The development and evaluation of a scale to assess job satisfaction in public universities with item response theory: a Brazilian study

IF 2.5 Q3 MANAGEMENT

International Journal of Public Sector Management Pub Date : 2024-02-21 DOI:10.1108/ijpsm-09-2023-0269

Jerko Ledic Neto, Dalton Francisco Andrade, Hai-Yan Helen Lu, Anna Cecilia Mendonca Amaral Petrassi, Antonio Renato Pereira Moro

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to develop a psychometrically reliable job satisfaction (JS) measure for university employees, guiding administrative decisions and monitoring satisfaction over time in public universities.

Design/methodology/approach

A JS survey developed by a Brazilian federal university’s sustainability committee containing 58 items across physical, cognitive and organizational domains was longitudinally tested with 1,214 responses collected. The data were analyzed using Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis, employing the Graded Response Model, with tools such as frequency analysis, item characteristic curve, and full-information factor analysis in RStudio. The scale’s criterion validity was also established via expert qualitative interpretation.

Findings

The instrument’s internal consistency was confirmed as the results demonstrated its high reliability with a marginal reliability coefficient of 0.95. Significant findings revealed that recognition and supervisor relationships were key discriminators of JS and that workers began to perceive satisfaction when basic environmental conditions were met.

Research limitations/implications

It is important to mention that the application of this scale is specifically limited to higher education institutions and may not be directly applicable to other educational settings or industry sectors without modifications.

Originality/value

Although numerous measures and scales have been developed to assess JS, one elaborated by using IRT in a public university environment was lacking. Due to shifting dynamics in the workplace, traditional measurement of JS has proven inadequate, necessitating a more precise, accessible and updated tool. The developed scale allows precisely targeted interventions to improve JS and can be reapplied to evaluate their effectiveness. This research thus contributes a valuable tool for academic organizational psychology, enhancing the understanding of the measurement of JS.

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利用项目反应理论开发和评估公立大学工作满意度量表：一项巴西研究

本研究旨在为大学员工开发一种心理测量学上可靠的工作满意度（JS）测量方法，以指导公立大学的行政决策并监测一段时间内的满意度。设计/方法/途径巴西一所联邦大学的可持续发展委员会开发了一项工作满意度调查，其中包含身体、认知和组织领域的 58 个项目，该调查进行了纵向测试，共收集到 1214 份回复。数据分析采用了项目反应理论（IRT）分析，采用了分级反应模型，并使用了 RStudio 中的频率分析、项目特征曲线和全信息因子分析等工具。研究结果该工具的内部一致性得到了证实，结果表明其信度很高，边际信度系数为 0.95。研究局限性/影响需要指出的是，该量表的应用仅限于高等教育机构，未经修改可能无法直接适用于其他教育环境或行业部门。原创性/价值虽然已经开发了许多量表和量表来评估 "工作满意度"，但还缺乏一个在公立大学环境中使用 IRT 的量表和量表。由于工作场所的动态变化，传统的 JS 测量方法已被证明是不够的，因此需要一种更精确、更易使用和更新的工具。所开发的量表可以精确地进行有针对性的干预，以改善联合材料，并可重新应用于评估其有效性。因此，这项研究为组织心理学学术研究提供了一个宝贵的工具，增强了人们对 "联合材料 "测量的理解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Public Sector Management Multiple-

CiteScore

5.00

自引率

7.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Public Sector Management (IJPSM) publishes academic articles on the management, governance, and reform of public sector organizations around the world, aiming to provide an accessible and valuable resource for academics and public managers alike. IJPSM covers the full range of public management research including studies of organizations, public finances, performance management, Human Resources Management, strategy, leadership, accountability, integrity, collaboration, e-government, procurement, and more. IJPSM encourages scholars to publish their empirical research and is particularly interested in comparative findings. IJPSM is open to articles using a variety of research methods and theoretical approaches.