Piloting for the multidimensional job satisfaction instrument in the offshore work setting

This article draws upon pilot study to test the developed job satisfaction questionnaire with offshore catering employees. Changing the attention from a hypothetical work setting where job satisfaction is usually studied, this study investigated employees’ satisfaction with the offshore catering job as the employees perform their job in an isolated and confined work environment. The pilot study was employed as an impetus for a scale development dissertation in validating a bespoke job satisfaction instrument in the offshore catering context. In this small-scale study, the researchers investigated job satisfaction with a purposive sample of 37 (n=37) offshore catering employees using electronic-based survey. Subsequently, an individual debriefing was conducted with four respondents to improve the questionnaire items. The objectives of the pilot study were to evaluate the quality of the items and to identify potential challenges that might occur in the main study. The study findings are not extensively discussed; however, adequate information about the study background and sample characteristics are included. The study about job satisfaction among offshore catering employees was used to demonstrate the process. The key aspects of the pilot study including the amendment of items, challenges encountered during data collection, and modifications made to the actual study are discussed

Assessing Customer-based Brand Equity Ratings in Family Restaurant

AbstractDue to customer's changing demand and increased competition among restaurants, brand has become vital for the business to succeed. One of the strategies is to focus on improving their brand to add value to the restaurants. Brand equity holds the key element of differentiation among competitors and this has been regarded as valuable asset. This study employed four dimensions of customer-based brand equity; brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness and brand association in determining the customer-based brand equity ratings. The study was conducted in three different family restaurant brands in Klang Valley with 349 usable questionnaires were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA. The Scheffe's test result proved that The Chicken Rice Shop was significantly different from others and obtained a higher brand equity rating (M=5.17, SD=.81). However, Pizza Hut (M=4.51, SD=.97) and Rasamas (M=4.30, SD=1.12) did not significantly different to each other. The implications and recommendations for restaurant operators and practitioners were also highlighted

Components of job satisfaction among offshore catering crew: a preliminary investigation

This paper attempts to investigate the components of job satisfaction among offshore catering crews in which could be in similar or different context with those working onshore. The study found that pay is the most significant factor of job satisfaction, since the work is paying more in comparison with similar work onshore. Other factors identified are the nature of work, workplace facilities and co-worker need further investigation and elaboration. However, one thing could be certain in this study, the acknowledgment of offshore catering industry and its uniqueness could be really helpful in disseminating information and investigating crucial issues which helps in refining the industry and placing it as one of the main components and future career paths in hospitality industry in Malaysia

Achieving data saturation: evidence from a qualitative study of job satisfaction / Mohd Aliff Abdul Majid … [et al.]

The concept of saturation is deemed necessary in qualitative research; however, existing literature discussing the point of saturation is relatively scant. Previous qualitative studies tend to describe the point of saturation but fail to demonstrate how the saturation occurred. This article provides evidence on how qualitative research might report the point of data saturation. The original study consists of a mixed method approach to develop and validate an instrument for measuring offshore catering employees’ job satisfaction. Notably, this paper reports a part of the qualitative portion of a mixed-method study. Using the data from a study involving 13 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this study documents the degree of data saturation over the course of thematic analysis and demonstrates how data saturation was operationalised. Although the study reported 13 interviews, the saturation occurred within 12 interviews. The study findings are not extensively discussed; however, adequate information about the study background, data collection and sample characteristics are included. The technique presented in this paper provides practical guidance for qualitative researchers in reporting point of saturation. However, it is recommended that the evidence of data saturation occurred after 12 interviews should be applied with caution due to several factors

Piloting for interviews in qualitative research: operationalization and lessons learnt

Qualitative interviews offer rich and detailed information in understanding people’s experiences. However, qualitative inquiry might be difficult for inexperience researcher to adequately perform the interview. Piloting for interview is an integral aspect and useful in the process of conducting qualitative research as it highlights the improvisation to the major study. This article discusses the importance of pilot study, the methods undertaken and the lessons learnt throughout the process. The pilot interview was conducted with two offshore catering employees, as preparation for a dissertation in developing a job satisfaction instrument for offshore catering employees in Malaysia. The useful functions of pilot study are described and in highlighting the advantageous of pilot study, this paper describes the modification made for the major study as a result of the pilot work. These comprise (1) criteria for selecting potential participants, and (2) improving the interview guide, particularly the interview questions

Exploring the roles of local food in developing Lenggong Valley as a rural food tourism destination

Integrating the relationship between food and tourism destination has been an important issue in the current tourism scenario. More tourism leaders globally are recognizing the important role local food can play in strengthening a rural destination’s tourism product. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the role of local food in developing Lenggong Valley as a rural food tourism destination. This study is applying a qualitative method using in-depth interview and participant observation. The finding identified four steps in developing rural food tourism destination; i) identifying local food components, ii) examining the capabilities of local food as tourism product; iii) evaluating local food as tourism product; and iv) selecting suitable marketing strategy to promote food tourism. This study contributes to expanding research on food tourism in constructing the rural food tourism framework. The information in this study leading to new ways of thinking about local food, by integrating local food and tourism resources to enhance rural destination attraction, since local food at rural destination attract little research in the field of tourism management

Employee voice: An employee satisfaction level by selected healthcare service providers in the Czech Republic

The employee satisfaction level is closely related to the performance and quality of work performed by an employee and, consequently, it translates into the competitiveness and success of a corporation, because a motivated and satisfied employee builds and participates in the success of any corporation (organization, firm, hospital, etc.). The aim of the article was to discover more about the current situation employee satisfaction level by selected healthcare service providers in the context of the gender of employees and the length of current employment of the employees by selected healthcare service providers in the Czech Republic. The overall employee satisfaction level was monitored through seven selected research areas. The research was carried out in 2017 from the sample of 608 respondents. Two research hypotheses and one research question have been formulated. The verification or rejection of null research hypotheses was done through the statistical method of the Pearson's Chi-square test. The results came along with the discovery that there is a statistically significant relation between the overall employee satisfaction level by selected healthcare service providers and the gender of employees and there is no statistically significant relation between the overall employee satisfaction level by selected healthcare service providers and the length of current employment of the employees by selected healthcare service providers. © Academy of Management. All rights reserved

Development and validation of job satisfaction instrument for offshore catering employees in Malaysia

Job satisfaction is essential in offshore catering. Understanding their satisfaction can be a valuable approach to enhance organizational performance. However, the employees view offshore catering job as a stepping stone rather than a long-life career path and retaining the employees become challenging. Studies on job satisfaction have been conducted but less is known about job satisfaction among these employees and its relationship towards intention to leave and industry commitment. The purpose of this study was to develop a job satisfaction instrument based on the experiences of offshore catering employees in Malaysia. The instrument was named as ‘Satisfaction with Offshore Job Instrument’ (SwOJI). An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was employed, corresponding to DeVellis’ (2012) scale development guidelines. The results of qualitative phase by analyzing interviews of 13 participants (n=13) using thematic analysis revealed 70 codes. A preliminary instrument based on the qualitative findings was constructed and after consulting the content experts, the SwOJI consisted of 71 items. The instrument was administered to offshore catering employees in Malaysia and 309 usable questionnaires (n=309) were collected and analyzed. The psychometric properties of SwOJI were examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA revealed an eight-factor solution and the final model fit of the measurement model (χ2/df=2.22, CFI=.90, IFI=.90, TLI=.88, RMSEA=.06) was found to be acceptable, confirming the convergent and discriminant validity. In relation to criterion-related validity, it was found that job satisfaction had a moderate, negative relationship to intention to leave (r=-.33) and had a strong, positive relationship (r=.69) with industry commitment, indicating both hypotheses were supported. Significantly, this study produced a bespoke instrument to accurately measure the job satisfaction among offshore catering employees. The current study provides fresh insight in the context of employees working in offshore catering and concludes a better nomological understanding of the relationship between job satisfaction, intention to leave and industry commitment. In addition, the study extends the existing body of knowledge within the human resource and organizational research. The practitioner may use the findings to formulate strategies to manage and effectively improve offshore catering employees’ job satisfaction that will enhance their commitment to the industry and reduce their intention to leave the job

Exploring Survival Strategies and Family Role in Micro-Family Food Business: Piloting for Interviews in Qualitative Research

A range of philosophical perspectives, techniques, and comprehensions are gleaned from the viewpoints of the participants in qualitative research. Understanding how people view their experiences and actions is a significant purpose. However, it could be challenging for a novice researcher to carry out the interview with a qualitative approach. Particularly in qualitative research, where it highlights the changes to the major study, the pilot study was a crucial component in assessing the viability and evaluation of the study. The significance of pilot studies, the techniques used, and the lessons acquired during the process are all described in this article. The pilot interview was conducted with two owners of the micro-family food businesses (MFFB), as preparation for a thesis in developing the research instruments further an in-depth understanding of the challenges, adaptation and the family role influences in family food business amid COVID-19 post-pandemic in Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. In addition to demonstrating the benefits of pilot studies, this paper also discusses the changes that were made to the main research as a result of the pilot test. These account for the interview guide's adjustment, specifically the interview questions

Pilot interviews of job satisfaction with offshore catering employees

Previous research indicates that employee’s job satisfaction plays a significant role in organizational performance. In this paper, we draw upon qualitative inquiry alongside offshore catering employees; the overall goal was to explore their satisfaction with the job. Although there have been a significant number of studies, the field continues to experience diversity of understandings and ambiguity in this discourse. Shifting our focus from hypothetical job context where job satisfaction is commonly studied, we draw on the findings to gain insights into these differing understandings of offshore catering employees as they engaged in isolated workplace. The pilot interview was conducted as inducement for a dissertation in developing a job satisfaction instrument in a particular context. In this small-scale pilot study, we explore the job satisfaction experiences of Mark and Karl, two offshore catering employees. Data in the form of in-depth, semi-structured interviews identified 44 codes, indicating 10 dimensions of job satisfaction derived from the emerging themes. Evidently, the qualitative findings present important attributes of job satisfaction among offshore catering employees. Results of this study shed light on the need for future investigation to extend the scope of the study, bringing different cultures in order to enhance the findings on job satisfaction across a broader spectrum