HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN

ORGANIZATION: JOB
SATISFACTION CASE STUDY
JOHN LESTER B. VILLAREAL
2ND YEAR, 2ND SEMESTER
MBA
 INTRODUCTION
• "Job satisfaction refers to the degree of pleasure or positive affect that an
employee has toward his or her job" (Locke, 1976). 
• Job characteristics, social comparison, and disposition are factors that
contribute to job satisfaction. 
• According to research, performance, absenteeism, and turnover are three
variables that correlate with job satisfaction.  "Job satisfaction has been
highly studied and seems related to almost every aspect of a person’s job"
(The Pennsylvania State University, 2001).
 CAUSES OF JOB SATISFACTION AND
DISSATISFACTION
• Job Characteristics: Looks at core characteristics and job factors when dealing with job satisfaction.
“The most popular measure of job satisfaction assesses how employees feel about their jobs along
five dimensions: the type of work itself, pay, promotional opportunities, supervision, and co-workers”
• Social Comparison: “The social-information processing approach to job satisfaction assumes that
attitudes are determined, in part, by the attitudes of those around us” (Jex & Spector, 1989). This
looks at how individuals compare themselves with others in the work place. Individuals can bring
others down by whining, or motivate them as well based on attitudes.
• Disposition: “The most recent explanation for job satisfaction is that some employees are more prone
to be satisfied or dissatisfied, in spite of the nature of the job or the social environment” (The
Pennsylvania State University, 2011). Disposition is the mood and temperament of individuals and let
us know if they are satisfied or dissatisfied with their jobs.
 Correlates of Job Satisfaction
• Performance:  Looks at how individuals perform in their jobs.  Under job satisfaction performance
has been studied for over 40 years. The idea of understanding employee performance is so
companies can find ways to keep employee performance meeting or exceeding company
standards, rather than falling below.
• Absenteeism: Looks at individuals and why they may be absent from their jobs. Companies give
employees a certain amount of days for time off work. Under job satisfaction its important to know
why employees are taking off work. Is it for vacation or might it be the working conditions at work?
• Turnover: Looks at rate in which employees come and go from their jobs. This is an important part
of wanting to see other options for employees. If they are dissatisfied they will likely seek similar or
other jobs that make them satisfied.
 Statement of the problem
• Detective Matthews has been employed by the East Hartford Township Police Department since January of 1989. 
Detective Matthews first worked as a patrol officer and was awarded Officer-of-the-Year in 1991.  Due to his excellent
investigation skills, he was promoted to the position of detective in 1993.  Detective Matthews’ case load includes
investigations of robbery, theft, fraud, and an occasional homicide, however, he specializes in the investigation of child
abuse and sexual assaults that occur in East Hartford Township. 
• Detective Matthews would like to be promoted to a supervisory position where he would have the opportunity to assist
police officers and guide newer detectives in their investigations.  However, promotional opportunities are very rare in
East Hartford Township.  Detective Matthews is also under the impression that social networking with the current
supervisors is more important to obtain a promotion, rather than work ethic or experience.  Detective Matthews chooses
not to engage in office politics and therefore has been in the same position since 1993 doing the same type of cases. 
• Although Detective Matthews work ethic is strong and he still cares for the victims of the cases he investigates, he is
extremely dissatisfied with the department where he works and no longer tries to go ‘above and beyond’ in order to
complete his duties. 
 Analysis
• Given the subjective nature of job satisfaction, evaluative, cognitive, and behavioral components
must be considered in order to determine overall global job satisfaction.
•  For Detective Matthews' case, an evaluation was performed according to his individual job facet
satisfaction.  By examining specific facet areas relevant to his job, his global job satisfaction was
determined.  This in turn, could assist the department he works for in diagnosing organizational issues,
and highlight areas for intervention.
• Although the causes of job satisfaction are complex and multifaceted, three general categories
contribute to job satisfaction: Job Characteristics, Social Comparisons, and Disposition. These
three categories, along with additional correlates that influence satisfaction, will provide us with the
evaluative, cognitive, and behavioral components needed to determine the detective's job satisfaction. 
 Job characteristics
• Type of work itself
• Pay
• Promotional opportunities
• Supervision
• Co-workers
 Social Comparison
• Good old boy system
• Made up of those who are willing to engage in office politics and lunch with the
supervisors on a daily basis.
 Disposition
• Although Detective Matthews states that his home life is positive, due to the nature of his work, he has a more
cynical view of life. He feels this cynicism would have developed regardless of whether he was happy with his
department or not.  He deals with the worst of the offenders, child molesters, and rapists, and considers himself to
be jaded in the sense that it's hard for him to find the good in people.  His job forces him to study people in order
to determine what motivates them to do horrible things, and over the years this has had an influence on his overall
disposition.  Detective Matthews' disposition is leading to negative affectivity from working in his position
which in turn affects his position.  In other words, one could say Detective Matthews' is spiraling into job
dissatisfaction.  As he is impacted by the horrors of his victims and perpetrators his disposition becomes more
negative which in turn has him respond more negatively to other aspects of his job creating overall job
dissatisfaction. 
• Despite feeling increasingly negative towards his position at work, Detective Matthews feels fulfilled outside of
work through time spent with his wife and children, serving in the United States Air Force, and refereeing for
midget football, which he finds to be healthy distractions from his dissatisfaction with work.
 CONCLUSION
• By looking at the detective's job facet satisfaction and influencing correlates, a clearer
understanding is formed of the evaluative, cognitive, and behavioral components that contribute
to his global job satisfaction.  His evaluative determination deals with whether he likes or
dislikes his job (The Pennsylvania State University, 2011).  The analysis concludes that there are
many aspects of Detective Matthews' job he is dissatisfied with such as supervision, possibility
of promotion, and routine work.  When asked, the detective confirmed these conclusions.
• He stated that despite all that, he still does like his job.  His cognitive determination is
concerned with his beliefs about his job (The Pennsylvania State University, 2011).  This
analysis of his case tells us he finds his job rewarding, because he is helping people.  However,
he also finds it to be boring and routine, and finds the atmosphere he works in to be unpleasant. 
He is very pleased with the long-term benefits of holding his job, such as his pension, however
unhappy with his level of supervision.
• Finally, the behavioral component of his job satisfaction shows us he is predisposed to go above
and beyond at work; however, if he feels that no reward will come of his hard work, he is
inclined not to continue working as hard.  Detective Matthews has an overall positive attitude
regarding his life, but has maintained a level of cynicism from his exposure to negative
influences.  Also, altogether he does not miss too many days of work.  He has proven himself to
be a dedicated and long-term employee, with his 22 year tenure.  When viewed as a whole, there
is a dynamic and complex nature of Detective Matthews' job satisfaction.  Despite a lot of job
facet dissatisfaction, the detective's states he is satisfied with his job globally. 
• In conclusion, his case highlights the concept that correlation does not equal causation.  Many
factors both related and unrelated to the work environment have an influence, and must be taken
into consideration to form an accurate understanding of job satisfaction.