession at a California
Community College .................................................................... 74
EV
Job Category ...................................................................................... 75

Data Analysis by Research Question ........................................................ 76

Research Question 1 .......................................................................... 76

PR

Research Question 2 .......................................................................... 81

Research Question 3 .......................................................................... 83

Research Question 4 .......................................................................... 88

Research Question 5 .......................................................................... 90

Summary of Findings ................................................................................ 94

V. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND

RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................... 97

Summary of the Study............................................................................... 97

Purpose Statement .............................................................................. 99

vii
 Research Questions ............................................................................ 99

Summary of Methodology ................................................................. 100

Major Findings .......................................................................................... 102

Major Finding 1 ................................................................................. 103

Major Finding 2 ................................................................................. 103

Major Finding 3 ................................................................................. 104

Major Finding 4 ................................................................................. 105

Major Finding 5 ................................................................................. 106

W
Implications for Action ............................................................................. 106

Implication for Action 1.....................................................................

IE 106

Implication for Action 2..................................................................... 107

EV
Implication for Action 3..................................................................... 108

Implication for Action 4..................................................................... 109

Conclusions ............................................................................................... 110

PR

Further Research ....................................................................................... 111

REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 113

APPENDICES ........................................................................................................... 123

A. LIST OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES ................................ 124

B. BOWLING GREEN UNIVERSITY LETTER OF PERMISSION .............. 130

C. ONLINE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ...................................................... 132

D. IRB APPROVAL LETTER........................................................................... 138

E. FOLLOW-UP E-MAIL WITH SUPERVISOR............................................. 140

F. E-MAIL INVITATION TO STAFF MEMBERS ......................................... 142

viii
 FIGURES

Figure Page

1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs .............................................................................. 31

2. Work facet .......................................................................................................... 78

3. Pay facet.............................................................................................................. 78

4. Opportunities for promotion facet ...................................................................... 79

W
5. Supervision facet ................................................................................................ 79

6. Coworker facet....................................................................................................
IE 80

7. aJIG facet ............................................................................................................ 80

8. Scatter plot of aJIG facet scores and IT professional years of experience ......... 83
EV
9. Scatter plot of work facet scores and IT professional years of experience ........ 86

10. Scatter plot of pay facet scores and IT professional years of experience ........... 86

11. Scatter plot of opportunities for promotion facet scores and IT professional
PR

years of experience ........................................................................................ 87

12. Scatter plot of supervisor facet scores and IT professional years of experience 87

13. Scatter plot of coworker facet scores and IT professional years of experience .. 88

ix
 TABLES

Table Page

1. Relationship Between Content Theories .............................................................. 7

2. Relationship Between Process Theories .............................................................. 8

3. Job Satisfaction Instruments ................................................................................ 9

4. Intercorrelations of Job Satisfaction Survey Subscales ....................................... 29

W
5. Comparison of Maslow’s and Alderfer’s Theories .............................................. 33

6. Dimensions of Satisfaction ..................................................................................

IE 34

7. Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model ............................................... 36

8. Sample of Descriptive Adjectives From the JDI ................................................. 55

EV
9. Scoring Code for Responses: People on Your Present Job Facet ........................ 63

10. Traditional and Revised Weights for Direct Scoring of JDI Items ...................... 64

11. Statistical Tests Used to Answer Each Research Question ................................. 72

PR

12. Survey Participation by District ........................................................................... 73

13. Participant Years of Experience........................................................................... 74

14. Participant Job Category ...................................................................................... 75

15. Descriptive Statistics ............................................................................................ 76

16. Independent Samples t-Test Results for aJIG With Independent Variable =
Years of Experience ....................................................................................... 81

17. Survey Results for the aJIG Scale Grouped by Years of Experience .................. 82

18. Independent Sample t-Test Results for aJDI With Independent Variable =
Years of Experience ....................................................................................... 84

19. Survey Results for the aJDI Facets Grouped by Years of Experience ................ 85
x
20. Correlations Between aJDI and aJIG Survey Results .......................................... 89

21. Evaluating the Magnitude of the Correlation Between the aJDI facets and the
aJIG ................................................................................................................ 90

22. Difference in the Mean Scores Between the Markham and Temple Studies for
the aJDI and aJIG Facets................................................................................ 92

23. Difference of the Mean Scores of the aJDI Facets Between the Markham and
Temple Studies for Participants With Less Than 21 Years of Experience
and Participants With 21 Years of Experience or More ................................ 93

24. Rank Order of Mean Scores of the aJDI Facets Between the Markham and
Temple Studies for Participants With Less Than 21 Years of Experience
and Participants With 21 Years of Experience or More ................................ 94

25. Survey Results for the aJDI Facets & aJIG Grouped by Years of Experience .... 105

W
IE
EV
PR

xi
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This dissertation and my successful doctoral journey would not have been

possible without the guidance and support of several individuals.

To my dissertation chair, Dr. Douglas DeVore, I could not think of a better person

to guide me through my dissertation process. Your calm demeanor, expertise, insight,

and unique way of infusing humor into our countless conversations made this goal

W
attainable. Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom with me.
IE
To Dr. Stacy Bryant, my committee member and learning group leader, who

agreed to serve on my committee after only meeting me once, thank you for taking a leap
EV
of faith, for your hard questions, words of encouragement, and excellent feedback.

To Dr. Barry Gribbons, my committee member and supervisor, you brought a

PR

down-to-earth understanding of the dissertation process that helped to focus and greatly

improve the quality of my study. Thank you for taking on the challenge of assisting me

with my statistical analysis and for your patience as I returned countless times with more

questions than answers.

To my wife, Gabrielle, your constant encouragement from the moment I decided

to pursue a doctoral degree gave me the energy and motivation to persevere. Thank you

for putting up with the countless hours I spent squirreled away in the office working on

my coursework and dissertation instead of spending that time with you and the kids. You

are an amazing wife, mother, and friend, and I am fortunate to have you in my life.

xii
 To my children Paige and R.J., thank you for being so understanding when my

schoolwork had to come before playtime. I look forward to getting back to the “family

time” we often had to forgo over the last 3 years.

To my friends Nathan Sexton, Diane Fiero, and Allison Devlin, I don’t think I

could ever fully express how much your friendship and support have meant to me

throughout this process. The support system and camaraderie we established early on

made it possible for us to tackle any project or assignment that came our way. We were

able to find the humor in almost any situation, and I will always remember our

conversations in the car driving to practicum and the “Dissertation Support Group”

W
lunches we had. We make a great team and I am thankful we were able to take this

journey together.
IE
To Jasmine Ruys, a friend, colleague, and past La Verne doctoral student, sincere
EV
thanks for blazing the trail for the rest of us to follow. Your guidance through the

intricacies of the La Verne program and your willingness to help wherever and whenever
PR

needed was invaluable.

To Dr. Dianne Van Hook, Chancellor of the Santa Clarita Community College

District, thank you for believing in me and for encouraging me to pursue a doctoral

degree. The effort you made to frequently check-in, encourage, and motivate me

throughout the program will never be forgotten.

To Dr. Daylene Meuschke, a friend and colleague, thank you for fielding my

frequent random questions on statistics, surveys, and the IRB process. Your willingness

to always be available whenever I needed your expertise is appreciated.

xiii
 Finally, to all the family, friends, and colleagues who provided encouragement

along the way, thank you. With so many people in my corner, how could I be anything

but successful!

W
IE
EV
PR

xiv
 DEDICATION

In loving memory of my mother, Nancy Temple, for being a role model and for

supporting me in whatever I wanted to pursue. She left this world much earlier than she

should have but made a powerful impact on me and others around her. I miss you mom.

This is for you.

W
IE
EV
PR

xv
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Satisfied employees are happy employees and “happy employees are productive

employees” (Saari & Judge, 2004, p. 395). This simple statement exemplifies the core

concept of job satisfaction in any profession. How employees are motivated and

W
rewarded for their work has a direct connection to their level of satisfaction and the
IE
ability of an organization to retain its veteran workforce.

The premise of job satisfaction is evident in a variety of studies examining how

EV
different factors including supervision, environment, fulfillment, age, gender, and culture

affect the job satisfaction of employees in various industries (Paul, 2012). According to
PR

Herzberg, job characteristics that lead to job satisfaction are referred to as satisfiers while

characteristics leading to job dissatisfaction are referred to dissatisfiers (Herzberg, 1974).

Additionally, the factors related to the “satisfiers” or “dissatisfiers” in any profession are

believed to have a direct relationship to the motivation of the employee (Herzberg, 1965).

Taken together, job satisfaction and motivation help determine the anticipated work

behavior of employees in an organization. This study investigated how job satisfaction

and motivation influence information technology professionals in California community

colleges.

1
 2

Background of the Problem

There is an extensive amount of research on job satisfaction and motivation in

several industries, organizations, and professions. However, few studies have been

conducted on the satisfaction and motivation of information technology (IT)

professionals and no study focused specifically on IT professionals in California

community colleges (Reid, Riemenschneider, Allen, & Armstrong, 2008). California

Community Colleges, with over 2.4 million students, is the largest public higher

education system in the United States (Hom, 2010; Impact of Budget Cuts, 2012). When

W
difficulties emerge in the economy, colleges and universities see higher demands for their
IE
services. Grubb and Lazerson (2004) found community colleges to be an important

factor in job training and addressing workforce needs. McCredie (2003) suggested that
EV
higher education needs strong IT in order to remain competitive for staff, students,

faculty, and outside funding. Keeping California’s community colleges technologically

ready to meet the needs of their students is the role of the IT professional. This is why it
PR

is important to ensure that IT professionals are satisfied and motivated employees in this

environment.

California Community Colleges

Community colleges in California were first acknowledged in legislation in 1907

through the upward extension law that “allowed high schools to offer ‘postgraduate’

classes” (Witt, Wattenbarger, Gollattscheck, & Suppiger, 1994, p. 35). Then in 1947, the

Truman Commission released The Higher Education for American Democracy report that

outlined the role of community colleges as focused on general education, vocation

 3

programs, and meeting the needs of the communities where they resided (Beach &

Grubb, 2011; Jurgens, 2010). In 1960, the Master Plan for California was signed into law

formalizing a higher education system comprising the University of California system,

the California State University system, and the California Community Colleges system

(Hom, 2010). Over the years, the importance of community college and the number of

institutions has grown resulting in a system of higher education with 112 community

colleges divided into 72 districts offering an “economical, value-driven education, while

providing a medium for addressing the multitude of challenges facing communities

W
today” (Jurgens, 2010, p. 259). Jurgens (2010) added, “The value of this educational
IE
alternative to the American economy is unmatched. Local, state, and national entities

increasingly turn to community colleges for flexible, fast-track, and high quality
EV
programs” (p. 259).

According to the American Association of Community Colleges (2012), in 2012

there were 1,132 community colleges nationwide. California, with 112 community
PR

colleges, represents almost 10% of those institutions and serves 2.4 million students

annually (Impact of Budget Cuts, 2012). About half of all undergraduates in higher

education are community college students (Jurgens, 2010). Therefore, community

colleges must possess technology to support their administrative operations, and they

must maintain a level of technology in the classroom to provide industry standard

training to students who want to start their future careers (Jurgens, 2010). According to

Bartkovich (2011), “From a technology perspective, community colleges have an image

of being competitive with senior colleges, being on par with local industry, capable of
 4

training graduates with needed workforce skills, and being vibrant centers of technology

exploration and application” (p. 100).

IT Professionals

Denning and Frailey (2011) understood that “computing has become such an

integral part of business and everyday life that the reliable operation of ever advancing

computing technologies is an enduring concern. Considerable expertise is needed to

properly address this concern” (p. 25). To provide support for the instructional and

W
noninstructional technology needs of the community colleges, IT departments were

created. In general, the number of IT staff members at each college is typically small
IE
when compared with other departments providing direct services to students even though

responsibilities are similar for supporting the educational mission of the community
EV

college system (Reid et al., 2008; Stout, 2007). More specifically, IT departments

include system administrators who maintain the server infrastructure, network staff who
PR

support connectivity between the Internet and client computers, web staff who maintain

the organization’s website and other online services, programming staff who modify and

design software applications, and staff members who handle security, the day-to-day

support calls, equipment maintenance, and installation.

Given the remarkable rate of change in technology, IT staff in community

colleges must be subject matter experts on the various software programs and hardware

components, updated frequently, and essential to the courses offered to the students.

Oftentimes, trying something new is not optional but required to keep pace with industry

standards. Students need training that will prepare them to be competitive in today’s
 5

workforce (Coulter, 2006). For the training to be relevant to business and industry, the

hardware and software typically needs to be the same in the classroom as is used in

industry. Barkovich (2011) opined, “For community colleges, innovation may not be a

luxury but a necessity, on par with avoiding obsolescence” (p. 100).

With the needs of each course constantly changing, IT professionals are

constantly struggling to meet the demand for their services and expertise. Technology is

so prevalent and necessary in organizations that the pressure IT staff members are under

to advance their skills and work within tight timelines and evolving decision-making

W
conditions can be overwhelming (Moore, 2000; King, Xia, Quick, & Sethi, 2005). This
IE
enormous amount of stress often leads to employee burnout, high turnover, and a low

level of motivation and job satisfaction (Kanwar, Singh, & Kodwani, 2009).
EV

Problem Statement

IT is prevalent in all areas of life (Ghazzawi, 2008). From e-mail to online

PR

banking, navigation systems to the Internet, our society is immersed in the use of

electronics and IT (Ghazzawi, 2008). The complexity of the systems and the

globalization of business and education place a critical need for trained professionals to

maintain, support, and grow this technology (Diala & Nemani, 2011; Ghazzawi, 2008).

According to Diala and Nemani (2011), “It is therefore, not surprising that the job

satisfaction of the IT professionals is paramount to the success of any business these

days” (p. 827).

Locke (1969) defined job satisfaction as “the pleasurable emotional state resulting

from the appraisal of one’s job as achieving or facilitating the achievement of one’s job
 6

values” (p. 316). It is important to examine the job satisfaction of IT professionals to

determine what factors or values are most important to them, what motivates them in

their current job, and ways leaders can use to integrate these findings into IT departments

in order to attract and retain talented IT professionals. According to Diala and Namani

(2011),

All of the usual job satisfaction factors apply to IT workers just as they do all
workers: compensation, benefits, flexible hours, the option to telecommute,
having a good boss and agreeable co-workers, having the opportunity to learn and
increase their skills, being recognized for their work and having opportunities to
advance within the organization. (p. 829)

W
Examining job satisfaction and motivation through the established framework of notable
IE
theorists such as Maslow (1943), Vroom (1995), Alderfer (1969), Hackman and Oldham,

(as cited in Hackman, Oldham, Janson, & Purdy, 1975), and Herzberg (1965) should
EV
provide a better understanding of the factors leading to job satisfaction and retention of

IT Professionals in California community colleges.

PR

Job Satisfaction Theories

Job satisfaction theories attempt to provide different views or models of the same

phenomenon: an examination and explanation of the factors leading to job satisfaction

and motivation in employees. Though there are multiple theories focused on job

satisfaction, this research study focused on Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs, Vroom’s

(1995) expectancy theory, Herzberg’s (1965) two-factor theory, Alderfer’s (1969) ERG

theory, and Hackman and Oldham’s (as cited in Hackman et al., 1975) job characteristics

model.
 7

Job satisfaction theories are classified into two standard areas: content theories or

process theories. According to Luthans (as cited in Saif, Nawaz, Ali Jan, & Khan, 2012),

content theories “focus on identifying the needs, drives and incentives/goals and their

prioritization by the individual to get satisfaction” (p. 1385). Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy

of needs, Herzberg’s (1965) two-factor theory, and Alderfer’s (1969) ERG theory are all

considered content theories due to their focus on the needs and motivators leading to

satisfaction (see Table 1). Process theories, in contrast, focus on how the motivation of

the individual takes place instead of his or her prioritization of needs. Vroom’s (1995)

W
expectancy theory and Hackman and Oldham’s (as cited in Hackman et al., 1975) job
IE
characteristics model are process theories focused on the motivation of the employee (see

Table 2).
EV

Table 1

Relationship Between Content Theories

PR

Herzberg’s two-factor theory:

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Job satisfiers (motivators) Alderfer’s ERG theory
Social needs Achievement Relatedness
Esteem/achievement needs Recognition
Self-actualization needs Responsibility Growth
Advancement
Physical needs Work Existence
Safety needs
 8

Table 2

Relationship Between Process Theories

Vroom’s expectancy theory Hackman & Oldham’s job characteristics model

Valence Meaningfulness
Expectancy Responsibility for outcomes
Instrumentality Knowledge of the actual results

Survey Instrument

W
There are several instruments used to study job satisfaction. A study by Van

Saane, Sluiter, Verbeek, and Frings-Dresen (2003) identified 29 instruments examining

IE
jobs in general, specific jobs, or job satisfaction. Eliminating those instruments that look

at specific jobs or professions unrelated to IT professionals, seven instruments valid for

EV

this study remained and are summarized in Table 3.

For this replication study, to allow for comparison of the results from the original
PR

study, the abridged version of the Job Descriptive Index (aJDI) with the abridged version

of the Job in General (aJIG) scale was used. The Job Descriptive Index (JDI) as designed

by Smith, Kendall, and Hulin in 1969 has undergone several updates and revisions over

the last 43 years. The JDI measures five facets of job satisfaction including work on

present job, present pay, opportunities for promotion, supervision, and coworkers

(Russell et al., 2004). Each of the five facets contains either nine or 18 items to select

from for a total of 72 choices (Russell et al., 2004). In 1997, the abridged version of the

Job Descriptive Index (aJDI) was created, reducing the number of total items from 72 to

25 while still maintaining the validity and usefulness of the instrument (Russell et al.,