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Direct and indirect effects of education on job satisfaction: A structural equation model for the Spanish case

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  • Fabra, M. Eugenia
  • Camisón, Cesar

Abstract

Empirical literature has traditionally analyzed the effect of education on job satisfaction with single-equation models that ignore interrelationships between theoretical explanatory variables. Their results are somewhat inconclusive. We propose estimating a structural equation model to obtain both the direct effects and the set of indirect effects. Analysis of these effects allows us to explain the apparent contradictions that have existed to date, and to improve knowledge of the economic value of education. The proposed model shows that people with higher levels of formal education are more satisfied with their jobs, because they are more likely to access jobs with characteristics that provide greater satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabra, M. Eugenia & Camisón, Cesar, 2009. "Direct and indirect effects of education on job satisfaction: A structural equation model for the Spanish case," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 600-610, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:28:y:2009:i:5:p:600-610
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    2. Michael Coelli & Domenico Tabasso, 2019. "Where are the returns to lifelong learning?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 205-237, July.
    3. Hammarstedt, Mats & Aldén, Lina & Swahnberg, Hanna, 2018. "(I Can’t Get No) Job Satisfaction? Differences by Sexual Orientation in Sweden," Working Paper Series 1241, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    4. Lucía Mateos Romero & María del Mar Salinas Jiménez, 2016. "El uso de las competencias en el puesto de trabajo: un análisis para el caso español con PIAAC," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 11, in: José Manuel Cordero Ferrera & Rosa Simancas Rodríguez (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 11, edition 1, volume 11, chapter 44, pages 795-822, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.
    5. Aurelian-Petruș Plopeanu & Daniel Homocianu & Ionel Bostan & Ana-Iolanda Vodă & Nelu Florea, 2021. "Sustainable Careers: Reliability of Job Satisfaction Predictors for Employees Aged 50+. Evidence from Romanian Development Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-23, July.
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    7. Nguyen, Thanh Quy & Nguyen, Anh Thuy & Tran, Anh Lan & Le, Hung Thai & Le, Ha Hoang Thi & Vu, Lien Phuong, 2021. "Do workers benefit from on-the-job training? New evidence from matched employer-employee data," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    8. Gibbons, Stephen & Silva, Olmo, 2011. "School quality, child wellbeing and parents' satisfaction," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 312-331, April.
    9. Tampieri, A., 2022. "The effects of educational assortative matching on job and marital satisfaction," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    10. Benjamin Artz & Ilker Kaya, 2014. "Job insecurity and job satisfaction in the United States: the case of public sector union workers," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 103-120, March.
    11. Simona Iammarino & Elisabetta Marinelli & Elisabetta Marinelli, 2011. "Is the Grass Greener on the other Side of the Fence? Graduate Mobility and Job Satisfaction in Italy," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(11), pages 2761-2777, November.
    12. Hoogerheide, Lennart & Block, Joern H. & Thurik, Roy, 2012. "Family background variables as instruments for education in income regressions: A Bayesian analysis," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 515-523.
    13. Fernandes, Cristina & Fernandes, Cristina & Crespo, Nuno & Simoes, Nadia, 2016. "Poverty, richness, and inequality: Evidence for Portugal using a housing comfort index," Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, IOS Press, issue 4, pages 371-394.
    14. Maria Mercedes Teijeiro Álvarez (ed.), 2013. "Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación," E-books Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación, Asociación de Economía de la Educación, edition 1, volume 8, number 08.
    15. Ye Luo, 2016. "Gender and Job Satisfaction in Urban China: The Role of Individual, Family, and Job Characteristics," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(1), pages 289-309, January.
    16. LIU Yang, 2019. "Relative Wages and Job Satisfaction of Migrant Workers: An Economic Perspective Using Data from Japan," Discussion papers 19033, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    17. Lina Aldén & Mats Hammarstedt & Hanna Swahnberg, 2020. "Sexual Orientation and Job Satisfaction: Survey-Based Evidence from Sweden," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 69-101, June.
    18. Luis Fernando Gamboa & Andrés García-Suaza & Mauricio Rodríguez-Acosta, 2011. "Job satisfaction in a developing country: exploring the work-family rivalry," Documentos de Trabajo 8171, Universidad del Rosario.
    19. Leandro Iván Canzio & Felix Bühlmann & Jonas Masdonati, 2023. "Job satisfaction across Europe: An analysis of the heterogeneous temporary workforce in 27 countries," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(3), pages 728-754, August.
    20. GÓMEZ , Nuria & TOBARRA, María-Ángeles & LÓPEZ, Luis-Antonio, 2014. "Employment Opportunities In Spain: Gender Differences By Education And Ict Usage," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 14(3), pages 105-130.
    21. Bender, Keith A. & Roche, Kristen, 2013. "Educational mismatch and self-employment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 85-95.
    22. Nuno Crespo & Nádia Simões & José Castro Pinto, 2013. "Determinant factors of job quality in Europe," Working Papers Series 2 13-01, ISCTE-IUL, Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL).
    23. Sung-Tae Lee & Sun-Moon Jung, 2023. "Is Your Degree Worth It? Education-Job Transferability and Job Satisfaction of ICT Workers," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    24. Jorge Calero & Marcos Fernández-Gutiérrez, 2016. "Leisure and education: insights from a time-use analysis," Working Papers 2016/18, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).

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