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Quality of Work Life: A Study of Employees in Shanghai, China

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  • KA WAI CHAN
  • THOMAS A. WYATT

Abstract

This study examines Quality of Work Life (QWL) in China in terms of how their work lives satisfy eight basic needs of employees and how the satisfaction of each individual need in their work life affects employees' job satisfaction, affective commitment, turnover intention, life satisfaction and general well-being. A total of 319 questionnaires were collected from eight organizations in Shanghai, China. Based on the need satisfaction theory and spillover theory in the QWL literature, hypotheses are derived and tested. Results confirm hypotheses regarding the relationship between perceived QWL and all the dependent variables. Multiple regression analyses confirm using levels of satisfaction of six different individual needs as significant predictors of the five dependent variables. Esteem need satisfaction is found to be the most important for life satisfaction and turnover intention while four needs (esteem, actualization, economics and family, and health and safety) predict general well-being. Knowledge and health and safety need predict affective commitment. Three needs (economic and family, health and safety, and knowledge) are important for job satisfaction. Being recognized and appreciated for one' s work is found to be a strong predictor of how satisfied employees in Shanghai feel with regard to their lives. Limitations of the study and ideas of future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Ka Wai Chan & Thomas A. Wyatt, 2007. "Quality of Work Life: A Study of Employees in Shanghai, China," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 501-517, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apbizr:v:13:y:2007:i:4:p:501-517
    DOI: 10.1080/13602380701250681
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Senasu, Kalayanee & Singhapakdi, Anusorn, 2014. "Happiness in Thailand: The Effects of Family, Health and Job Satisfaction, and the Moderating Role of Gender," Working Papers 76, JICA Research Institute.
    2. Haruna M. Moda & Christopher Nwadike & Mela Danjin & Francis Fatoye & Chidozie E. Mbada & Louise Smail & Pauline J. S. Doka, 2021. "Quality of Work Life (QoWL) and Perceived Workplace Commitment among Seasonal Farmers in Nigeria," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-12, January.
    3. Singhapakdi, Anusorn & Sirgy, M. Joseph & Lee, Dong-Jin & Senasu, Kalayanee & Yu, Grace B. & Nisius, Amiee Mellon, 2014. "Gender disparity in job satisfaction of Western versus Asian managers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 1257-1266.
    4. Kalayanee Senasu & Anusorn Singhapakdi, 2018. "Quality-of-Life Determinants of Happiness in Thailand: the Moderating Roles of Mental and Moral Capacities," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(1), pages 59-87, March.
    5. Selda TASDEMIR AFSAR, 2014. "Organizational Commitment and Determinants of the Commitment in the context of Changing Working Conditions: Turkey Example," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 0702100, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    6. Jorge Sinval & M. Joseph Sirgy & Dong-Jin Lee & João Marôco, 2020. "The Quality of Work Life Scale: Validity Evidence from Brazil and Portugal," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(5), pages 1323-1351, November.
    7. Nor Azimah Chew Abdullah & Nazlina Zakaria & Nida Zahoor, 2021. "Developments in Quality of Work-Life Research and Directions for Future Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.
    8. Juana Patlán Pérez, 2013. "Efecto del burnout y la sobrecarga en la calidad de vida en el trabajo," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, December.
    9. Derya Kara, 2012. "Gender Differences on Perceptions of Employee Quality of Working Life Indicators in Five Star Hotels in Turkey," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 2(4), pages 194-202, October.
    10. Kalayanee Senasu & Arnond Sakworawich & Darlene F. Russ-Eft, 2019. "Developing Thai Happiness Index," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 425-448, December.
    11. Qingguo Zhai & Margaret Lindorff & Brian Cooper, 2013. "Workplace Guanxi: Its Dispositional Antecedents and Mediating Role in the Affectivity–Job Satisfaction Relationship," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 541-551, October.
    12. Samuel Jayaraman & Hesil Jerda George & Mariadoss Siluvaimuthu & Satyanarayana Parayitam, 2023. "Quality of Work Life as a Precursor to Work–Life Balance: Collegiality and Job Security as Moderators and Job Satisfaction as a Mediator," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    13. Sajid Rahman Khattak & Muhammad Nouman & Muhammad Fayaz & Laura Mariana Cismaș & Lucia Negruț & Constantin Viorel Negruț & Sultan Salem, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Green Behavior in the Hospitality Industry: A Cross-Country Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-15, September.
    14. Jorge Sinval & João Marôco, 2020. "Short Index of Job Satisfaction: Validity evidence from Portugal and Brazil," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-21, April.

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