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The impact of gender differences on determinants of job satisfaction among Chinese off-farm migrants in Jiangsu

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  • Russell Smyth
  • Qingguo Zhai
  • Xiaoxu Li

Abstract

This study examines the effect of own income versus reference group income and the subjective factors considered important in a job for a sample of off-farm migrants in China. We find that own income has a positive effect on job satisfaction while the effect of reference group income is gender specific. We find evidence that males experience a tunnelling effect (higher income co-workers increase their job satisfaction) while females experience a jealousy effect (higher income co-workers lower their job satisfaction). We explain this result in terms of men reacting more positively in competitive environments and that, in China, males have better prospects for promotion. We find that compared with employees in western countries, off-farm migrants in China place much more emphasis on income and less importance on collegiality and job stability.

Suggested Citation

  • Russell Smyth & Qingguo Zhai & Xiaoxu Li, 2009. "The impact of gender differences on determinants of job satisfaction among Chinese off-farm migrants in Jiangsu," Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(3), pages 363-380.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jocebs:v:7:y:2009:i:3:p:363-380
    DOI: 10.1080/14765280903073256
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Knight, John & Gunatilaka, Ramani, 2010. "Great Expectations? The Subjective Well-being of Rural-Urban Migrants in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 113-124, January.
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    1. Maarten Bavinck & Richard Pollnac & Iris Monnereau & Pierre Failler, 2012. "Introduction to the Special Issue on Job Satisfaction in Fisheries in the Global South," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 109(1), pages 1-10, October.
    2. GAO, Wenshu & SMYTH, Russell, 2010. "Job satisfaction and relative income in economic transition: Status or signal?: The case of urban China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 442-455, September.
    3. Xing Zhang & Micha Kaiser & Peng Nie & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2019. "Why are Chinese workers so unhappy? A comparative cross-national analysis of job satisfaction, job expectations, and job attributes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Peng Nie & Lanlin Ding & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2020. "What Chinese Workers Value: An Analysis of Job Satisfaction, Job Expectations, and Labour Turnover in China," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2020(1), pages 85-104.
    5. Zhiming Cheng & Haining Wang & Russell Smyth, 2014. "Happiness and job satisfaction in urban China: A comparative study of two generations of migrants and urban locals," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(10), pages 2160-2184, August.
    6. Tarsila Seara & Richard B. Pollnac & John J. Poggie, 2017. "Changes in Job Satisfaction Through Time in Two Major New England Fishing Ports," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1625-1640, December.
    7. Alexander Newman & Ingrid Nielsen & Russell Smyth & Angus Hooke, 2015. "Examining the Relationship Between Workplace Support and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 120(3), pages 769-781, February.

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