Determinants of job satisfaction in Ethiopia: evidence from the leather industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the contextual work factors in Ethiopia and to evaluate the relative influence of each of these factors on job satisfaction (JS) of employees. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a sample of shop floor workers from the leather products manufacturing industry in Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured survey questionnaire and focus group discussions. After testing scale reliability and validity, multiple linear regression was used for the analysis. Findings The study results suggest that the JS is mainly explained by extrinsic factors. Pay is found to influence overall job satisfaction (OJS) at least four times of other work factors. Training opportunity and ethnic diversity showed unexpected negative relationship with OJS. Originality/value Given the importance of understanding JS in labor-intensive industries, and paucity of research on the topic in Ethiopia, the study provides practical insights and groundwork that can guide practitioners to understand the drivers of JS in the region. Moreover, the study adds to the empirical literature that may yield important insights on organizational behavior for under-researched emerging economies, particularly for the eastern part of Africa, where nations share similar cross-cultural norms, economic and ethnic settings.