ArticlePDF Available

Quality Work Ethics and Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Analysis

Authors:
  • Universiti of Bahrain

Abstract and Figures

Quality is very crucial to understand how well an employee is doing. Quality of work shows how much an employee value them. Thus, this study examines the impact of strong quality work ethics on job satisfaction among banking employees in Jordan. There has been growing evidence supporting the association between quality work ethics and job satisfaction of employees. However, it is not clear why such association exists. This paper argues that in order to provide a clear understanding and convincing explanation of this association there is a need to improve the theoretical and analytical framework. Quantitative method with survey questionnaire was administered to collect information on quality work ethics and job satisfaction from 89 employees working in Jordanian banks. The finding of the study revealed that quality work ethics are positively associated with job satisfaction. These findings imply that quality work ethics is one of the key attributes to increase employee’s job satisfaction together with other organizational outcomes. Most importantly, it is crucial for the managers to be aware that increasing employee’s job satisfaction can lead to increased organizational commitment, lower labor turnover and improve productivity. © 2019, SRAC - Romanian Society for Quality. All rights reserved.
Content may be subject to copyright.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
4 1
1. Introduction
One of the most important activities in human life all day is
work, half of the people have responses and judgments. Alone
and distinct from his work and his need to work. Among others
who consider the work as a source of income for Improve the
standard of living, add property wealth, recognize or appre-
ciation and self-glory. Managers in the working environment are
messed with the ethical confrontation with others (Murtaza et al.,
2016b). This ethical dilemma makes them exposed to their own
engaged and integrated activities including fraudulent acts. The
honesty of managers become limited are unable them to diverse
the job filled with vagueness (Sun, Gergen, Avila, & Green,
2016).
For managers, it is difficult to get escaped from such ethical
dilemmas and the morals of the managers are always ques-
tionable in order to understand their behaviors with others.
Ethical dilemmas like the events of corruption charges, reject to
work honestly and other possible scandals are some of the
critical subjects that need to investigate in order to understand
work ethics (Forte & Hansvick, 1999). Moreover, it is sometimes
hard for the employees or managers to get escaped with such
ethical dilemmas, but if the individual is exposed to ethical
interactions and enrichments the behavior can change positively
resulting to positive job satisfaction.
Strong work ethics in the organization is the key to the
ethical behavior of employees. Organizations that focus on
developing strong work ethics relevant to the issues faced by
employees will lead to the employees behaving ethically
(Valentine & Barnett, 2007b). Beyond salary, strong work ethics
is able to influence human beings to commit or not to commit a
crime. Empowerment within the organization remains weak due
to lack of work ethics that are no longer able to enhance job
satisfaction of employees (Steinheider, 2006). Furthermore,
(Camp, 1994; Getahun, Sims, & Hummer, 2008) found that one
of the negative consequences associated with low levels of job
satisfaction includes lack of active participation in decision
making and often faces ethical issues stemming from employee
behavior. Thus it is important to consider employee working
conditions and the managers must be aware of the safety of
their employees in order to compensate them when they
perform the unusual or difficult task. The unethical working
condition leads to stress when there is no cooperation between
job needs and competencies.
With the vision of what motivates operatives, managers can
larger ascertain what makes the employees do their best job.
There is a need for the managers to understand what propels
their subordinates and colleagues in order to be competent
heads in the work place. The recommendations in this study will
enable managers to become the best presentation out of their
operatives and rise productivity in their departments.
2. Literature Review
2.1. Theoretical view on work ethics
When an organization employs the individuals they bring
work into not unique job skills but also his or her ethics. In
today’s business work ethics is very important due to changes in
employee behaviors that play a crucial role in the success of the
organization. According to Valentine and Barnett (2007a) the
crime committed by an employee results in the deterioration of
corporate image drastically. In any empirical research, there is a
need for a clear view of independent constructs. Theoretical
aspects help us to provide clear views on our independent
variables. Currently, there is a confusion on the selection of
dimensions of work ethics.
The organization always look for the employees who can
perform their job well. Employees with strong work ethics are
reliable, hardworking and use a great amount of efforts. There
Q U A L I T Y
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
Quality Work Ethics and Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Analysis
Shrikant Krupasindhu PANIGRAHI1, Hatem Mahmoud AL-NASHASH2
1Corresponding author, Faculty of Industrial Management, University Malaysia Pahang, Kuantan, Malaysia, 26300;
E-mail: psrikant@ump.edu.my
2Faculty of Industrial Management, University Malaysia Pahang, Kuantan, Malaysia, 26300; E-mail: temo.nasho@yahoo.com
Abstract
Quality is very crucial to understand how well an employee is doing. Quality of work shows how much an employee
value them. Thus, this study examines the impact of strong quality work ethics on job satisfaction among banking
employees in Jordan. There has been growing evidence supporting the association between quality work ethics and
job satisfaction of employees. However, it is not clear why such association exists. This paper argues that in order to
provide a clear understanding and convincing explanation of this association there is a need to improve the
theoretical and analytical framework. Quantitative method with survey questionnaire was administered to collect
information on quality work ethics and job satisfaction from 89 employees working in Jordanian banks. The finding of
the study revealed that quality work ethics are positively associated with job satisfaction. These findings imply that
quality work ethics is one of the key attributes to increase employee’s job satisfaction together with other
organizational outcomes. Most importantly, it is crucial for the managers to be aware that increasing employee’s job
satisfaction can lead to increased organizational commitment, lower labor turnover and improve productivity.
Keywords: quality work ethics; job satisfaction; hard work; work goals.
4 2
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
appear to be four broad categories of theory about work ethics
and more specific and concrete theories on satisfaction. The
four categories in relation to work ethics can be labelled as
deontology, utilitarianism, rights and virtues.
Deontological class of ethics
Deontological class states that people should oblige to their
duties and follow ethics while making decisions. Upholding duty
is what ethically correct. For instance, a deontologist must
always keep his promises following the law. Decisions will be
consistent if the individual follows the deontological theory. This
theory contains positive attributes to avoid conflicts. Individual
employees can play an important role in the welfare of others
with a clear ethical correct resolution.
Utilitarianism class of ethics
Utilitarian ethical theories are based on one’s ability to
predict the consequences of an action. According to utilitarian
the greatest benefit to the individual through the decision was
taken ethically is the best choice. Act utilitarian and rule
utilitarian are the two types of utilitarian class of ethics. Act
utilitarian refers to the act of the person benefiting to another
person. Whereas rule utilitarian refers to the benefit of people
with fair justice. Comparing the tangible gains like money and
intangible gains like happiness, utilitarian ethics is difficult to
quantify to a large extent. Thus an individual would not be
concerned of justice that leads to benefit the majority of the
people.
Ethical theory based on Rights
Rights of an individual are considered to be correct if the
majority of the population endorse them. In ethical theories,
rights are established to protect the society. Individuals have the
right if they have ability or resource to influence others. The
major complication of this theory is the lack of characteristics to
influence on a large scale. The rights must be upheld and
determined by the individuals based on their goals and ethical
priorities.
Ethics based on Virtue
The virtue based ethics focuses on the character of the
individual in order to judge his behavior. It views the individual
person’s reputation moral and motivation while rating the beha-
vior. A person who has reputation for misconduct is more likely
to be judged harshly.
2.2. Theoretical view on job satisfaction
There are many approaches and theories about satisfaction.
However, we have a specific theory related to explaining job
satisfaction often built on disciplinary perspectives like psy-
chology and performance. It is not an easy task to confirm the
theories. In the field of behavioral research, measurement of
satisfaction is often described as the key issue. We, therefore,
might be tempted to extend this to the study of employee job
satisfaction.
Neither the descriptive nor the strategic model are able to
provide much insight into how work ethics translates into
satisfaction. They sensibly view ethics as the only part of the
explanation for performance and suggests various sub system
that aligns and support each other for superior performance.
The right people will be in right place to do right things.
In the strategic version, the descriptive models give more
weightage to the active role of employees due to their employee
relation roots. In contract, more specific behavioral theories
focus on the organizational psychology with an assumption that
ethics increases motivation and commitment of employees. The
key factors that constitute satisfaction are derived from specific
theories of motivation, expectation and goal setting and so on.
The key features of this theories spell out the linkage between
work ethics and job satisfaction.
Starting with the latter in a broader level, the expectancy
theory of motivation provides a coherent rationale for the linkage
between ethics and satisfaction. This approach in relation to
ethics and satisfaction was adopted by (Alsop & Heinsohn,
2005; Apasu, 1986) who suggested that,
“Unethical employees operating in an ethical organi-
zation should experience a misfit and be more willing to
leave the organization. When employees possess
knowledge and skills that are absent in the manager,
employees are motivated to apply those skills and
knowledge in discretionary efforts”.
The expectancy theory to Victor, (1964), explains that “job
satisfaction on the basis that the procedure of satisfaction or
dissatisfaction transpires as a consequence of the analogy”.
Consequently, the theory basically describes an individual’s
understanding of the connection between efforts needed the
level of anticipated presentation and the anticipated level of
rewards.
Maslow promulgated with motivation and personality which
presented his theory on the satisfaction of people through their
personal requirements about how people satisfy various per-
sonal needs. It is often clear in many cases as a pyramid with
the survival need at the broad-based bottom and the necessity
of self-realization at the narrow top (Gawel, 1997). Maslow’s
(1970) hierarchy of needs theory in which needs have been
identified in the form of a hierarchical gradient is a five-level. The
least request comprised of the fundamental physiological needs,
for example, water, sustenance, and shelter. The second
request comprised of physical and money related security. The
third request comprised of social needs which included having a
place, affection, and acknowledgement of others. The fourth
request comprised of self-regard and acknowledgment by
companions. The fifth and most elevated request of necessities
comprised of self-completion; which included self-advancement,
independence, and self-bearing. On the premise of Maslow's
hypothesis, work fulfillment has been drawn closer by a few
analysts from the point of view of need satisfaction (Gui,
Barriball, & While, 2009).
2.3. Empirical evidence on work ethics
and job satisfaction
Previous research has shown that ethics is a humanistic
device to improve the quality of working life for police personnel
(Lincoln, Travers, Ackers, & Wilkinson, 2002). In addition, it
enhances the ability of an individual or group to make options
and transfer those options to the required procedures and
results (Alsop & Heinsohn, 2005). Indeed, a management
pattern which leads to employee motivation is the antithesis of
an authoritarian management style, where supervisors make all
key decisions (Gill, Flaschner, & Bhutani, 2010). Hence,
employee motivation and participation flows from the general
principle of participative management. Its aim is to achieve a
positive link between participation of employees, Job Satisfaction,
motivation and performance, personal commitment (Doughty &
Rinehart, 2004). In this regard, when they enjoy both the
participation of employees and leader support, they regularly
achieve their goals, either by improving Job Satisfaction or by
successfully introducing a quality-enhancing innovation; addition
improving employee’s morale and Job Satisfaction (Doughty &
Rinehart, 2004; Vacharakiat, 2008). Previous research has
shown that employee behavior is a form of freedom in which
police personnel makes decisions to ensure maximum Job
Satisfaction (Hunjra, Ul Haq, Akbar, & Yousaf, 2011). So, if
QUALITY
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
4 3
certain guidelines are followed and its limitations are un-
derstood, Empowerment can be an effective tool (Nykodym,
Simonetti, Nielsen, & Welling, 1994).
Numerous studies have been conducted on the influence of
work ethics on job satisfaction and found a positive relationship
between them (Ali & Al-Kazemi, 2007; Hussein et al., 2010;
Okpara & Wynn, 2008). While other researchers found weak or
no significant influence of work ethics on job satisfaction (Elkins,
2007; Komari & Djafar, 2013). Thus it becomes crucial to
investigate the influence of work ethics on job satisfaction of
employees.
There have been many studies investigated on the rela-
tionship between ethics and job satisfaction, however, the
studies investigating the impact of work ethics on job satisfaction
are limited. Research relating to ethics and organizational
performance (Miller et al., 2002); (Furnham, 1982); (Petty & Hill,
2017); (Abdi et al., 2014) productivity (Hamilton-Attwell, 1998;
Turnipseed, 2002); (Koonmee et al., 2010), job satisfaction
(Vitell & Davis, 1990); (Kowal & Roztocki, 2015); (Mahembe &
Chipunza, 2014), behavior (Thau et al., 2015); (Fu, 2014),
organizational commitment (Murtaza et al., 2016a); (Abdi et al.,
2014) were found to have significant positive relationships. A
critical review of these studies finds that while the relationship
between ethics and productivity, organizational performance
and job satisfaction behavior have been investigated in the
individual settings, the relationship between work ethics and job
satisfaction together have not discussed critically. Thus the
present study examines the relationship between work ethics
and job satisfaction among banking employees.
2.4. Work ethics enhancing job satisfaction
for research oriented work
The primary objective of ethics enhancing job satisfaction is
to create appropriate conditions for researchers who need the
motivation to get engaged in research oriented work. Work
ethics is a collection of values and morality that is used to
describe the action and behavior of people and compare them
by their culture (Geren, 2011). There are several components of
work ethics discussed and highlighted by previous studies. This
study focuses on components of work ethics like care, ethics
code, regulations, instrumental, independence, hard work, and
work as goal and time utilization. Measuring the concept of work
ethics, in reality, is a multi-dimensional concept that focuses on
work environment, focuses on a variety of subjects from leisure,
and morality.
Care is defined as the attitude of the employees towards
their colleagues and other people inside and outside the
organization. When the employees get additional benefits and
compensation from the company, they care for the company too
by obeying professional codes ethically.
The ethics code is defined as the ethical code based on the
professions of the individual employee. For the ethical behavior
of the employees work ethics play an important role in the orga-
nization. Work ethics of the employee helps the organization to
understand the behavior of the employee ethically (Valentine &
Barnett, 2007a). Code of ethics have been considered by Elçi
and Alpkan (2009) that confirmed work attitude and job satis-
faction.
Rules set for the employees to obey visualizing their attitude
is considered as regulations. Increase in ethical behavior of
employees encourages work regulation in the organization
(Kaptein, 2008). Thus it is very important for the organization to
control the work behavior of employees that will eventually
improve their loyalty and satisfaction. Organizations that focus
on pay and employee participation increases the commitment of
the employees to the organizations.
Instrumental is defined as selflessness among employees
towards their colleagues in the organization. Victor and Cullen
(1988) investigated on the factors of work ethics like caring,
instrumentality, regulation and found that work ethics helps to
prevent issues that will be effective to the organization and
employees. In the recent research performed by Shacklock,
Manning, and Hort (2011) approach to the development and
measurement of instrumental ethics lead to work satisfaction.
They also defined instrumental as the degree to which employee
look out their own interest.
The degree to which employees are guided by their moral
beliefs personally is considered as independence (Shacklock
et al., 2011). Employees have the right to be guided by their own
interests in the organization. Each employee in the organization
confirms what is right and wrong. The dimensions associated
with independence with the principal of ethics are related to the
employee’s personal and moral beliefs. Employees focus on
themselves and are guided by their own personal ethics.
Employees that have the attitude to work hard in the or-
ganization is defined as hard work. Faithful involvement and
commitment to work lead to decrease unethical behavior like
begging, laziness, and a waste of time. Quality of work was found
to be more important than hard work with an integral component
of motivation and human life.
The behavior and the decision making of the employees
have been influenced in the work environment; operationali-
zation of the field of psychology includes distinguishing proof of
the set of highlights of the social environment. Koh and El'Fred
(2001) investigated the relationship between work values and
organization's responsibility taking into account a specimen of
employees in Singapore and found that inherent work qualities
relate more similar to organizational responsibility than extrinsic
work values.
While most of the empirical studies have focused on the role
of work values, involvement, motivation, attitude on ethical be-
havior, an important area of research is to examine the
consequences when work ethics of individuals are perceived to
improve their job satisfaction. Managers can favorably influence
organizational outcomes by supporting and rewarding ethics of
individual employees (Koh and Elfred, 2001). Thus, the hypo-
thesis tested in this paper can be stated as:
H1: Quality Work ethics (Care, Ethics code, Regulations,
instrumental, independence, hard work, and work as a goal) of
the individual employees are perceived to have a positive
influence on job satisfaction.
3. Methodology
The database consisted of front line executives (n = 89)
employed in three major commercial banks each of them
covering five branches in Amman Jordan. We distributed 100
surveys, out of which we are able to collect 93 responses. Four
responses were found to have incomplete information and
Q U A L I T Y
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
Authors Relationship
between ethics and
(Hamilton-Attwell, 1998 Turnipseed, 2002)
(Koonmee, Singhapakdi, Virakul, & Lee, 2010) Productivity
(Miller, Woehr, & Hudspeth, 2002) (Furnham,
1982) (Petty & Hill, 2017) (Abdi, Nor, & Radzi,
2014)
Organizational
performance
(Vitell & Davis, 1990) (Kowal & Roztocki,
2015) (Mahembe & Chipunza, 2014) Job Satisfaction
(Thau, Derfler-Rozin, Pitesa, Mitchell, &
Pillutla, 2015) (Fu, 2014) Behavior
(Murtaza et al., 2016a) (Abdi et al., 2014) Organizational
commitment
Table1. Previous studies on ethics
Source: Prepared by the authors
4 4
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
therefore they were excluded. It was not an easy task to reach
out all the banking employees and thus the study sample was
limited to 89 responses with the response rate of 89%. All the
banks were in the metropolitan areas of Amman. 76% of the
respondents were male and most of them were having a gra-
duate degree. The mean age of the respondents was 33.8 (34)
years (SD = 6.79 years). The mean experience level was 7.91
years (SD = 5.04 years).
3.1. Procedure
A self-administered survey questionnaire was delivered
personally to the front line managers of Jordan banks with
probability sampling technique. The survey was in English and
Arabic in order to avoid any response bias. The survey included
demographic information of the employees together with the
constructs of work ethics and job satisfaction. Measures of work
ethics and job satisfaction employed a 5 point Likert scale with
(1) indicating less important and (5) indicating high important.
3.2. Findings
The analysis involved descriptive statistics and bivariate
correlations between each dimension of work ethics with the job
satisfaction of the employees. The measures for the work ethics
was scored such that high score indicated high important. Thus,
positive correlation indicated support for the hypothesis:
increase in work ethics will lead to increase job satisfaction of
the employees.
4. Results
The mean, standard deviations and alpha coefficient of the
constructs analyzed in this paper are reported in Table 2. The
alpha coefficient for the constructs ranges from 0.68 to 0.89.
That is some of the variables was having less alpha coefficient
than the criteria of 0.70 (Hair et al, 1998). In particular work
ethics with instrument and independence have an alpha
coefficient of 0.68 and 0.65 respectively.
As suggested by previous referees like (Tavakol & Dennick,
2011; Vaske, Beaman, & Sponarski, 2017) the item inter-
correlation may be the reason for low reliability. It was found that
after dropping the third item from the independence dimension
of work ethics the alpha coefficient was improved from 0.65 to
0.72. Also dropping the second item from the instrumental
dimension of work ethics the alpha coefficient was improved
from 0.68 to 0.74. The cronbach’s alpha statistic was consistent
with the measures of other studies like (Khan, Abbas, Gul, &
Raja, 2015; Valentine, Fleischman, & Godkin, 2015) of job
satisfaction. When the level of job satisfaction in the workplace,
the analysis follows the weighted average of the employee’s
response in each workplace (de Menezes, 2012).
As shown in Table 3, all the correlations were significant at
the 0.01 level. Thus the hypothesis of having significant co-
rrelations between dimensions of work ethics and job satis-
faction was high. Amongst the dimensions of work ethics,
instrumental was found to have a high significant correlation with
the job satisfaction. Instrumental stands for selflessness among
employees in the organization. Employees feel more satisfied
when they are concern more with the needs and wishes of
others than that of its own. The correlations between the work
ethics of the front line employees and their job satisfaction are
summarized in Table 3.
QUALITY
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
Variable Mean Standard Deviation Alpha coefficient
Care 3.97 1.43 0.79
Ethics code 4.28 1.12 0.77
Regulations 4.09 1.25 0.89
Instrumental 3.93 1.21 0.74*
Independence 4.73 1.16 0.72*
Hard work 3.95 1.01 0.81
Work as goal 4.42 1.05 0.82
Job satisfaction 4.53 1.05 0.81
* Revised alpha coefficient after removal of one item from the
original measurement.
Table 2. Descriptive Statistics and alpha coefficient
Dimensions of work ethics correlated
with job satisfaction of the employees Correlation
Care 0.488**
Ethics code 0.495**
Regulations 0.531**
Instrumental 0.535**
Independence 0.504**
Hard work 0.438**
Work as goal 0.481**
N = 89. ** p<0.01; Two tailed
Table 3. Bivariate correlations
Note: Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis;
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization; C - Care;
EC Ethical code; IT Instrumental; RE Regulations; HW
Hard work; CG Career goals; IN Independence; JS Job
satisfaction
Table 4. Factor loadings
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
4 5
Generally, the findings of the study were consistent with the
findings of previous literature studies on ethics. As compared to
the findings of previous literature Koh and Elfred (2001), the
current findings are stronger and possess a significant rela-
tionship between quality work ethics and job satisfaction. In
contrast, Viswesvaran et al (1998) found only one dimension of
ethics having a positive correlation on job satisfaction.
Quality work ethics and job satisfaction were found to be
separate factors as shown in Table.4. The factor loadings
ranged from 0.502 to 0.92 and the three care items caring of
people inside and outside the organization (0.55), good for all
employees (0.593) and best for everyone in the organization
(0.502) had low factor loadings. All the other measurements for
the constructs were in the range of factor loading.
4.1. Regression analysis
Hierarchal level regression analysis was conducted to test
the hypothesis 1. Hypothesis 1 suggested a positive influence of
quality work ethics on job satisfaction. The result presented in
Table.5 showed that factors of quality work ethics are positively
associated with employee job satisfaction. Employee
independence, hard work and work goal under quality work
ethics was found to have high integration towards employee job
satisfaction (p value <0.05).
However, there was no evidence found for ethical code,
regulations and instrumental influencing employee job satis-
faction. The link between quality work ethics and employee job
satisfaction was confirmed. It was worth noticing that Table 5
also shows weak interaction between care, ethical code,
regulations and instrumentals with employee job satisfaction,
which is the subject of investigation (p value > 0.05). This may
indicate that employees may experience unfit with the regu-
lations they are bounded within the organization and that makes
them uncomfortable. It is crucial for the organization to take
proper care of their employees.
5. Managerial Implications
Thus, favorable ethics is associated with job satisfaction with
important implications. Work ethics and job satisfaction go hand
in hand. Hard work and diligence are the examples of work
ethics. Thus the managers must provide the moral benefit to
work and ability to the employees. Ethics must be reliable, good
social skills and positive initiatives. An employee having good
work ethics is more eligible for selected positions, more
responsibility and promotion. Whereas, the employee who fails
to exhibit good work are not promoted or given greater res-
ponsibility.
The main purpose of this study was to assess the role of
quality work ethics on job satisfaction of employees. The result
of this study revealed that banking employee’s ethics influence
their job satisfaction potentially. Furthermore, it was also found
that commitment of the employees play a crucial role enhancing
the relationship between ethics and satisfaction. Employees are
willing to perform their task because they have positive feelings
and emotions towards the company. However, it will be
challenge to change work quality of an employee with the
implementation of policies of what economists calls them a
Pareto improvement.
This study helps the managers and individuals to understand
theoretically and practically how the work ethics with reference
to quality stimulate job satisfaction. Theoretically, many studies
have explored the influence of organizational ethics on per-
formance or satisfaction. Yet, seldom research has focused on
work ethics of employees in the banking sector. Practically this
study will help the organization to reduce their turnover and
would support their employees to develop strong ethical be-
havior. It is suggested to the management leaders that produ-
cing a constructive job attitude and organizational outcomes can
be fulfilled with work ethics. The result highlighted the impor-
tance of work ethics with emphasis laid on employees. The
findings of having independency and work goals as an important
factor of work ethics are very important for the banking pro-
fessionals to keep their workforce satisfied. It is the respon-
sibility of the employees and the organization to tackle ethical
issues in the workplace.
6. Conclusion
Quality work ethics is important for an individual wellbeing.
As employees reciprocate their efforts, retention and enga-
gement towards their work, they are highly satisfied in return.
Ethical concerns by individuals in the organization have been
the main focus of the study in recent years. Research examining
individual concern of work ethics postulated to affect job
satisfaction is almost nonexistent. Due to the globalization of
businesses, there is an urgent need to perform an empirical
investigation on quality work ethics towards job satisfaction of
the individuals. This study investigated the correlation between
quality work ethics dimensions and job satisfaction and the
result obtained from bivariate correlations indicated a significant
positive link between all the constructs. These findings imply
that work ethics is one of the key attributes that can increase
employee’s job satisfaction together with other organizational
outcomes. Most importantly, it is crucial for the managers to be
aware that increasing employee’s job satisfaction can lead to
increased organizational commitment, lower labour turnover
and improve productivity. This study used to care, ethical code,
regulations, instrumental, independence, hard work and work
goal as the dimensions of quality work ethics. However, the
quality work ethics program can go beyond these components.
The study found a significant contribution by work ethical di-
mensions like independence, hard work and work goals on job
satisfaction. Furthermore, it was also revealed that it is a big
challenge for the banks to maintain the satisfaction level of their
employees.
7. Emerging issues for future research
on work ethics and job satisfaction
Review of literature on ethics has noticed a surge in
research on ethical behavior. However, very little research has
focused on quality work ethics of employees as individual
consequences. A key issue identified is the lack of theory about
the nature of strong work ethics in the employees. Ethics is
concerned with working goals and time utilization to fulfil the
task wisely but a distinctive approach to this concern that
Q U A L I T Y
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
Note: Dependent variable: Job satisfaction
N=89; *p <0.10; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001
4 6
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
matters is lacking. There is a little consensus on developing a
theory of ethics. This study proposed that focusing on something
like expectancy theory would provide a sensible rationale for the
ethical practices. Expectancy theory configures depending on
rewards and motivation indicating satisfaction can be
considered with high performance. The alternative approach is
to use the statistical method and to see what emerges from
factor analysis. We would also care of corporate social
responsibility associated with ethics and job satisfaction. Finally,
there is a need to be cautious about the validity assumption
while performing the data collection on the basis of different
corporate departments. Finally, future research should be
performed taking into consideration the consequences of quality
and strong work ethics at international level.
QUALITY
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
References
[1] Abdi, M.F., Nor, S F.D.W.M., & Radzi, N. Z. M. (2014). The impact of Islamic work ethics on job performance and organizational commitment.
Paper presented at the Proceedings of 5th Asia-Pacific Business Research Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
[2] Ali, A.J., & Al-Kazemi, A.A. (2007). Islamic work ethic in Kuwait. Cross cultural management: An international Journal, 14(2), 93-104.
[3] Alsop, R., & Heinsohn, N. (2005). Measuring empowerment in practice: structuring analysis and framing indicators. World, 1-123.
[4] Apasu, Y. (1986). Identifying the antecedents of salespersons intention to leave. Akron Business and Economic Review, 17(4), 85-97.
[5] Camp, S. D. (1994). Assessing the effects of organizational commitment and job satisfaction on turnover: An event history approach. The
Prison Journal, 74(3), 279.
[6] de Menezes, L. M. (2012). Job satisfaction and quality management: an empirical analysis. International Journal of Operations & Production
Management, 32(3), 308-328.
[7] Doughty, H., & Rinehart, J. W. (2004). Employee empowerment: Democracy or delusion. Innovation Journal, 9(1), 1-24.
[8] Elçi, M., & Alpkan, L. (2009). The impact of perceived organizational ethical climate on work satisfaction. Journal of Business Ethics, 84(3),
297-311.
[9] Elkins, S.L. (2007). Job satisfaction and work ethic among workers in a Japanese manufacturing company located in the United States.
[10] Forte, C.S., & Hansvick, C.L. (1999). Applicant age as a subjective employability factor: A study of workers over and under age fifty. Journal
of Employment Counseling, 36(1), 24-34.
[11] Fu, W. (2014). The impact of emotional intelligence, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction on ethical behavior of Chinese
employees. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(1), 137-144.
[12] Furnham, A. (1982). The Protestant work ethic and attitudes towards unemployment. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology,
55(4), 277-285.
[13] Gawel, J. E. (1997). Herzberg's Theory of Motivation and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. ERIC/AE Digest: ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment
and Evaluation, 210 O'Boyle Hall, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064.
[14] Geren, B. (2011). The work ethic: is it universal? Journal of International Business & Cultural Studies, 5, 1-8.
[15] Getahun, S., Sims, B., & Hummer, D. (2008). Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment Among Probation and Parole Officers: A Case
Study. Professional Issues in Criminal Justice (PICJ), 3(1), 1-16.
[16] Gill, A., Flaschner, A., & Bhutani, S. (2010). The Impact of Transformational Leadership and Empowerment on Employee Job Stress. Business
and Economics Journal, 1-11.
[17] Gui, L., Barriball, K.L., & While, A.E. (2009). Job satisfaction of nurse teachers: A literature review. Part II: Effects and related factors. Nurse
Education Today, 29(5), 477-487.
[18] Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., Anderson, R.E., & Tatham, R.L. (1998). Multivariate data analysis (Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 207-219). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice hall.
[19] Hamilton-Attwell, A. (1998). Productivity and work ethics. Work study, 47(3), 79-86.
[20] Hunjra, A.I., Ul Haq, N., Akbar, S.W., & Yousaf, M. (2011). Impact of Employee Empowerment on Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Analysis of
Pakistani Service Industry. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 2(11), 680-685.
[21] Hussein, A.A., Wilkoff, B.L., Martin, D.O., Karim, S., Kanj, M., Callahan, T., . . . Wazni, O.M. (2010). Initial experience with the Evolution
mechanical dilator sheath for lead extraction: safety and efficacy. Heart Rhythm, 7(7), 870-873.
[22] Kaptein, M. (2008). Developing and testing a measure for the ethical culture of organizations: The corporate ethical virtues model. Journal of
Organizational Behavior, 29(7), 923-947.
[23] Khan, K., Abbas, M., Gul, A., & Raja, U. (2015). Organizational justice and job outcomes: Moderating role of Islamic work ethic. Journal of
Business Ethics, 126(2), 235-246.
[24] Koh, H. C., & El'Fred, H. (2001). The link between organizational ethics and job satisfaction: A study of managers in Singapore. Journal of
Business Ethics, 29(4), 309-324.
[25] Komari, N., & Djafar, F. (2013). Work Ethics, Work Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment at the Sharia Bank, Indonesia. International
Business Research, 6(12), p107.
[26] Koonmee, K., Singhapakdi, A., Virakul, B., & Lee, D.-J. (2010). Ethics institutionalization, quality of work life, and employee job-related
outcomes: A survey of human resource managers in Thailand. Journal of business research, 63(1), 20-26.
[27] Kowal, J., & Roztocki, N. (2015). Do organizational ethics improve IT job satisfaction in the Visegrád Group countries? Insights from Poland.
Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 18(2), 127-145.
[28] Lincoln, N.D., Travers, C., Ackers, P., & Wilkinson, A. (2002). The meaning of empowerment: the interdisciplinary etymology of a new
management concept. International journal of management reviews, 4(3), 271-290.
[29] Mahembe, B., & Chipunza, C. (2014). Job satisfaction and work ethics: a comparison between a South African and a Zimbabwean group.
Interim: Interdisciplinary Journal, 13(2), 34-46.
[30] Maslow, Abraham H. (1970). Motivation and Personality, New York: Harper and Row
[31] Miller, M.J., Woehr, D.J., & Hudspeth, N. (2002). The meaning and measurement of work ethic: Construction and initial validation of a
multidimensional inventory. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60(3), 451-489.
[32] Mobley, W.H. (1977). Intermediate linkages in the relationship between job satisfaction and employee turnover. Journal of applied psychology,
62(2), 237.
[33] Murtaza, G., Abbas, M., Raja, U., Roques, O., Khalid, A., & Mushtaq, R. (2016a). Impact of Islamic work ethics on organizational citizenship
behaviors and knowledge-sharing behaviors. Journal of Business Ethics, 133(2), 325-333.
[34] Nykodym, N., Simonetti, J.L., Nielsen, W.R., & Welling, B. (1994). Employee empowerment. Empowerment in Organizations, 2(3), 45-55.
[35] Okpara, J.O., & Wynn, P. (2008). The impact of ethical climate on job satisfaction, and commitment in Nigeria: Implications for management
development. Journal of Management Development, 27(9), 935-950.
[36] Petty, G.C., & Hill, R.B. (2017). Work Ethic Characteristics: Perceived Work Ethics of Supervisors and Workers. Journal of STEM Teacher
Education, 42(2), 2.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
4 7
[37] Shacklock, A., Manning, M., & Hort, L. (2011). Dimensions and types of ethical climate within public sector human resource management.
Journal of New Business Ideas & Trends, 9(1), 51-66.
[38] Steinheider, T.W.B. (2006). “Shared Leadership: Can Empowerment Work in Police Organizations?”. The Police Chief, 73, 48-55.
[39] Sun, Y., Gergen, E., Avila, M., & Green, M. (2016). Leadership and job satisfaction: Implications for leaders of accountants. American Journal
of Industrial and Business Management, 6(03), 268.
[40] Tavakol, M., & Dennick, R. (2011). Making sense of Cronbach's alpha. International journal of medical education, 2, 53.
[41] Thau, S., Derfler-Rozin, R., Pitesa, M., Mitchell, M.S., & Pillutla, M.M. (2015). Unethical for the sake of the group: Risk of social exclusion and
pro-group unethical behavior. Journal of applied psychology, 100(1), 98.
[42] Turnipseed, D.L. (2002). Are good soldiers good?: Exploring the link between organization citizenship behavior and personal ethics. Journal
of business research, 55(1), 1-15.
[43] Vacharakiat, M. (2008). The Relationships of Empowerment, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment among Filipino and American
Registered Nurses Working in the USA. (Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Dissertation), George Mason UniversityRetrieved from
http://hdl.handle.net/1920/3363
[44] Valentine, S., & Barnett, T. (2007). Perceived organizational ethics and the ethical decisions of sales and marketing personnel. Journal of
Personal Selling and Sales Management, 27(4), 373-388.
[45] Valentine, S., Fleischman, G., & Godkin, L. (2015). Rogues in the ranks of selling organizations: Using corporate ethics to manage workplace
bullying and job satisfaction. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 35(2), 143-163.
[46] Vaske, J.J., Beaman, J., & Sponarski, C.C. (2017). Rethinking internal consistency in Cronbach's Alpha. Leisure Sciences, 39(2), 163-173.
[47] Victor, B., & Cullen, J. B. (1988). The organizational bases of ethical work climates. Administrative Science Quarterly, 101-125.
[48] Victor, V. (1964). Work and motivation. John Willey & Sons, New York.
[49] Vitell, S. J., & Davis, D.L. (1990). The relationship between ethics and job satisfaction: An empirical investigation. Journal of Business Ethics,
9(6), 489-494.
[50] Valentine, S., & Fleischman, G. (2008). Ethics programs, perceived corporate social responsibility and job satisfaction. Journal of business
ethics, 77(2), 159-172.
[51] Viswesvaran, C., S.P. Deshpande and J. Joseph (1998). ‘Job Satisfaction as a Function of Top Management Support for Ethical Behavior: A
Study of Indian Managers’, Journal of Business Ethics 17, 365-371.
Q U A L I T Y
Access to Success
Vol. 20, No. 168/ February 2019
Code Measurement items
Care1 I take care of people inside and outside organization
Care2 Good for all the employees in the organization is most important concern
Care3 What is best for everyone is the major concern in this organization
Ethic code1 I make decision based on professional code of ethics
Ethic code2 Employees in this organization are expected to strictly follow legal standard
Ethic code3 First consideration for the organization is to check whether employee decision violates any law
Ethic code4 The law or ethical code of employee’s profession is major concern
Regulation1 I obey rules set for employee working attitude
Regulation2 Every employee must stick to organization’s rules and regulations
Regulation3 It is very important to follow organization’s rules and procedures
Regulation4 Organizational policies are strictly obeyed in this organization
Instrument1 I am instrumental among people within the organization
Instrument2 Employees protect other consideration rather than protecting their own interest
Instrument3 Organization’s interest is not hurt during the work consideration
Instrument4 Employees can do anything further to protect organization’s interest
Independent1 I consider moral beliefs based on principles
Independent2 Employees have right to decide what is right and wrong
Independent3 Own personal and moral beliefs of employees are followed
Hard work1 I am always willing to work
Hard work2 I have positive attitude towards work
Hard work3 Working efficiently is my major concern
Work goal1 I am always self-esteemed with the work I do
Work goal2 Employees always attempts to improve their efficiency
Work goal3 Employees are always highly motivated
Work goal4 Employees set their tasks and attempts to fulfill them
JS1 I am satisfied with remuneration provided by the organization
JS2 I am satisfied with the career opportunity provided by the organization
JS3 I am satisfied working with co-workers in the organization
JS4 Supervisor is able to provide technical assistance and support to me
JS5 Job is interesting to me
JS6 I am satisfied with the training provided to me
APPENDIX
... WEs have the power to either motivate or dissuade people from committing crimes [5]. Putting work ethics into practice can considerably increase performance by using a variety of tactics to develop an ethical culture among the workforces [10]. ...
... Panigrahi and Al-Nashash [10] proposed that work ethics is a multidimensional concept that could be measured with different elements. Care, ethics code, regulations, instrumental, independence, hard work, and work as goal and time utilization are just a few of WEs element. ...
... Panigrahi and Al-Nashash [10] developed the multidimensional work ethics questionnaire. It consists of 25 items measured in 7 dimensions: care (3 items such as; I take care of people inside and outside organization), ethics code (4 items such as I make decision based on professional code of ethics), regulation (4 items as, I obey rules set for employee working attitude), instrument (4 items as, I am instrumental among people within the organization), independent (3 items as, I consider moral beliefs based on principles), hard work (3 items as, I am always willing to work), and work goal (4 items as, I am always self-esteemed with the work I do). ...
Article
Full-text available
Background The organization’s work ethics is the cornerstone to promoting positive nurses’ behaviours and overcoming counterproductive ones. Purpose The current study aims to explore the relationship between work ethics (WEs) and counterproductive work behaviours (CWB) among nurses and testify to the mediating role of workplace ostracism (WO) in this relationship. Methods A descriptive correlational study was conducted in an Egyptian hospital. A convenient sample of staff nurses (N = 369) who agreed to participate in the study answered work ethics, counterproductive work behaviours, and workplace ostracism questionnaires, which were proven to be valid and reliable study measures. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, and relationships were presented using structural equation modelling. Ethical Considerations Ethics Committee approval, written informed consent, data privacy and confidentiality, and participants’ rights to voluntary participation and withdrawal were maintained. Results The majority of nurses (78.5%) perceived a high level of work ethics while majority of nurses reporting low levels of counterproductive work behaviours and workplace ostracism (82.25%, 75.75%), respectively. In addition to the negative correlations, the findings revealed that WEs have a significant negative influence on each of CWB (β − 0.482, p < 0.005) and WO (β − 0.044, p < 0.005). The regression analysis showed that WEs can negatively predict about 15% of the variance in each of CWB and WO. On the other hand, WO has a positive effect on CWB (β 0.035, p < 0.021) and mediates the relationship between WEs and CWB. Discussion Ostracism negatively affects the attitudes of nurses, which in turn results in negative behavioural outcomes (i.e., deviant behaviour). Conclusion It is imperative for the hospital and nurse managers to establish a work environment that fosters support and cultivate work ethics and ethical work climate with the aim of managing negative work behaviours, enhancing nurses’ retention and satisfaction, and eventually improving the quality of patient care.
... Using a quantitative method and a questionnaire, they addressed 89 employees working in Jordanian banks. The results showed that the variables under investigation were positively correlated [34]. ...
... It is interesting to note that the findings in this study agree with the results reported by researchers interested in the same territory. Many concerned practitioners have tried to investigate the correlation between work ethics climate and job satisfaction [34] [35]. ...
Article
This study explores the mediating role of ethical leadership and political behavior in affecting the correlation between work ethic climate and job satisfaction at Middle Technical University. For this purpose, a descriptive correlational research design was utilized to examine the intended outcomes. For collecting the required data, a thirty-item questionnaire was developed to assess the predictions defined by the research topic. Reviewing the existing literature and specialist opinion in organizational psychology was the basis for designing the questionnaire. Subsequently, the questionnaire was pilot-tested to examine the targeted questions' clarity, usefulness, and relevance. The final questionnaire comprised 30 Likert-scale items administered online to 180 randomly selected employees working at Middle Technical University. Data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using structural equation modeling, Smart PLS, and Pearson correlation coefficient formula. The findings revealed that ethical and political leadership significantly positively affect the relationship between work ethic climate and job satisfaction. The results may have important implications for professional practices, employee well-being, and organizational performance.
... Employees with a strong work ethic are highly motivated to achieve their goals, which in turn enhances their job satisfaction and overall performance. A strong work ethic is positively correlated with higher employee performance, as individuals who demonstrate dedication and perseverance tend to contribute more effectively to organizational success (Al-Nashash et al., 2018;Panigrahi & Al-Nashash, 2019). ...
Article
Full-text available
The emergence of Industry 5.0, which integrates advanced technology with a human-centered approach, has significantly reshaped organizational dynamics. This transformation underscores the critical role of human resources in sustaining organizational competitiveness. Employee performance is not solely determined by output quantity but also by output quality. Employees must operate effectively and efficiently to optimize organizational performance. This study examines the impact of work ethic, motivation, and job satisfaction on employee performance. The research population comprises all employees at Indonesia Open University (IOU), with the sample drawn from IOU’s central office and the Bandung and Yogyakarta regional offices, yielding 179 valid responses. A quantitative approach utilizing Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that work ethic has a significant positive effect on employee performance—employees with a stronger work ethic exhibit higher performance levels. Conversely, motivation and job satisfaction do not exhibit a statistically significant effect on employee performance. Collectively, work ethic, motivation, and job satisfaction explain 56.4% of employee performance variance, while the remaining 43.6% is influenced by other external factors beyond the study’s scope.
... On the one hand, its influence on developing problem-solving skills that facilitate good performance is highlighted (Sulistiowati et al. 2018). On the other hand, it is emphasized as a social skill aimed at shaping attitudes and behaviors in the workplace (Panigrahi and Al-Nashash 2019). Thus, it is argued that work ethic is a priority for organizations, as it can affect their performance and effectiveness (Salahudin et al. 2016;Banister 2017;Bataineh 2020;Benedicto and Caelian 2021). ...
Article
Full-text available
Work ethic represents a key factor for professional performance, as it guides behaviors relevant to the transparency and quality of work practices. Although a wide field of study has been developed, less research has analyzed the indirect influence of affective and cognitive factors involved in work ethic. Therefore, this study aims to assess the indirect effects of executive planning functions and affectivity on the work ethic of Chilean university students. The purpose is to test the following hypotheses: (1) executive planning functions have an indirect effect on work ethic through moral reasoning; (2) affectivity has an indirect effect on work ethic through moral intuition. The participants were a total of 582 Chilean university students from a university in the north (38.5%), one in the center (35.9%), and one in the southern area (25.6%). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, structural equation models (SEMs), and SEM mediation analysis. The results show the direct effect of moral reasoning (β = 0.47, p < .01) and moral intuition (β = 0.85, p < .01) on work ethic. Furthermore, they support the indirect effect of executive planning functions (β = 0.06, p < .01) and affectivity (β = 0.46, p < .01) on work ethic. The model explains 98% of the variance of work ethic, highlighting the critical roles of moral reasoning and moral intuition as psychological mechanisms that intervene and drive the effect of cognitive and affective factors. Theoretical and practical implications for teaching–learning processes in higher education are discussed.
... A strong work ethic is a crucial factor in success in the workplace. Employees who possess a robust work ethic exhibit increased productivity, efficiency, and the ability to produce work of superior quality (Panigrahi & Al-Nashash, 2019). By establishing trust, individuals can increase their chances of receiving more opportunities for professional progression, leading to higher levels of job satisfaction and overall success in their careers. ...
... Amartha Micro Fintek Malang Branch. These results are in accordance with the research results (Ahmed et al., 2021) And (Panigrahi & Al-Nashash, 2019) which shows that work ethic has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction. Judging from the size of the effect of the relationship between variables, the effect of work ethic on job satisfaction is 0.209, which means it has a moderate effect because it is above the value of 0.15. ...
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this research is to empirically determine the role of perceived organizational support as a moderator of the influence of competence and work ethic on job satisfaction among PT employees. Amartha Micro Fintek Malang Branch. This research is positivism research, with the type of research being explanatory research. The population in this study were all employees of PT. Amartha Mikro Fintek Malang Branch, totaling 53 people. The number of samples in this study was determined based on total sampling. The data analysis technique used in this research is Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the SmartPLS application. The research results show that competence can increase job satisfaction. Work ethic can increase job satisfaction. Perceived organizational support can increase job satisfaction. Competency is able to increase job satisfaction moderated by the perceived organizational support of employees. Work ethic is able to increase job satisfaction moderated by perceived organizational support
Article
Full-text available
Ethical issues are recurrently created in Teacher Education. The purpose of this research was to disclose the perceptions of Teacher Educators and Student Teachers in relation with the implementation of ethical values and facing ethical issues at Teacher Education Institutes. In this qualitative study, Phenomenological research design was applied. Ten Teacher Educators and Twenty-seven Student Teachers participated from Three reputed Private Teacher Education Institutes of Karachi through semi structured interview and Focus group discussion to share their unique experiences respectively. The gathered data were analyzed by Thematic analysis. After the data analysis six themes and eleven sub-themes have been emerged Intrinsic motivation is an integral part of a person's capacity to follow professional ethics. Teacher Educators faced lack of proper appreciation due to which turnover was increased in the institutes. On the other hand, student teachers feel discomfort from an inappropriate behaviour of Teachers Educators. It has been recommended that HEC should make a strategic plan to address ethical issues at Teacher Education Institutes.
Article
Objective: This study aims to determine the influence of the application of flexible working space work patterns, work ethic, and human resource development on job satisfaction. Method: This study uses an explanatory research type. The research sample consisted of 200 employees at the Medium Customs and Excise Office. The data analysis method used in this study was multiple linear regression analysis. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the application of flexible working space work had a significant effect on job satisfaction, work ethic had a significant effect on job satisfaction, and human resources development had a significant effect on job satisfaction. These results indicate that in The Medium Customs and Excise Office must consider what can increase sustainable job satisfaction. Based on the limited analysis, we recommend conducting research using other factors that can affect job satisfaction. Research Implications: The implication of this research is that companies need policies related to planning to increase the application of flexible working space work, work ethic, and human resources management to improve job satisfaction of employee. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature and to understanding how toc reate and improve sustainable job satisfation. This research provides insights into organizational behavior theory and management theory.
Article
Full-text available
Satisfaction in all situations is considered a competitive advantage for organizations. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between work ethics and power sources of managers with job satisfaction of employees of the General Department of Sports and Youth in Albasra province. Based on the sample size determination table of Albasra province, 127 employees of the General Department of Sports and Youth of Albasra province answered the standard questionnaires of work ethics (Petty, 1990), managers' sources of power (Van et al., 2000) and job satisfaction (Lins, 2003). Completed the stratified-random design. The analysis of the collected data was done using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson's correlation to determine simple relationships and multivariate regression to predict the relationships of the variables using SPSS software. The findings showed that between the variables There is a positive and significant relationship between work ethics and job satisfaction, power and job satisfaction, power and work ethics. Also, the results showed that work ethics is a good predictor for employees' job satisfaction and power sources cannot be a good predictor for job satisfaction. In total It can be said that since the main capital of any organization is the human resources of that organization and the two pillars of the manager and the employees are decisive in obtaining the desired results, therefore, the selection of appropriate methods of exercising power and work ethics by the managers can lead to job satisfaction. be employees, a It will surely increase the success of organizations and the realization of their goals.
Article
This phenomenological study explores the experiences of contract-of-service (COS) teaching personnel, shedding light on less-explored dimensions in the commitment literature. Through in-depth interviews and observations, the research uncovers themes that intricately shape educators' commitment and professional journey. The study employs a phenomenological approach, utilizing in-depth interviews and observations to capture the lived experiences of COS teaching personnel. Thematic analysis is applied to derive key themes from the collected data. Findings revealed significant themes emerging from the data, covering a wide range of topics from Career Transition and Fulfilment to Learning, Adaptation, and Teaching Strategies. These themes contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing commitment among COS teaching personnel. Noteworthy among these are less-explored dimensions, including experiential learning, contractual perspectives, personal values and attributes, institutional impact and contribution, challenges and uncertainties, and personalized teaching approaches. The recommendations included fostering a supportive institutional environment, recognizing the value of positive teaching experiences, and integrating professional growth opportunities. Future research should examine identified less-explored dimensions to enhance our understanding of educators' commitment and well-being.
Article
Full-text available
The objective of this study is to examine the effect of work ethics on work satisfaction and organizational commitment at the Sharia Bank. As many as 78 employees became respondents in the study. The data were obtained by utilizing a self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interviews, and analysed using Partial Least Squares (PLS). The findings in the study show that work ethics has a non-significant negative effect on work satisfaction while work ethics has a significant positive effect on organizational commitment. This study concludes that work ethics are very important for organizational commitment but that they cannot automatically create high job satisfaction. Work ethics and work satisfaction are not necessarily related, which might be due to the perception of fairness among the employees.
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of transformational leadership (TL) and employee empowerment (EE) onemployee job stress (JS). This study also extends the findings of Gill et al. [1] related to the factors that mitigate job stress in theservice industry. A survey research (a non-experimental field study design) was utilized. The current study consists of a population ofIndian hospitality industry employees. A convenience sampling method was applied to select and recruit the research participants.Data were collected using questionnaires. The p < .05 significance level was used to accept or reject the null hypotheses. The resultssuggest that the improvement in the level of perceived TL used by managers and EE mitigate the job stress of customer contactservice employees (CCSEs) in the Indian hospitality industry. The results also show that TL and EE mitigate the job stress of CCSEs inthe Indian hotel industry.
Article
Full-text available
Cronbach's alpha estimates the internal consistency of responses in multi-item bipolar scales. This article examined three research questions (RQ): (1) To what extent do inconsistencies exist in data (e.g., responses of −2 −2 2 2)? (2) Does the number of scale items influence the amount of inconsistency? (3) Does Cronbach's alpha mask inconsistencies? Data were obtained from 29 research projects (n = 10,616). Each survey had place attachment questions comprising two concepts: place identity and place dependence. Respondents were classified as consistent or inconsistent based on their responses to the place attachment questions. Results demonstrated that: (a) inconsistent response patterns existed in the data (RQ1), (b) number of scale items influenced amount of inconsistency (RQ2), and (c) alpha masked these inconsistencies (RQ3). Discussion focused on implications of these findings.
Article
Full-text available
Based on four interlocking empirical studies, this paper initially validates and refines the Corporate Ethical Virtues Model which formulates normative criteria for the ethical culture of organizations. The findings of an exploratory factor analysis provide support for the existence of eight unidimensional subscales: clarity, congruency of supervisors, congruency of management, feasibility, supportability, transparency, discussability, and sanctionability. The findings of a confirmatory factor analysis show that the overall fit of the model is quite high. Evidence of convergent and discriminant validity is also found. The resulting 58-item self-reporting questionnaire is a useful tool that can be used in future research and by managers in assessing the ethical culture of their organization.
Technical Report
Wuestewald, T. & Steinheider, B. (2006). Shared Leadership: Can Empowerment Work in Police Organizations? The Police Chief, 73(1), 48 – 55.
Article
The effect of organizational ethics on the job satisfaction of information technology professionals in Poland, a transition economy from the Visegrad Group, was examined. Three dimensions of organizational ethics-ethical optimism, corporate social responsibility, and top management action-are investigated. The necessary data is collected by a survey conducted among 391 respondents in different regions of Poland. Results indicate that all three dimensions of organizational ethics, ethical optimism, corporate social responsibility, and top management action, affect the job satisfaction of information technology professionals. The highest job satisfaction seems to be in organizations where the top management propagate and enforce high ethical standards. The authors believe that the application of these will help in creating incentive system for information technology professionals. This new incentive system can lead to better job efficiency and quality of information systems in the Visegrad Group.
Article
The literature recognizes that the sales profession is an inherently competitive and self-interested occupation that can be negatively impacted by deviant behavior and rationalizations of unethical conduct. The unique boundary-spanning nature and autonomy of such work means that there is often little management oversight of sales professionals' behavior, which may lead to misbehavior and poor work attitudes. Yet, evidence suggests that the development of corporate ethical values (CEVs) can mitigate concerns about unethical conduct, suggesting that these principles might be used to reduce workplace bullying and enhance job satisfaction. Using a self-report questionnaire, information was collected from national and regional samples of selling professionals employed in different organizations located in the USA (N = 356). While controlling for the effects of sampling and social desirability, results indicated that increased communication of an ethics code was associated with stronger perceptions of CEVs, while ethical values were negatively related to perceptions of workplace bullying and positively related to job satisfaction. Workplace bullying was also negatively related to job satisfaction. The findings suggest that an ethical work environment should be instituted in sales organizations to reduce misconduct and enhance work attitudes.