Wright, Sally A. (2018) Conceptualising and operationalising job quality: Australia in focus. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The central problem addressed in this thesis is that, despite being an important topic, there was a lack of understanding of what comprises job quality, and so, how it was measured. As a corollary, there was no comprehensive account of the state of job quality in Australia.

While the main contribution of this thesis is methodological, important conceptual and empirical contributions are made to the body of knowledge about job quality.

For its conceptual contribution, this thesis identifies a set of core dimensions that are important and relevant to understanding job quality. These core dimensions are used to develop a theoretically-grounded conceptual framework for job quality.

For its methodological contribution, the conceptual framework is used as the basis for operationalising a multi-dimensional index of job quality – the Australian Job Quality Index (AJQI). The AJQI is robust, novel, timely and customised for the Australian context.

The thesis also generates new empirical evidence on the nature of job quality in Australia. For the first time, a number is put on the overall quality of jobs for Australian employees. Headline results for overall job quality are reported, as well as results for job quality according to a range of job-holder, job and workplace characteristics.

While reporting of empirical findings in this thesis is limited, it will be possible in the future to publish new material by building on the results presented in the thesis by dimension, as well as by focussing on particular groups of jobs/job-holders. In addition, the AJQI can be replicated to enable the study of trends in job quality. In this respect, the AJQI has utility beyond this thesis.

So overall, this thesis made important conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions to the body of knowledge by providing the first holistic account of job quality in Australia.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Job satisfaction -- Australia, Occupations -- Australia, Professions -- Australia, Career development -- Australia, Employee morale -- Australia
Official Date:	July 2018
Dates:	Date Event July 2018 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Institute for Employment Research
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Warhurst, Christopher ; Bosworth, Derek L.
Sponsors:	University of Warwick. Chancellor's International Scholarship ; University of Warwick. Institute for Employment Research
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	vii, 316 leaves : illustrations, charts
Language:	eng

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