Work ethic as a moderator between job satisfaction and organisational commitment in a South African sample

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2015-08-20

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Pillay, Kirshia

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Abstract

Work ethic has received considerable attention in literature from the 1930’s to date. However, it has generally been viewed as a religious construct, such as the Protestant work ethic, the Islamic work ethic, and the Chinese Confusion work ethic. Therefore, this study researched work ethic as a multidimensional concept, focusing specifically on the South African professional. The objective was to investigate if the multidimensional work ethic moderates the relationship between job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Data was gathered from a nonprobability, convenience sample of 109 professionals from various organisations located within the Johannesburg and Durban areas. Participants completed three questionnaires, namely the Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile (Short Form), the Job Satisfaction Survey and the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire. Since the MWEP was not used in South Africa before, reliability and validity analyses were conducted on the scale. Moderated regression analyses were used to analyse if the dimensions of work ethic moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Finally ANOVA and Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlations were used to determine if age, tenure and educational level had any effect on work ethic. Reliability and validity results revealed the MWEP (SF) is highly reliable in the South African context. However, while the multidimensional work ethic is based on a seven dimensional structure, it appears that a four dimensional structure is more applicable in the South African context. The analysis revealed that of the dimensions which comprise of multidimensional work ethic, only leisure and delay of gratification had a moderating effect on job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Self-reliance was found to have a minimal effect on the relationship between organisational commitment and job satisfaction. Scatterplots were generated in order to determine how leisure and delay of gratification alter the relationship between job satisfaction and organisational commitment. There was a positive and significant relationship between age and overall work ethic; and between age and religious work ethic. Work ethic was found to not differ according to gender. A positive and significant relationship was found between overall work ethic and educational levels; religious work ethic and educational levels; and delay of gratification and educational levels. The pattern showed those who value overall work ethic, religious work ethic and delay of gratification the most are those with a Diploma as their highest qualification, followed by those with a Matric certificate, followed by those who have a University Degree (either Master’s or Bachelor’s).Lastly, the results of this study found that overall work ethic, religious work ethic, self-reliance and delay of gratification have a positive and significant relationship with tenure. In other words, the longer an individual remains in an organisation, the higher their levels of overall work ethic, religious work ethic, self-reliance and delay of gratification.

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A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA by coursework and Research Report in the field of Industrial Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. February 2015

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