Abstract
For a sample of 50 managerial-supervisory, 30 workstudy practitioners and 285 semi-skilled operators, data were collected concerning job satisfaction using 31 items from a questionnaire. Ten firms manufacturing different products and operating various types of financial incentive schemes were sampled. Data from operatives and reflecting five determinants were intercorrelated and analysed. Of the four determinants correlated with operator satisfaction, management controls and work study controls made the most significant contribution indicating that as these controls increased in. effectiveness so did satisfaction. The level of replies from the three groups of respondents were measured and analysed to determine levels of communication but little relationship was found. A high negative correlation was found to exist between satisfaction and labour turnover thus supporting previous research (Blum 1968). Other characteristics such as age, sex, length of service were not found to be significantly associated with satisfactions It was felt a relationship existed between satisfaction - certainty and alienation and efforts were made to measure these relationships. It was not possible to be too categoric and alienation and certainty reflected a state of mind nevertheless the results appeared to support assumptions made and alienation and uncertainty appeared to have causal relationships with management and work study controls which correlate with satisfaction. In conclusion the results appear to substantiate this somewhat new approach and would present an interesting area for future research.