THE MEASUREMENT OF JOB SATISFACTION IN A VIETNAMESE CONTEXT

Abstract

This study adapts and validates the Job Description Index (JDI) of Smith, Kendal, and Hulin (1) in a Vietnamese context and uses the adapted JDI to evaluate the influences of employees' satisfaction with different facets of job, such as satisfaction with supervisors, with co-workers, with training-promotion opportunities, etc, to overall job satisfaction. The study used structural equation modeling (SEM) based on a sample of 448 evening students at the University of Economics in Hochiminh city. It found that the adapted JDI has 6 dimensions: satisfaction with work; with supervisors; with salary; with co-workers; with training-promotion opportunities; and with fringe benefits. Of these dimensions only satisfaction with work (r=0.36) and satisfaction with training-promotion opportunities (r=0.33) have strongest and significant statistical influences on overall job satisfaction. Implications of the research findings for management practice are discussed.