Factors afecting job satisfaction of ofice staff a case in ho chi minh city vietnam

This study was conducted to find out and assess the current status of job satisfaction in office workers in Ho Chi Minh City at the same time, and find out the factors affecting this sat

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC SƯ PHẠM KỸ THUẬT

THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

ĐỒ ÁN TỐT NGHIỆP NGÀNH QUẢN LÝ CÔNG NGHIỆP

FACTORS AFFECTING JOB SATISFACTION OF OFFICE STAFF: A CASE IN HO CHI MINH CITY

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION

FACULTY OF HIGH QUALITY TRAINING

Ho Chi Minh city, 17 th June, 2020

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Ho Chi Minh City, May 6 th , 2020

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Ho Chi Minh City, May 6 th , 2020

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THANK YOU

Thesis “FACTORS AFFECTING JOB SATISFACTION OF OFFICE STAFF: A

CASE IN HO CHI MINH CITY VIETNAM” is the content I choose to study and

do my final thesis after four years of studying an undergraduate program majoring in Industrial Management at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education

To complete the research and complete this thesis, firstly, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Ms Phan Thi Thanh Hien of the Faculty of Economics - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education She directly instructed and guided

me through the research process for me to complete this thesis In addition, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the teachers in the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of High Quality Training for their valuable contributions to the thesis

On this occasion, I would also like to thank the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty

of High Quality Training of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and

Education for creating favorable conditions and time for me during the research

process

Finally, I would like to thank my relatives and friends who have always been with me, encouraged and contributed to completing the survey to support me completing this course and essay

LIST OF ACRONYMS

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2 1 The index constitutes the factors affecting job satisfaction 22

Table 3 1 The Scale 28

Table 4 1 Results of investigating questions 37

Table 4 2 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "job characteristics" 39

Table 4 3 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "training and promotion" 40

Table 4 4 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "Salary" 41

Table 4 5 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "superior" 42

Table 4 6 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "colleagues" 43

Table 4 7 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "working condition" 44

Table 4 8 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "benefit" 45

Table 4 9 Test results of reliability of job scale factor "job satisfaction" 46

Table 4 10 KMO and Bartlett's Test by independent varisbles 48

Table 4 11 Total Variance Explained by independent varisbles 48

Table 4 12 Rolated Component Matrix by independent varisbles 49

Table 4 13 KMO and Bartlett's Test by independent varisbles after eliminating DT6 variables 50

Table 4 14 Rolated Component Matrix by independent varisbles after eleminating DT6 variables 51

Table 4 15 KMO and Bartlett's Test by dependent varisbles 52

Table 4 16 Total Variance Explained by independent varisbles 53

Table 4 17 Component Matrix 53

Table 4 18 Model Summary 54

Table 4 19 Variance analysis (ANOVA) 55

Table 4 20 The model coefficients 55

Table 4 21 T-test result for gender variable 59

Table 4 22 T-test result for variable "Job position" 61

Table 4 23 Test of Homogeneity of Variances for the variable “Age” 64 Table 4 24 ANOVA test for the variable "Age" 64 Table 4 25 Robust Tests of Equality of Means for the variable "Age" 65 Table 4 26 Test of Homogeneity of Variances for the variable "Work experience" 65 Table 4 27 ANOVA test for the variable "Work Experience" 66 Table 4 28 Robust Tests of Equality of Means for the variable "Work Experience" 67 Table 4 29 Test of Homogeneity of Variances for the variable “Level of Education” 68 Table 4 30 ANOVA test for the variable “Level of Education” 69 Table 4 31 Test of Homogeneity of Variances for the variable "Type of Company" 70 Table 4 32 ANOVA test for the variable “Type of Company” 71 Table 4 33 Robust Tests of Equality of Means for the variable "Type of Company" 72 Table 4 34 Test of Homogeneity of Variances for the variable "Income" 73 Table 4 35 ANOVA test for the variable "Income" 74 Table 4 36 Robust Tests of Equality of Means for the variable "Income" 75

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2 1 Maslow's hierarchy of needs 6

Figure 2 2 Herzberg's two-factor theory 7

Figure 2 3 Victor Vroom's theory of expectations 8

Figure 2 4 Job Characteristics Model 10

Figure 2 5 Linear regression model 20

Figure 4 1 Experience of Office Staff 33

Figure 4 2 Gender of Office Staff 34

Figure 4 3 Age of Office Staff 34

Figure 4 4 Level of Education 35

Figure 4 5 Work Position of Office Staff 35

Figure 4 6 Type of Company 36

Figure 4 7 Income of Office Staff 37

TABLE CONTENTS

REVIEWS OF INSTRUCTORS i

REVIEWS OF REVIEWERS ii

THANK YOU iii

LIST OF ACRONYMS iv

LIST OF TABLES v

LIST OF FIGURES vii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Aim of the Research 2

1.3 Research Methods 2

1.4 Research subjects and Research scope 2

1.5 Organisation of Chapters 2

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 Definitions of Job Satisfaction 4

2.2 Theories of Job Satisfaction 5

2.2.1 Maslow's hierarchy of needs (1943) 5

2.2.2 Herzberg's two-factor theory (1959) 6

2.2.3 Vroom's theory of expectations (1964) 7

2.2.4 Model job characteristics of Hackman and Oldham (1976) 9

2.2.5 Theory needs of MC Clelland (cited by Robbins, 2002) 10

2.3 Research Conducted By Other Researchers 12

2.4 Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction. 15

2.5 Research models 16

2.5.1 Definition of factors 17

2.5.2 Proposal of research model 19

2.5.3 The index evaluates the factors of job satisfaction 22

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 25

3.1 Qualitative research 25

3.2 Quantitative research 25

3.2.1 The Research Design 25

3.2.2 Statistical data analysis technique 31

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH RESULTS 33

4.1 Described samples 33

4.1.1 Experience of Office Staff 33

4.1.2 Gender of Office Staff 34

4.1.3 Age of Office Staff 34

4.1.4 Level of Education 35

4.1.5 Work Position of Office Staff 35

4.1.6 Type of Company 36

4.1.7 Income of Office Staff 36

4.2 Results from the survey questionnaire 37

4.3 Testing reliability of research variables in the model 38

4.3.1 Testing reliability of factor “job characteristics” 39

4.3.2 Test the reliability of the scale of "training and promotion" factor 40

4.3.3 Test the reliability of the "income" factor scale 41

4.3.4 Testing the reliability of the "superior" factor scale 42

4.3.5 Testing reliability of factor "colleagues" 43

4.3.6 Testing reliability of factors of “working condition” 44

4.3.7 Testing the reliability of the factor "benefit". 45

4.3.8 Testing the reliability of the scales dependent variable "job satisfaction". 46

4.4 Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) 47

4.4.1 Analysis of discovery factors with independent variables 47

4.4.2 Analysis of discovery factors with the dependent variable "job satisfaction" 52

4.5 Building regression equations and testing research hypotheses 54

4.5.1 Estimating multiple regression models from research data 54

4.5.2 Testing research hypotheses. 56

4.6 Test the influence of individual characteristics on quantitative results 58

4.6.1 Test the hypothesis of equality between two overall averages by T-Test 58

4.6.2 ANOVA Test 63

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 77

5.1 Conclusion on job satisfaction. 77

5.2 Recommendations to employers 78

5.2.1 Training and promotion 79

5.2.2 Income 80

5.2.3 Superiors 81

5.2.4 Working conditions 82

5.2.5 Benefit 82

5.2.6 Other notes 83

5.3 Limitations of this study and recommendations for future research 84

REFERENCES 86

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction

Facing the increasing development of Vietnam's economy in recent years, the demand for human resource is increasingly important Enterprises increasingly focus on human resources issues, especially the recruitment and retention of talents However, recruiting talented people is not enough, in addition businesses should know how to retain employees, especially those who play a key role in companies With the current shortage

of competent human resource, retaining good employees has become a matter of great concern to business owners

Stability in maintaining staff will help businesses save time and many expenses (Recruitment, training, ), minimize errors (because new employees are not used to it), create trust and solidarity within the enterprise From there, employees will see the business as a reliable and ideal place to promote their capacity and long-term commitment Last but not least, this stability will help businesses operate more effectively, creating trust with customers about the quality of its products and services

The question here is: "How to build a stable staff for the company?" Many domestic and foreign studies have shown that it is necessary to create job satisfaction for employees When there is satisfaction at work, employees will be more motivated to work harder, resulting in higher work efficiency This is also what the business owner wants from his company

According to Spector (1997), job satisfaction of employees will affect the efficiency of work performance, workplace behavior, employee engagement

This study was conducted to find out and assess the current status of job satisfaction in office workers in Ho Chi Minh City at the same time, and find out the factors affecting this satisfaction With the data gathered from the survey and through the processing and analysis of statistical data, this study will provide business managers with more insight into the factors that can bring about Satisfaction at work for employees Thus, help businesses have appropriate orientations and policies in the use of labor, in order to retain talented people

1.2 Aim of the Research

This thesis aims to identify factors affecting the job satisfaction of office workers in Ho Chi Minh City with the following basic objectives:

- Identify factors affecting Employee job satisfaction of office staff in Ho Chi Minh city

- Quantify the impact of these factors on job satisfaction of office workers in Ho Chi Minh City

1.3 Research Methods

- Desk research: Collect domestic and foreign articles and researches related to the research topic

- Focus Group Research: bringing a small group of 10 subjects who are office worker in

Ho Chi Minh city, and having them discuss factors affecting job satisfaction The discussion questioned the factors that influence job satisfaction for participants, makes sure that ideas and experiences of all participants are represented Then formulate an official research model based on a theoretical research model based on participants’ comments and experiences

- Quantitative method: Surveying and processing data by necessary tests like descriptive statistics, verification of scale reliability, exploratory factor analysis, regression analysis and variance analysis

1.4 Research subjects and Research scope

Chapter 2: Literature review

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

Chapter 4: Research results

Chapter 5: Discussion and Recommendations

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Definitions of Job Satisfaction

There are many definitions of job satisfaction Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary defines "satisfaction" as the good feeling that you have when you have achieved something or when something that you wanted to happen does happen, therefore, it can

be understood that job satisfaction is the employee meeting their needs or desires when working

Locke's definition (1976) is one of the widely recognized and used definitions He said that “Job satisfaction is a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences”

According to Rue and Byers (1994), job satisfaction is consist of 5 components:

- Attitudes with supervision

- General working conditions

- Attitude with colleagues

- Financial benefits

- Attitudes with the education system

According to Spector (1997) job satisfaction is simply how people feel about their work and the aspects of their work Because it is a general judgment, it is a variable of attitude And Ellicksonvaf Logsdon (2001) states that job satisfaction is generally defined as the degree to which employees love their jobs, it is an attitude (positive or negative) based

on employees' perceptions of their work and working environment To put it more simply, the more the work environment meets the needs, values and character of workers, the more job satisfaction they feel

Gordon (1999) states that job satisfaction occurs when a job meets an individual's expectations, values and standards and will affect their commitment and performance The higher the level of expectation is met, the higher the level of job satisfaction

According to Bateman and Snell (1999), employees will be satisfied if they are treated properly by the results they receive or the processes performed However, they also warn that a satisfied employee may not necessarily be an effective employee

According to Kreitner and Kinichi (2007), job satisfaction primarily reflects the degree

to which an individual enjoys his or her job That is the emotion or expression of that employee for his or her job

So there are many different definitions of job satisfaction but we can draw that a person who is viewed as having a job satisfaction will feel comfortable with his work Regardless of the cause of job satisfaction, each researcher will have a separate explanation through their research The next section will discuss theories along with practical studies related to job satisfaction

2.2 Theories of Job Satisfaction

After discussing different definitions of satisfaction, it is necessary to explore the different attitudes and reactions that workers will reflect on their jobs It’s these attitudes and behaviour that actually determines the level of individual job satisfaction has towards his or her job (Baron & Greenberg 2003)

For this reason, scholars and researchers have created comprehensive theories based on job satisfaction Their aim is to provide a framework to understand not only the factors that influence such an attitude, but also why it leads to such effects (Baron and Greenberg 2003)

2.2.1 Maslow's hierarchy of needs (1943)

Referring to general satisfaction, Maslow's theory of hierarchy of needs is often mentioned (1943) According to human needs, there are five levels of increase: Physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem and self-actualization After a certain demand is satisfied, the next need will appear From this theory, we can see that managers need to know what level of staff their employees are at in order to motivate their employees by meeting their individual needs

Figure 2 1 Maslow's hierarchy of needs

This is the theory of human needs and it is considered and applied in this study because only when meeting the needs of employees, they can get job satisfaction The needs in this theory are addressed as different variables For example, the satisfaction of physiological needs and safety can be expressed in the variables measuring the satisfaction of company income and benefit Similarly, satisfaction with social needs and self-esteem are expressed in satisfaction variables in relation to superiors and colleagues

2.2.2 Herzberg's two-factor theory (1959)

This theory divides factors into two categories: motivational and maintenance factors Motivating factors include achievements, recognition, the nature of work, job responsibilities, promotion and progress, and prospects for development If employees are met with motivational factors that will bring satisfaction to their work, otherwise employees will not have satisfaction Maintenance factors include company policy, supervisors' superiors, salaries, relationships with superiors and colleagues, working conditions, personal life, job position and job security If met, there will be no dissatisfaction at work, otherwise it will lead to dissatisfaction (Efere, 2005) Thus, Herzberg relatively separated these two groups of factors and thought that only the motivating factors can bring satisfaction to employees and if failing to meet the maintenance factors will lead to employee dissatisfaction

Many studies have shown results that do not support Herberg's division of these two groups of factors as well as rejecting that maintenance factors do not bring job satisfaction (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2007) In fact, factors that belong to the two groups above have a certain effect on job satisfaction However, through Hezberg's theory, we can also see the importance of the motivating factor in job satisfaction as well as the impact of the maintenance factors that lead to employee dissatisfaction

Figure 2 2 Herzberg's two-factor theory

(Source: https://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/)

2.2.3 Vroom's theory of expectations (1964)

The psychologist Vroom (1964) argues that people will be motivated to work to achieve goals if they believe in the value of that goal and they can see that their work will help them achieve that goal Vroom's theory asserts that the motivation of people to work will be determined by the value they place on the results of their efforts, multiplied by the belief they have In other words, Vroom shows that motivation is a product of the expected value that people place on goals and the opportunities they see will accomplish those goals Vroom's theory can be expressed as follows:

Motivational Force (MF) = Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence

Including:

- Expectancy: is the belief that effort will lead to good results This concept is expressed through the relationship between effort and performance

- Instrumentality: is the belief that good results lead to reward This concept is expressed

by the relationship between performance and outcome/rewards

Valence: is the importance of the reward to the person doing the job This concept is expressed through the relationship between rewards and personal goals

Vroom thinks that employees are only encouraged when their awareness of all three concepts or relationships is positive In other words, when they believe that their effort will produce better results, that result will result in a reward that is worthy and that the reward is meaningful and appropriate to their individual goals

When deciding among behavioral options, individuals select the option with the greatest amount of motivational force (MF)

Expectancy and instrumentality are attitudes (cognitions), whereas valence is rooted in

an individual's value system

Examples of valued outcomes in the workplace include, pay increases and bonuses, promotions, time off, new assignments, recognition, etc If management can effectively determine what their employee values, this will allow the manager to motivate employees in order to get the highest result and effectiveness out of the workplace

Figure 2 3 Victor Vroom's theory of expectations

(Source: được điều chỉnh từ hình vẽ của Robbins, 2002)

Because this theory is based on workers' perceptions, it is possible to work in the same company and the same position, but one person is motivated to work and the other is not Their perception of the above concepts is different

Applying this theory to the research topic of this thesis, we see that in order for employee

to be motivated toward a certain goal (of course, this goal is associated with the goal of the organization), we must create employee's perception is that their efforts will bring the rewards they deserve In order to gain that knowledge, we must first create satisfaction in their current jobs, make them satisfied with the current working environment, and with the support of their superiors and colleagues, thereby making them more confident in their efforts that will lead to the results and rewards they expect The satisfaction of fair reward and punishment also helps them to believe that the results they achieve will surely get recognition from the company

2.2.4 Model job characteristics of Hackman and Oldham (1976)

Hackman and Oldham (1976) built this model to determine how to design jobs so that employees have the motivation to work from within them as well as create satisfaction

in the job in general and create the best work efficiency To build such a work design, according to these two researchers, the job must first use a variety of skills, the employee must know the job from the beginning to the end and the job must be of certain importance These three things will bring interesting to them Next, the job must allow employees to perform certain rights to make employees feel responsible for the results

of their work Finally, the job must ensure feedback from the higher levels of employee recognition as well as suggestions and criticisms to help employees work better next time It helps employees know the true outcome of their work

This model is applicable to this research topic, job characteristics variables will be included in the evaluation of how the nature of the job affects the overall level of job satisfaction of office workers

Figure 2 4 Job Characteristics Model

(Source: Hackman & Oldham, 1974)

2.2.5 Theory needs of MC Clelland (cited by Robbins, 2002)

David McClelland built on this work in his 1961 book, "The Achieving Society." He identified three motivators that he believed we all have: a need for achievement, a need for affiliation, and a need for power People will have different characteristics depending

on their dominant motivator

(1) Need for achievement

People with high achievement needs are those who always pursue solving better jobs They want to overcome difficulties and obstacles They want to feel that their success

or failure is the result of their actions This means they like challenging jobs People with high achievement needs are motivated to work better General characteristics of people with high achievement needs:

- Has a strong need to set and accomplish challenging goals

- Takes calculated risks to accomplish their goals

- Likes to receive regular feedback on their progress and achievements

- Often likes to work alone

(2) Need for affiliation

Just like the social needs of A Maslow, it is to accept love, friends, etc Workers with strong needs will do well in jobs that create friendliness and social relationships General characteristics of people with high coalition needs:

- Wants to belong to the group

- Wants to be liked, and will often go along with whatever the rest of the group wants to

do

- Favors collaboration over competition

- Doesn't like high risk or uncertainty

(3) Need for power

The need to control and influence others and their working environment Researchers have shown that people with strong power needs and strong accomplishments tend to be administrators Some also argue that successful managers have the greatest need for power, followed by the need for achievement and, ultimately, the need for alliances Characteristics of those in need of power:

- Wants to control and influence others

- Likes to win arguments

- Enjoys competition and winning

- Enjoys status and recognition

2.3 Research Conducted by Other Researchers

Theories related to job satisfaction mentioned above were reviewed by the researchers later, apply and conduct research to identify and test factors that really affect employee job satisfaction Here we take a look at some of these studies

Researchers Smith, Kendall and Hulin (1969) of Cornell University have developed Job Descriptive Indicators (JDI) to evaluate a person's job satisfaction through factors such as: nature of work, salaries, promotions, colleagues, and supervision of superiors And the researchers Weiss and colleagues (1967) of the University of Minnesota set out criteria to measure job satisfaction through Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) which has questions about ability use our capabilities, accomplishments, progress, authority, corporate policies, compensation, co-workers, creativity, independence, moral values, acknowledgment, responsibility, assurance, social status, supervision of superiors, working conditions, etc It can be seen that JDI and MSQ are indicators and criteria to evaluate job satisfaction of employees that are used a lot in job satisfaction studies

Accordingly, job satisfaction factors are divided into two groups: internal factors including job nature and opportunities for promotion and external factors including salary, superiors' support and relationships with colleagues The purpose of this study is

to test the validity of both theories In Boeve's study, quantitative statistics were applied such as Cronbach's alpha coefficient, Spearman correlation coefficient and linear regression

The results of correlation analysis of the five factors in JDI for job satisfaction in general showed that factors of work nature, relationships with colleagues and development opportunities are most strongly correlated with job satisfaction Job satisfaction while the support of superiors and salaries have a weak correlation with the job satisfaction of lecturers Regression analysis has shown that in addition to the four factors that are the nature of work, relationships with colleagues, development opportunities and the support of superiors, the time working in the department also affects the satisfaction of lecturers (the longer they stick to the faculty, the more they feel satisfied with the job) This also explains the job satisfaction in this study is greater than the satisfaction of each

element of JDI Obviously, apart from the factors mentioned in JDI, there are other factors affecting job satisfaction and working time as one of those factors The working time that affects job satisfaction in this case is due to the peculiarities of the job at this faculty Among the influencing factors considered in this study, the nature of work is the strongest factor affecting job satisfaction in general Through her research, Boeve also tested the validity of Herzberg's theory and JDI job description index

Luddy (2005) used the JDI job description index to explore employee job satisfaction at the Institute of Public Health in Western Cape, South Africa Luddy has examined satisfaction in five areas of job satisfaction, namely income, promotion, supervisors of superiors, colleagues and the nature of work The results showed that employees at the Western Cape Institute of Public Health were more than happy with their colleagues, followed by the nature of their work and the supervision of their superiors Promotion opportunities and wages are two factors that workers here feel dissatisfied In addition, job type, race, gender, education level, seniority, age, income and job position also significantly influence job satisfaction

Although Luddy's research results suggest that all five factors of work nature, compensation, supervisors, supervisors, promotions and colleagues are related to employee job satisfaction (with a sample size of 203), he said further studies should be done to confirm this relationship A remarkable feature of Luddy's study is that he has tried to divide the factors affecting job satisfaction into two groups of factors The first group is the individual factors including race, gender, education, seniority, age and marital status The second group of factors he called the organizational factor included the nature of the job, compensation/wages, supervisors of superiors, promotion opportunities and job placement

Worrell (2004) used the revised MSQ version in 1977 (short questionnaire - 20 questions) to conduct his research on job satisfaction of school psychologists The results of his study indicate that 90% of school psychologists in the US are satisfied or very satisfied with their job The study also shows that this overall satisfaction has increased over time compared to 1982 and 1992 The respondents to the research questionnaire also intend to continue to be at their work positions at least five years

Promotion opportunities continue to be a factor that causes dissatisfaction but it is not

an important factor affecting the dissatisfaction of school psychologists They are still dissatisfied with the policies and procedures for doing the work Intention to continue

to work and a career certificate are two factors that really affect job satisfaction

Sweeney (2000) studied and explored the job satisfaction of the American Association

of Employee Assistance Programs The study used Weiss's MSQ questionnaire to gather information and survey the experts' satisfaction In general, the experts are satisfied with their work Professionals working outside the organizations they provide the service are more satisfied with the job than the professionals working at the association Factors such as age, gender, race, work related to agriculture or not, state certification do not have a significant effect on job satisfaction Sweeney also made a number of recommendations such as opening more information channels for career advancement and organizational policy, gender inequality is a barrier to job satisfaction and masters degrees are essential for these professionals

Schjoedt (2005) conducted a study on the factors of job satisfaction of small business owners on the basis of previous studies showing that business owners are very satisfied with their jobs The researcher used three models: Job Characteristics Model (JCM) of Hackman & Oldman (1980), Big Five of Goldberg, and Person-Environment Fit (P-E fit) of Chatman and Spokan Schjoedt (2005) conducted a study on the factors of job satisfaction of small business owners on the basis of previous studies showing that business owners are very satisfied with their jobs The researcher used three models: Job Characteristics Model (JCM) of Hackman & Oldman (1980), Big Five of Goldberg, and Person-Environment Fit (P-E fit) of Chatman and Spokan In particular, the JCM model considers that job satisfaction depends on job design, Big Five model thinks that job satisfaction depends very much on human nature, and P-E fit model said that employees only achieve satisfaction when they are really in harmony with the environment they are working The Schjoedt research results show that the P-E fit model is best suited for solving the job satisfaction of small business owners in the US

In Vietnam, PhD Tran Kim Dung (2005) conducted a study to measure job satisfaction

in Vietnamese conditions by using the Job Description Index (JDI) of Smith and

colleagues However, in addition to the five factors proposed in JDI, the author has added two more factors: company benefit and working conditions to suit the specific situation of Vietnam The main objective of this study is to assess the value of JDI scales

as well as to determine how factors influence employee satisfaction in Vietnam

A seven-level Likert scale, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used One drawback of this study is the characteristics of the sample, the respondents of the research questionnaire are employees performing evening courses at Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics They are rated as people with more educational and future orientations, they are also rated as having non-material needs higher than physical needs The results also show that the nature of the job and the opportunity for training are evaluated as the most important for the job satisfaction

of the survey subjects Therefore, the research results may not reflect the attitude of the entire staff in HCM city as well as in Vietnam

Thus, through the research on job satisfaction in different fields as well as in different countries, we can see that JDI Job Descriptor has been used quite commonly by researchers in understanding job satisfaction of employees in different fields and countries Most studies have found that JDI factors reflect employee job satisfaction, either in one country or another, either in this field or in another field It also says that job satisfaction of employees may depend on five main factors: satisfaction of income, promotions, superiors, colleagues and the nature of the job This is also the basis for building a research model for this topic

2.4 Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction

Most researchers find that job satisfaction is due to the impact of many factors

According to Smith, Kendall and Hulin (1969), there are 5 factors that create job satisfaction: (1) remuneration, (2) promotion, (3) colleagues, (4) level on, (5) the job itself The authors designed the Job Desciptive Index with 90 scales of 5 above factors

to measure job satisfaction

Locke (1976) added a number of other factors: recognition, working conditions, business and management

It is also possible to divide job satisfaction factors into two groups: extrinsic elements (remuneration and promotion) and intrinsic elements (co-workers, managers, and employees) body work)

Economic Master's thesis by Chau Van Toan (2009) has added two factors: working conditions and corporate benefit Two additional variables are taken into consideration, given the specific situation of employees in Vietnam, as well as a number of relevant studies that address the impact of the company's working conditions and benefit on job satisfaction of Vietnamese employees

2.5 Research models

From the basis of theories and related studies, this research thesis conducts the initial linear regression model with the dependent variable being job satisfaction, while the independent variable is the following:

Variables are derived from the JDI and previous studies, but the content of these factors

as well as the aspects (indexes) constituting it will be considered based on the definitions

of the same factor and the relevant studies This is also the basis for constructing observed variables in the form of questions in the research questionnaire of this thesis

2.5.1 Definition of factors

The following definitions (except for ‘job characteristics’) are taken from the Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary (2000) and the Oxford Dictionary of Business English (1998)

Job characteristics: According to the job specification model of R Hackman and G

Oldman (1974), a job will bring employees general satisfaction and create good job efficiency if the job design satisfies the following characteristics: using different skills, the employee understands the end of the job and the job is of certain importance to the business activities of the enterprise in general; that work allows employees to perform certain rights to complete their work and employees will be responsible for their decisions; The work must have a feedback mechanism to assess the superior of what employees have done to learn from experience for the next time In addition, in order to achieve the satisfaction of employees, employees need to do jobs in accordance with their capabilities (Weiss et al., 1967; Bellingham, 2004)

Training and promotion

Training: is the process of learning the skills needed to perform a particular job Promotion: is moving to a more important position or job in a company The training in this topic is grouped together with advancement because the training is usually the ultimate goal is to promote or improve the working ability and efficiency of employees

Training has been highly appreciated by Schmidt (2007) The results of his study have shown that job satisfaction with job is significantly related to job satisfaction in general

In this topic, we will examine the satisfaction level of training in the work of employees

in such aspects as training to have enough skills to complete the job, training to improve knowledge and the company's work skills, training programs are in place

Income: is the money that individuals, organizations, regions, countries, get from jobs,

from investments, from businesses, etc In the semantic of this research, income is the amount of money an individual earns from a public job for a business or organization, this income does not include the income when they do other work (unrelated to the businesses or organizations they are employed) Accordingly, this income will include basic salaries, benefits (if any), bonuses including periodic and non-periodic rewards, commissions (if any) and benefits equal to Other money arises directly from the current main job

Particularly for social insurance, health insurance and other types of insurance that the company pays employees, it is included in the company's benefits, so it is not included

in the income factor

Superior: is a person in a higher position in a company or an organization In the

semantic of this topic, the higher level is the direct manager of the junior staff

Job satisfaction comes from the elements of the relationship between superiors and their subordinates including ease of communication with superiors (Ehlers, 2003), support when needed (Wesley & Muthuswamy, 2008) and the concern of superiors (Bellingham, 2004), the protection of employees when necessary (Linden & Maslyn, 1998, cited by Dionne, 2000), the superior's competence, the freedom to perform public duties affairs

of subordinates (Weiss et al., 1967), recognition of employee contributions, and fair confrontation of subordinates (Warren, 2008)

Colleague: are friends working together In the semantics of this topic, colleagues are

people working in the same business with you, who you often discuss and share about work

For the majority of jobs, the time each employee works with his or her colleagues is more than the time he or she works with his superiors Therefore, as well as the relationship with superiors, the relationship of employees with colleagues also affects job satisfaction Similar to the relationship with superiors, employees need the support

of colleagues when needed, find friendly comfort when working with colleagues (Hill, 2008) At the same time, employees must find dedicated colleagues with the job to

achieve the best results (Bellingham, 2004) Finally, colleagues need to be reliable (Chami & Fullenkamp 2002)

Working Condition: is the status of where the employee works For this research topic,

working conditions are factors that affect the health and convenience of workers when working, including appropriate working time (Skalli et al 2007), security safety at work (Durst, 1997), equipped with the equipment needed for the job (Bellingham, 2004) and time spent traveling from home to the company (Isacsson, 2008)

Benefit: are the benefits a person gets from his or her company in addition to the money

he or she earns According to Artz (2008), benefit has an important role in determining job satisfaction According to him, benefit affects job satisfaction First, benefit is a component of the compensation the company pays its employees, which in turn affects job satisfaction Second, benefit sometimes works as a substitute for wages

In Vietnam, the employee's most concerned benefits include social insurance, health insurance, statutory leave, sick leave and private work when needed, receive union protection of employees' legal interests, annual travel, long-term job security (no fear of losing their jobs), home purchase assistance from the company, have the right to buy company shares at preferential prices, etc

2.5.2 Proposal of research model

In this study, the research model is designed based on Smith's JDI research model and research model Factors affecting job satisfaction of office workers in Ho Chi Minh City

by master Chau Van Toan The proposed research model is shown below:

Figure 2 5 Linear regression model

(Source: Authors compiled by themselves)

With the above scientific foundations and research models, the author proposes the following 7 research hypotheses:

Job characteristics factor reflects the appropriateness of the nature of the job with the capacity and desire of the employee The nature of the appropriate job is expressed through such aspects as the compatibility with the capacity, expertise, the ability to understand the work performed, the work that gives motivation to the employees' dedication and creativity (Luddy, 2005) Empirical studies have examined the relationship between job characteristics and overall satisfaction The relationship between them is a positive one (Luddy, 2005; Chau Van Toan, 2009) Citing research results of master Chau Van Toan shows that the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.286 So this reserach suggests that:

H1: The "job characteristics" factor has a positive impact on job satisfaction

Promotion opportunities are a concept that reflects whether or not workers are given opportunities to develop and advance their careers Promotion opportunities are seen as

a factor to stimulate or motivate employees in Herzberg's theory The factors of training and advancement in this research are considered in terms of conditions for learning to improve professional knowledge, promotion opportunities for able people, fair training and promotion policies,

Recent empirical evidence in studies in Vietnam shows that opportunities for training and promotion have a positive impact on job satisfaction of workers with the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.081 (Chau Van Toan, 2009), so this reserach suggests that:

H2: The factor "training and promotion" has a positive impact on job satisfaction

The income factor in this study is considered in terms of the match between income and contribution of employees, employees can live on their current income, salaries, bonuses, allowances are divided fairly Also consider the comparative aspect with the income of other companies Although there are some researchers who think that there is little evidence that wages or income affect job satisfaction However, in terms of developing countries like Vietnam, income is still an important factor affecting satisfaction Citing research results of master Chau Van Toan shows that the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.312 On that basis, the study hypothesized:

H3: The factor "income" has a positive impact on job satisfaction

Superiors bring job satisfaction to workers through fair treatment, showing concern, supporting subordinates, who are competent and vision, (Robins et al, 2002) Various studies have demonstrated a relationship of job satisfaction with a manager and a job satisfaction level (Luddy, 2005; Tran Kim Dung, 2005) Citing research results of master Chau Van Toan shows that the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.237 Therefore the study put forward the following hypothesis:

H4: The "superior" factor has a positive impact on job satisfaction

Colleagues are people who work in the same organization or closer to the same department together Colleague factors are considered good when in the organization of

workers are willing to help each other, work together effectively, friendly colleagues and interpersonal relationships are reliable Various empirical studies also show that the positive relationship of being supported by colleagues will create job satisfaction (Luddy, 2005; Chau Van Toan, 2009) Citing research results of author Pham Tuan Ngoc shows that the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.614 So this study hypothesizes:

H5: The factor "colleagues" has a positive impact on job satisfaction

Working conditions are factors in the workplace that affect the health and convenience

of workers during work, including factors such as appropriate working time (Skalli et al., 2007), comfort at work Many empirical studies have shown that the positive relationship of adequate and comfortable working conditions will create job satisfaction Citing research results of master Chau Van Toan shows that the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.034 So this study suggests that:

H6: The factor "working conditions" has a positive effect on job satisfaction

Benefit are benefit that workers can receive from their companies, including social insurance, health insurance, leave, etc Experimental research in Vietnam has shown Positive relationship of benefit to job satisfaction Citing research results of master Chau Van Toan shows that the beta coefficient is significant with a value of 0.074 So this study hypothesized:

H7: The factor "benefit" has a positive impact on job satisfaction

2.5.3 The index evaluates the factors of job satisfaction

From the above definition of job satisfaction factors, price indicators for each factor are constructed as Table 2.1 below

Table 2 1 The index constitutes the factors affecting job satisfaction

Job Characteristics

The job is suitable to the qualification

Understand the work being done

Opportunity to give personal opinions

Learn from work

The work has many challenges

Reasonable workload

Training and Promotion

Conditions for improving professional knowledge

Trained full skills

Content of the training program

Fair income distribution policy

Can live on income

Income compared to other companies

Superior

Relationship with direct superior

The support of superiors

Comments and advice of superiors

Relationship with senior leaders

Justice of the superior

Capabilities of superiors

Safe working environment

Comfortable working environment

Pressure of work

Benefit

Social insurance

Health Insurance

Vacation, sick leave

Tourism, convalescence every year

Support of union

Job Satisfaction

Satisfied with Job Characteristic

Satisfied with Training and Promotion

Satisfied with Income

Satisfied with Superior

Satisfied with College

Satisfied with Working Condition

Satisfied with Benedit

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Following the previous two chapters, this chapter introduces the research methodology which consists of two parts: qualitative research and quantitative research, including the following subsections

• The research design

• The research sample

• The measuring instrument

• Population and sampling procedures

• Methods to ensure validity and reliability

Each of the above sections will be dealt in the discussions as follows

3.1 Qualitative research

After obtaining the initial theoretical research model, the author conducted interviews with 10 office workers working in Ho Chi Minh City about the factors that affect or not their satisfaction when they are working

Results of direct interviews show that all 7 elements including 5 taken from the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) and two additional elements from the research model of

master Chau Van Toan obtained high consensus on their satisfaction at work

Thus from the results of qualitative research, it can be concluded that there is no

adjustment to the research model

3.2 Quantitative research

3.2.1 The Research Design

In the design of this study, we will discuss the scale used, the reliability and relevance

of the scale, the sampling method, the tools used to collect information, the information collected, and the processing process

After determining the research model as well as the observed variables of the factors, the next step is to choose a scale for the variables The scale used in this study is a five-level Likert scale for all observed, independent and dependent variables Next step, we

will determine the model for this study A convenient non-probability sampling method was used with a sample size of about 200 as described in the Sampling section of this chapter The next step is to select tools for collecting information to be studied Self-answer questionnaire is used to collect information The content of the questions in the questionnaire is presented in the Information Collection Tool - Questionnaire of this chapter

After the questionnaire was formed, the number of samples was determined, and the questionnaire was sent to collect information The information collected will be processed to produce results in the form of statistics Inference statistics will be used to display research results

In the following, we will look in detail on how to choose a scale, choose a sample, choose a tool to collect information and the process of collecting information and processing statistics

For example, instead of asking the open-ended question, "How do you feel your salary

is received from the company?" then we can ask the question in the form of payment,

"Your salary is currently appropriate for your ability and contribution to the company" with five choices of answer: strongly agree , agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree With the first type of question, we will get different answers and almost everyone will answer one way This makes it impossible to control their answers and it

is difficult to quantify or draw a general conclusion about their salary issues With the

second type of questions and with the answers available, when I get the answers, I will see more clearly about the respondents' assessment of their salary today

Thus, using closed-ended questions in attitude research is generally more favorable In addition, because one of the objectives of this topic is to understand and determine job satisfaction, the use of closed-ended questions with Likert scale answer options is most appropriate With the answer of the respondent in this scale, we will see the job satisfaction of employees in each aspect, each factor in the job is satisfied or unsatisfied and at the level of more or less (for Likert five and seven levels) At the same time, because the Likert scale is a span scale, we can use the collected data to process, quantitative analysis to determine the correlation, linear relationship between variables

in general, as well as between independent and dependent variables

However, to ensure the appropriateness of the scale, according to Kumar (2005), two issues need to be solved:

- Who decides which scale is used to measure what needs to be measured?

- How do you know if a tool is suitable for measuring?

The answer to the first question is the expert researchers in the relevant field For this topic it is the researchers of job satisfaction These are Smith, Kendall and Hullin, who use the Likert scale to measure employee job satisfaction on five factors including job nature, wages, promotions, colleagues, and supervision of the superior This research project also basically uses the Likert scale to measure employee job satisfaction However, some factors have been changed slightly in terms of name and content The 'salary' factor is changed to ‘income’, the ‘promotion’ factor is changed to ‘promotion training’ The new name is aimed to expand and generalize the factors of job satisfaction

In addition, based on the research of experts and other researchers in this field and considering the specific situation in Vietnam, two other factors also follow the Likert scale: working conditions and benefit The company was added to review and test its suitability

The second question is very important, there are two methods to create the suitability of

a research tool, namely logical reasoning and statistical evidence The second method is

clearly more convincing In fact, from studies related to job satisfaction, the Likert scale has been widely used by researchers and acknowledged its suitability

Regarding the reliability of the measurement tool, Cronbach's alpha coefficient will be used to test the reliability of the variables (questions) used in the questionnaire In addition, factor analysis is also conducted to test the uniqueness of the questions in the group in each factor

Table 3 1 The Scale

(Source: Authors compiled by themselves)

Educational Qualification Rank

aspect of the job

The evaluation index of job characteristics

Likert 5 levels

Evaluation indicators of training and advancement

The evaluation of income

The evaluation index on the superior

The evaluation index of colleagues

Indicators assessing working conditions

Indicators of social benefit

Information about each factor's satisfaction

General assessment

of job satisfaction

Satisfied with the job characteristics

Likert 5 levels

Satisfaction with training and promotion

Satisfied about the income

Satisfied with the superior

Satisfied about colleagues

Satisfied about working conditions

Satisfaction with social benefit

3.2.1.2 Sampling

Overall of this survey are all office workers working in HCMC As defined at the beginning of the topic, office workers in this study will include all people working for salaries, most of their working time is in in the office, where the work can be organizations, companies, branches, representative offices, transaction offices, etc located in HCMC Thus, the overall of this survey is all those who meet the three characteristics are office workers, salaried workers and the workplace is Ho Chi Minh City

To achieve the research objectives set out at the beginning of the topic, a non-probability design with favorable random sampling was used and considered reasonable to conduct research in this topic The reason for choosing this sampling method is because respondents are easily accessible, they are willing to answer research questions as well

as less time and money to collect information for research

Since this is an exploratory study with the above analysis, a non-probability sampling method with a convenient sampling method is most appropriate The research