Job Satisfaction in the Shrimp Trawl Fisheries of Vietnam

This paper investigates the job satisfaction of small-scale shrimp trawl fishers in the vicinity of Camau National Park in southern Vietnam. The research sample consisted of 77 fishers who belong to a growing population of shrimp fishers in the region. The results suggest that 60?% would change their fishing métier, 78?% would leave fishing for another occupation and 76?% would not advise a young person to enter the occupation of fishing. These responses indicate a negative attitude towards the occupation. This is explained with reference to deteriorating stocks and low economic returns. Generally speaking, however, fishers are satisfied with the physical safety, cleanliness of work and ??healthfulness?? of their occupation, as well as with the quality of community life.     

Job Satisfaction in Fisheries Compared

This article draws comparative lessons from seven job satisfaction studies on marine capture fishing that were recently carried out in nine countries and three geographical regions??Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. The seven studies made use of an identical job satisfaction assessment tool and present information on a selection of métiers mainly in the small-scale and semi-industrial fishing sectors. The responses manifest statistically significant geographical variation. Multidimensional plots and cluster analyses lead the authors to identify three clusters: (1) Southeast Asian (Vietnam and Thailand); (2) Caribbean (Belize, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic) and (3) Afro-Indian (Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and India). Jamaica is a significant outlier. On a general level, the authors conclude that fishers who report that they are not interested in leaving the occupation of fishing score higher on three traditional job satisfaction scales??basic needs, social needs and self actualization. Those who say they would leave fishing for another occupation are younger, have less fishing experience and smaller households. The latter findings are of relevance with regard to the pressing need, felt by fisheries managers, to move fishers out of the fishery.     

Job Satisfaction Among Fishers in the Dominican Republic

This paper reflects on the results of a job satisfaction study of small-scale fishers in the Dominican Republic. The survey results suggest that, although fishers are generally satisfied with their occupations, they also have serious concerns. These concerns include anxieties about the level of earnings, the condition of marine resources and the performance of government officials engaged in management. Such worries are offset, at least to some degree, by high levels of satisfaction regarding the communities of which respondents are part, as well as the healthfulness and worth of the job. The ambivalence characterising fishers?? views of their occupation carries through in their responses to general questions on willingness to shift to another type of fishing, leave the occupation altogether and advise young persons to enter fishing. However, the survey results also indicate significant variation between different parts of the coastline.     

Job Satisfaction in the Shrimp Trawl Fisheries of Chennai, India

Shrimp trawling represents an important fishing métier in South India, generating high levels of employment and economic value. It is also a contested métier, ostensibly contributing to environmental degradation and social inequality. This paper investigates the job satisfaction of crew members (captains and workers) on board the shrimp trawlers of Chennai (former Madras). Research took place in 2007 and 2008 (N?=?137). Results suggest a general satisfaction with being in the fishery. However, a little over three-fifths of fishers said they would be willing to change fishing métier and about one-half said they would leave the occupation. About one-half also said they would not advise a young person to enter the occupation. The tendency to move away from the fishery is argued to reflect a growing pessimism about the future of the shrimp trawl fisheries, but also an increasing awareness of other economic opportunities.     

Job satisfaction in the marine and estuarine fisheries of Guinea-Bissau

This paper examines aspects of job satisfaction among small-scale fishers in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. The willingness of fishers to change métier or occupation is a central aspect of study, and gains relevance from the global degradation of marine environments. The author concludes that small-scale fishers are generally satisfied with the extent to which their and needs of self-realization and social life are met. They also express satisfaction with the state of the natural environment. However, fishers are less pleased with the fulfillment of basic needs and with the performance of fisheries managers.     

Job Satisfaction in the Coastal Pelagic Fisheries of Senegal

The marine fishery in Senegal, West Africa, is a major source of employment and food security. It currently faces the consequences of ecological degradation. This paper examines job satisfaction among small-scale purse seine fishers, who constitute one of the dominant fishing métiers in Senegal. The research sample consists of 80 purse seine fishers in three locations along the coast with varied degrees of urbanisation. The findings suggest that purse seine fishers are generally satisfied with the extent to which the fishery meets their Social Needs and Self-Actualisation. They are dissatisfied, however, with the degree to which Basic Needs are met, with the way in which Management is carried out, and??to a lesser extent??with the condition of the natural environment. However, the study shows significant differences between the more rural and urbanised settlements. These are most pronounced with regard to the willingness to change fishing type, move to another profession or advise a young person to enter fishing.     

Job satisfaction and life satisfaction: A profile analysis

The form of the relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction was examined through a profile analysis of subgroups of respondents. Survey respondents were classified as high on job satisfaction and life satisfaction, low on job satisfaction and life satisfaction or in two intermediate categories (low on one, high on the other). Results of discriminant analysis indicated that the four subgroups could be systematically characterized by different profiles. Prediction of the subgroup in which an individual would be classified, based on the profile, was not highly reliable, however.     

Which Fishers are Satisfied in the Caribbean? A Comparative Analysis of Job Satisfaction Among Caribbean Lobster Fishers

Lobster fishing (targeting the spiny lobster Panulirus argus) is an important economic activity throughout the Wider Caribbean Region both as a source of income and employment for the local population as well as foreign exchange for national governments. Due to the high unit prices of the product, international lobster trade provides a way to improve the livelihoods of fisheries-dependent populations. The specie harvested is identical throughout the region and end market prices are roughly similar. In this paper we wish to investigate to which extent lobster fishers?? job satisfaction differs in three countries in the Caribbean and how these differences can be explained by looking at the national governance arrangements.     

Midwives’ job satisfaction and intention to leave their current position in developing regions of Ethiopia

BackgroundThe aim of this research was to analyze midwives’ job satisfaction and intention to leave in developing regions of Ethiopia.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 107 midwives in four developing regions of Ethiopia. All midwives who were working in 26 health facilities participated in the study. A structured self-administered questionnaire, and in depth key informant interview guides, were used to collect data. Job satisfaction was measured by nine dimensions and intention to leave their current position was measured using three questions.ResultsMore than two-thirds (67%) of the midwives were female, with a mean age of 26.1 (sd ± 4.2) years old. Less than half (45%) of the midwives were satisfied with their job, less than half (42%) were satisfied with ‘work environment’ and less than half (45%) were satisfied with ‘relationship with management’ and ‘job requirements’. Relatively better satisfaction rates were reported regarding ‘professional status’, of which more than half (56%) of midwives were satisfied, followed by more than half (54%) of midwives being satisfied with ‘staff interaction’. Almost two-fifths (39%) of midwives intended to leave their current position.ConclusionJob dissatisfaction and intention to leave rates amongst midwives in developing regions in Ethiopia are a source of concern. The majority of midwives were most dissatisfied with their working environment and issues related to payment. Their intention to leave their current position was inversely influenced by job satisfaction. The introduction of both financial and nonfinancial mechanisms could improve midwives’ job satisfaction, and improve retention rates within the profession.     

Effekte der sozialen Position auf Vertrauen in Politik und Demokratie in ?sterreich

In the context of declining satisfaction with democracy in Austria, the article examines the importance of trust in state and politics for attitudes towards democracy. We assume that the social position influences attitudes towards democracy both, directly and indirectly via trust in politics. Data from the European Values Studies 1999 and 2008 are analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results confirm that socioeconomic status affects attitudes towards democracy via trust (e.g. the lower people??s status, the less trust they express, and, thus, the less satisfied with the democratic system they are). In addition, findings support the proposition that personal experience is relevant to the constitution of trust, and indicate that trust in European Union becomes more important for attitudes towards democracy with time.     

Older Women Caring for Older Women: The Rewards and Challenges of the Home Care Aide Job

As our population ages, the need for personal assistance services increases. Paid personal care is predominantly provided by women, often older women, and has been considered low-status, low-wage work. This article reports on a mixed-method, longitudinal study of 261 home care aides; study participants were 46 years old, on average. Predictors of termination included younger age and lack of health insurance. Study participants reported more rewarding than challenging aspects to the job, though low and inconsistent compensation often forced them to leave the work they loved. Implications of the study with regard to older women caring for older women are explored.     

Intentions to leave and actual turnover of community midwives in the Netherlands: A mixed method study exploring the reasons why

BackgroundIn the Netherlands, the turnover of midwives of relatively young age is high. This is concerning since a lack of midwifery experience can negatively affect the quality of maternity care.AimTo study the rate and the reasons for intending to leave, and to explore the reasons for leaving midwifery jobs in the Netherlands.MethodsWe used a mixed-methods design including a quantitative survey (N = 726) followed by qualitative interviews (N = 17) with community midwives.FindingsAlmost one third of the respondents considered leaving the profession. The decision to actually leave the job was the result of a process in which midwives first tried to adapt to their working conditions, followed by feelings of frustration and finally feelings of decreased engagement with the work. The reasons for leaving midwifery practice are an accumulation of job demands, lack of social resources and family responsibilities.DiscussionCompared to international figures, we found a lower rate of midwives who considered leaving the profession. This could be explained by the differences in the organisation of midwifery care and the relatively high job autonomy of midwives in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, changes must be made in terms of decreasing the demands of the job and creating more job resources.ConclusionInnovations in the organisational structure that focus on continuity of care for pregnant individuals, job satisfaction for midwives and building a sustainable workforce may result in an increase in the retention of midwives. These innovations would ensure that women and their babies receive the best care possible.     

An examination of referent selection processes underlying job satisfaction

Using two different methods of assessment, the goal of the present research was twofold: (1) to examine the relative influence that different standards of comparison have in determining satisfaction with various job facets; and (2) to examine the relative consistency of each standard's influence across job facets. According to both direct reports and the strength of empirical relationships, the results indicated that some standards of comparison were stronger predictors of facet satisfaction than others. The consistency of a standard's influence or predictive power depended on the particular standard of comparison under consideration. Some standards were consistently strong or consistently weak predictors of facet satisfaction, regardless of the particular job facet. However, for other standards of comparison, the amount of predictive influence depended on the particular job facet. Within the context of discrepancy-based theories of job satisfaction, results are discussed in terms of their comparability across the two different methods of assessment, and the directions they suggest for future research.     

The Incompatibility of Materialism and the Desire for Children: Psychological Insights into the Fertility Discrepancy Among Modern Countries

We examined factors related to attitudes toward marriage and the importance of having children in both the US and Singapore. Path analysis indicated that life dissatisfaction leads to materialism, and both of these factors lead to favorable attitudes toward marriage, which leads to greater desire for children. Further analysis indicated this model was effective in explaining the difference in desire for children between Singaporeans and Americans, whereby Singaporeans have lower life satisfaction, higher materialism, and lower attitudes toward marriage and children. Materialistic standards of success were also related to the emphasis women placed on potential marriage partners’ earning capacity. As Singaporean women had higher materialistic standards, they also placed higher emphasis on potential mates’ earning capacity. Results suggest a consideration of psychological variables such as life satisfaction, materialism, and mate preferences may lead to a better understanding of larger-scale socioeconomic issues, including low fertility rates among developed East Asian countries.     

Home Ownership and Job Satisfaction

This paper investigates the link between job satisfaction and home ownership. We explicitly focus on the effect of a transition from non-ownership to ownership on the self-reported job satisfaction scores. In other words, we concentrate on the change in job satisfaction response for individuals observed right before and after the transition. Utilizing the panel feature of the British Household Panel Survey, we find that transition to ownership reduces job satisfaction within a year following the purchase—controlling for observed variation and unobserved heterogeneity. The reduction in job satisfaction is sharper when the purchase is financed through a mortgage. We also test if this pattern persists over years. We show that the initial reduction in job satisfaction is more than doubled within 3 years after the transition for both categories of ownership. We conclude that home ownership may be a constraint for the career prospects of the employed workers, since it reduces mobility and forces them to become more dependent on the local labor market conditions. These concerns are deeper in case of a debt-financed ownership.     

The effects of job displacement on job quality: Findings from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study

This study examines the extent to which job displacement divides the career experiences for a cohort of workers. Previous studies of job displacement find nontrivial economic losses for displaced workers, but the effects of displacement on “non-economic” properties of jobs have been largely overlooked. Results using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study indicate that workers who were displaced have lower levels of occupational status, job authority, and employer-offered pension and health insurance than they would have had had they not been displaced. Difference-in-differences estimates, which control for temporally-invariant unobserved heterogeneity, are generally larger than cross-sectional estimates; still, there is a close correspondence of estimates across a range of methodological approaches attesting to the robustness of the estimates in the face of various technical assumptions and model specifications. Effects of displacement on job quality also exhibit conditioning by gender, education, occupation, and industry: while less educated, blue collar and manufacturing workers experience significant losses for employer-offered benefits, more educated, upper white collar and non-manufacturing workers experience significant losses for occupational status, job autonomy, and job authority.     

Semantic analysis of natural language processing in a study of nurse mobility in the Northern Territory,Australia

In lieu of diverse consequences in the demand and supply of health care professionals such as nurses and midwives in Australia and the world, a firm understanding of the characteristics of staff mobility and the factors influencing their retention could lead to achieving enhanced service delivery, greater job satisfaction, and the establishment of a more stable and robust workforce. The research reported in this paper attempts to shed light on qualitative aspects of mobility in health care professional staff in the Northern Territory of Australia. It builds upon an existing survey study of the quantitative factors that determine why nurses and midwives come to the Northern Territory, why some stay and why many leave, by analysing additional qualitative textual responses of participants using semantic network approaches to natural language processing. Our results illustrate the methodological and policy significance of semantic approaches to knowledge acquisition and representation, especially in complementing findings of traditional survey analysis techniques, and in analysing the broader social settings, effects and consequences of staff retention and mobility.     

Does Religion Make You Healthier and Longer Lived? Evidence for Germany

Researchers in the US have consistently reported substantial—not just statistically significant—links between religious belief and practice, and improved health and longevity. In this paper we report evidence for Germany, using data from the long-running, nationally representative German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP 1984). The SOEP dataset includes multiple measures of health, plus many ‘controls’ which it is appropriate to use in assessing links between religious practice, health and longevity. These controls include personality traits known to be associated with better health (notably conscientiousness), and also the age of death of parents of the survey respondents. Initial results suggested that religious practice (church attendance) may be linked only to subjective (self-rated) measures of health, not to more objective measures. It seemed possible that results in some previous research could be due to what may be termed satisfaction bias or positivity bias; the known tendency of religious people to report higher than average satisfaction with almost all aspects of life. Further investigation indicated that relationships between church attendance and subjective measures of health were weaker, when a control for satisfaction bias was in place. However, there was countervailing evidence that the subjective measures in SOEP may actually be more not less valid than the objective measures; they are better not worse predictors of mortality. It was also clear that religious belief and church attendance are associated with health-protective behaviors and attitudes, including taking more exercise, not smoking and higher life satisfaction. At the end of the paper we estimate a structural equation model which maps links between religious practice, these protective behaviors and attitudes, and improved health outcomes.     

Gender differences and attitudes towards homosexuality

The aim of this research is two-fold. First, it examined individuals' attitudes towards homosexuals in Singapore. Second, it also investigated whether gender differences in attitudes towards homosexuals exist. Respondents comprised 365 students and data were collected through the use of questionnaires. Results generally suggested that respondents harboured negative attitudes towards homosexuals. The prevalence of such ambivalent attitudes seemed to suggest that respondents were still generally quite conservative in their attitudes towards gender roles and homosexuality. Our findings also revealed that, generally, women reported that they were more comfortable in working closely with male homosexuals while the reverse was true for men. Implications of our findings were discussed.