Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction Among Police Personnel in India

• DOI: 10.1177/1057567716683776
• Author: T. K. Vinod Kumar
• Date: 01 June 2017
• Published date: 01 June 2017
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Factors Impacting Job

Satisfaction Among Police

Personnel in India: A

Multidimensional Analysis

T. K. Vinod Kumar

1

Abstract

Job satisfaction is important for both the employee and organization. Theories of motivation and job

satisfaction have been applied in the context of police organizations, providing insight into organi-

zational dynamics. On the basis of multivariate analysis of data collected from 500 police personnel in

India, this article attempts to understand the impact of demographic factors, organizational, and job

characteristics on job satisfaction. While some findings conform to existing research on job satis-

faction in police organizations across the world, the study also arrives at contrasting results, which

can be attributed to the unique organizational culture of police in India.

Keywords

police, job satisfaction, work environment, India

Job satisfaction is important for both the employee and organization. Absence of job satisfaction

may result in low organizational commitment (Vandenberg & Lance, 1992), poor job performance

(Judge, Thoresen, Bono, & Patton, 2001; Pettit, Goris, & Vaught, 1997; Wright, Cropanzano, &

Bonett, 2007), absenteeism (Dalton & Mesch, 1991; Sagie, 1998; Scott & Taylor, 1985), and high

employee turnover (Gerhart, 1990; Hom & Griffeth, 1991; Hom & Kinicki, 2001). It is, therefore,

imperative for an organization to foster high job satisfaction among employees. This is particularly

true for police organizations keeping in view the nature of problems personnel face—long hours,

unpredictable nature of work, and physical dangers (Crank, 1998; Manning, 1977).

Theories of motivation and job satisfaction can be broadly divided into two streams of content

and process theories. Content theories have developed from the ‘‘scientific management’’ theories

which posited that wages are the main incentives and later expanded to include human relations as an

important motivator. Important content theories include Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg’s

two-factor theory, and Alderfer ’s existence relatedness growt h theory. Theories explaining job

1

Department of Criminal Justice, Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, IN, USA

Corresponding Author:

T. K. Vinod Kumar, Department of Criminal Justice, Indiana University South Bend, Wiekamp Hall 2231, South Bend,

IN 46634, USA.

Email: vkthiche@iu.edu

International CriminalJustice Review

2017, Vol. 27(2) 126-148

ª2017 Georgia State University

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DOI: 10.1177/1057567716683776

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satisfaction have been applied in the context of police organizations providing insight into organiza-

tional dynamics (Buzawa, 1984; Buzawa, Austin, & Bannon, 1994; Johnson, 2012; Zhao, Thurman,

& He, 1999). This article draws on content theories of motivation and job satisfaction and examines

the impact of multidimensional factors of demographics and work environment on job satisfaction in

police organizations in India.

Literature Review

Job satisfaction has been defined by various theorists. Herzberg (1968) developing on his two-

factor theory stated that job satisfaction is produced by motivating factors that are intrinsic in the job

such as achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, and advancement. Dissatisfaction is

caused by factors extrinsic to the job and includes policy and administration, interpersonal relation-

ship, working conditions, salary, and status. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are therefore caused by

separate causal factors (Herzberg, 1968). Locke (1976) defined job satisfaction as a pleasurable

emotion arising from an appraisal of job experience. Cranny, Smith, and Stone (1992) defined it as a

reaction to a comparison of actual outcomes and desired outcomes from the job. Spector (1997) has

defined job satisfaction as the degree to which people like or dislike their jobs.

There has been a steady increase in research on job satisfaction among police personnel over

the last three decades. Early research by Buzawa (1984) was expanded to explore predictors

beyond demographic factors to work environment–related factors by Buzawa, Aus tin, and Bannon

(1994), Zhao, Thurman, and He (1999), and Johnson (2012). The last deca de has also witnessed

research expanding to include job satisfaction among police personnel across different countries

(Abdulla, Djebarni, & Mellahi, 2011; Bennett, 1997; Chan & Duran, 2009; Kuo, 2015; Lu, Liu,

Sui, & Wang, 2015; Nalla & Kang, 2012; Nalla, Rydberg, & Mesˇko, 2011). There are two

published studies on job satisfaction among police personnel in India (Lambert et al., 2015; Singh

& Nayak, 2015).

Existing studies have underlined the need for multidimensional assessment of the impact of

demographic characteristics and work environment on job satisfaction (Johnson, 2012). He devel-

oped on the theoretical base of Hackman and Oldham (1975) and advanced findings of Zhao et al.

(1999) regarding job satisfaction in police organizations. Demographic factors include age, race, job

level or rank, gender, and education. Johnson (2012) examined work environment factors under two

classes of job characteristics and organizational characteristics. A robust and efficient model of the

relation between job characteristics and job outco mes including job satisfaction is provided by

Hackman and Oldham (1975, 1976). The model indicates five core job characteristics of skill

variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback.

The process theories and the research on the impact of demographic factors and work environ-

ment have been able to explain job satisfaction among personnel in Western police organizations to

a great extent. This study uses the above theories and frameworks to examine factors impacting job

satisfaction among police personnel in India.

Demographic Factors

Age is an important demographic factor impacting job satisfaction. Studies have found both a

linear relationship (Hickson & Oshagbemi, 1999; Hunt & McCadden, 1985; Savery, 1996) and a

curvilinear relationship between age and job satisfaction (Clark, Oswald, & Warr, 1996; Gazioglu &

Tansel, 2006; Zeitz, 1990). The curvilinear relationship has been attributed to younger workers

having little experience of the labor market to judge their working conditions and experience and

knowledge of their working conditions, leading to lower job satisfaction. Higher satisfaction among

older workers, on the other hand, is ascribed to reduced aspirations, limited choice, and the process

Kumar 127