Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire

Description

The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) “long form” consists of 100 questions that make up 20 subscales measuring satisfaction with ability utilization, achievement, activity, advancement, authority, company poli­ cies and practices, compensation, co-workers, creativity, independence, moral values, recognition, responsibility, security, social service, social sta­ tus, supervision-human relations, supervision-technical, variety, and work­ ing conditions (Weiss, Dawis, England, & Lofquist, 1967). Twenty of these items make up a frequently used measure of general job satisfaction. These 20 items are referred to as the short form of the MSQ. The items can be sepa­ rated into a 12-item subscale for intrinsic satisfaction (such as satisfaction with the chance to use abilities and feelings of accomplishment from the job) and an 8-item subscale measuring extrinsic satisfaction (such as satisfaction with pay, chances for advancement, and supervision). The MSQ has been translated into French and Hebrew (Igalens & Roussel, 1999; Sagie, 1998).

Reliability

Coefficient alpha values for the 20-item MSQ ranged from .85 to .91 (Hart, 1999; Huber, Seybolt, & Venemon, 1992; Klenke-Hamel & Mathieu, 1990; Mathieu, 1991; Mathieu & Farr, 1991; Riggs & Knight, 1994; Roberson, 1990; Scarpello & Vandenberg, 1992; Smith & Brannick, 1990; Wong, Hui, & Law, 1998). Coefficient alpha values for the intrinsic satisfaction subscale ranged from .82 to .86 (Breeden, 1993; Davy, Kinicki, & Scheck, 1997; Wong et al., 1998). For the extrinsic satisfaction subscale, coefficient alpha values ranged from .70to .82 (Breeden, 1993; Davy et al., 1997; Wong et al., 1998). A Hebrew-language version of the MSQ had a coefficient alpha of (Sagie, 1998). Overall job satisfaction measured with the 20-item MSQ had test-retest reliability across three time periods of r = .58 (Wong et al., 1998).

Validity

Overall job satisfaction was negatively correlated with role conflict and role ambiguity, and propensity to leave (Klenke-Hamel & Mathieu, 1990; Smith & Brannick, 1990). Overall job satisfaction correlated positively with life satisfaction, non-work satisfaction, job involvement, and performance expectancy (Hart, 1999; Smith & Brannick, 1990). In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis, job and non-work satisfaction were predictors of life satisfaction (Scarpello & Vandenberg, 1992). In Sagie (1998), the Hebrew-language version correlated positively with organizational com­ mitment and negatively with intention to quit.

In confirmatory analysis, Mathieu and Farr (1991) found that organiza­ tional commitment, job involvement, and job satisfaction were empirically distinct. Scarpello and Vandenberg (1992) found that job satisfaction and occupational commitment were independent constructs. Moorman (1993) factor analyzed the MSQ and found two factors: one assessing satisfaction with intrinsic aspects of the job and the other assessing satisfaction with the extrinsic aspects. In Mathieu (1991), an exploratory factor analysis of the MSQ yielded four factors. These four subscales included satisfaction with working conditions (six items), leadership (two items), responsibility (six items), and extrinsic rewards (six items). In Igalens and Roussel (1999), con­ firmatory factor analysis of a French-language version of the MSQ showed that a four-factor model fit the data best. The four factors were intrinsic satis­ faction, extrinsic satisfaction, recognition, and authority/social utility.

Source 

Copyright © 1967. Reprinted with permission.

Items

Responses are obtained on a 5-point Likert-type scale where 1 = very dissat­ isfied with this aspect of my job, 2 = dissatisfied with this aspect of my job, 3 =can’t decide if I am satisfied ornot with this aspect of my job, 4 = satisfied with this aspect of my job, and 5 =very satisfied with this aspect of my job.

Instructions and items:

On the following pages, you will find statements about your present job. Read each statement carefully; decide how satisfied you are about the aspect of your current job described by the statement. Then check the box that cor­ responds to your level of satisfaction with that aspect of your job.

1. The chance to work alone on the job
2. The chance to do different things from time to time
3. The chance to be “somebody” in the community
4. The way my boss handles his men
5. The competence of my supervisor in making decisions
6. Being able to do things that don’t go against my conscience
7. The way my job provides for steady employment
8. The chance to do things for other people
9. The chance to tell people what to do
10. The chance to do something that makes use of my abilities
11. The way the company policies are put into practice
12. The pay and the amount of work that I do
13. The chance for advancement on this job
14. The freedom to use my own judgment
15. The chance to try my own methods of doing the job
16. The working conditions
17. The way my co-workers get along with each other
18. The praise I get for doing a good job
19. The feeling of accomplishment I get from the job
20. Being able to keep busy all the time