Exploring the Perception of Job Quality among Banking Professionals: The Case of a Small Island Developing State

Authors

  • Soolakshna D Lukea-Bhiwajee University of Technology, Mauritius, Department of Environment, Science and Social Sustainability, Mauritius
  • Priya Devi Gunesh University of Mauritius, Faculty of Law & Management, Mauritius

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jsbe.v5i2.8

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of the Mauritian banking sector (MBS) professionals on job quality with respect to their current jobs using the OECD Framework (2015). It attempts to fill an existing gap in the Job Quality literature by providing empirical evidence on job quality in the banking sector in a small island developing state like Mauritius. Not many, if any, of the studies conducted in the banking sector concentrate on job quality in a small island development state (SIDS) context. This exploratory study therefore made use of the qualitative interpretive research paradigm using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The population comprised of banking professionals at supervisory and managerial levels across different banking institutions in the island. Purposive sampling method was adopted using the snowball sampling technique which used the researcher’s judgment in locating the type of people who would provide rich information pertaining to job quality. 15 banking professionals agreed to take part in the study. Findings revealed that banking professionals in Mauritius better perceived recognition rather than earnings quality, and the social rather than physical work environment as major determinants of their job quality. They also opined that their job security was however based on their performance and willingness to learn and grow in the organisation. Appropriate recommendations were thus provided in the light of these findings.

Keywords:

Job quality, Banking professionals, Mauritius, SIDS

References

[1] Belloc, F., Burdin, G., Cattani, L., et al., 2021. Coevolution of Job Automation Risk and Workplace Governance IZA – Institute of Labor Economics.

[2] Warhurst, C., Knox, A., 2022. Manifesto for a new Quality of Working Life. Human Relations. 75(2), 304-321.

[3] OECD, 2015. OECD Employment Outlook 2015. Paris: OECD Publishing.

[4] International Labour Organisation (ILO), Sectoral Activities Programme, 2009. Impact of the financial crisis on finance sector workers. Issue paper for discussion at the Global Dialogue Forum on the Impact of the Financial Crisis on Finance Sector Workers. Geneva.

[5] Gennard, J., 2009. The financial crisis and employee relations. Employee Relations. 31(5), 451-454.

[6] Jenkins, P., Goff, S., 2012. Barclays tension with FSA laid bare. Financial Times. Retrieved from: https://www.ft.com/content/a9cc929c-cab1-11e1-8872-00144feabdc0

[7] Ramlall, I., 2015. Mauritius financial system stress index: Estimating the costs of the subprime crisis. Journal of African Business. 16(3), 235-271.

[8] World Bank, 2015. Mauritius, June 23, 2015. Mauritius–Systematic Country Diagnostic. Washington,D.C.: World Bank Group.

[9] National Employment Policy for Mauritius, 2014. Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment, Republic of Mauritius.

[10] Cazes, S., Hijzen, A., Saint-Martin, A., 2015. Measuring and assessing job quality. Paris: OECD Publishing.

[11] Mauritius Bankers Association, 2017. Profile of Banks. Available from: https://www.mba.mu

[12] Maheshwari, V., Gunesh, P., Lodorfos, G., et al., 2017. Exploring HR practitioners’ perspective on employer branding and its role in organisational attractiveness and talent management. International Journal of Organisational Analysis.

[13] Sastre Galtés, L., 2018. Job quality and job satisfaction. Faculty of Business and Economy. University of Balearic Islands.

[14] Clark, A.E., 2015. What makes a good job? Job quality and job satisfaction. IZA World of Labor.

[15] Coats, D., Lekhi, R., 2008. Good Work: Job Quality in a Changing Economy. London: The Work Foundation.

[16] Osterman, L., 2013. Introduction To The Special Issue On Job Quality: What Does It Mean And How Might We Think About It? International Labour Review. 66(4), 739-752.

[17] Green, F., Mostafa, T., Parent-Thirion, A., et al., 2013. Is job quality becoming more unequal? ILR Review. 66(4), 753-784.

[18] Iskander, N., Lowe, N., 2013. Building job quality from the inside: Mexican immigrant’s skills and jobs in the construction industry. ILR Review. 66(4), 785- 807.

[19] Findlay, P., Kalleberg, A.L., Warhurst, C., 2013. The challenge of job quality. Human Relations. 66(4), 441-450.

[20] Holman, D., 2013. Job Types and Job Quality in Europe. Human Relations. 66(4), 475-502.

[21] Kalleberg, A.L., Reskin, B.F., Hudson, K., 2000. Bad jobs in America: Standard and nonstandard employment relations and job quality in the United States. American Sociological Review. pp. 256-278.

[22] Handel, M.J., 2005. Trends in perceived job quality, 1989 to 1998. Work and Occupations. 32(1), 66-94.

[23] Weaver, A., 2009. Perceptions of job quality in the tourism industry: The views of recent graduates of a university’s tourism management programme. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 21(5), 579-593.

[24] Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., Snyderman, B.B., 1959. The motivation to work (2nd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

[25] Murtin, F., Benoît, A., Le Thi, C., et al., 2022. A The relationship between quality of the working environment, workers’ health and wellbeing: Evidence from 28 OECD country OECD Papers on Well-being and Inequalities No. 04.

[26] Stuart, S., 2009. HR leadership challenges in European financial services companies. [Online] Available from: www.spencerstuart.com

[27] Zivnuska, S., Ketchen, D.J., Snow, C.C., 2001. Implications of the converging economy for human resource management. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. pp. 371-405.

[28] Hackman, J.R., 1980. Work redesign and motivation. Professional Psychology. 11(3), 445.

[29] Salami, S.O., Ajitoni, S.O., 2016. Job characteristics and burnout: The moderating roles of emotional intelligence, motivation and pay among bank employees. International Journal of Psychology. 51(5), 375- 382.

[30] Chovwen, C., 2013. Occupational stress among bank employees in South East, Nigeria. Global Advanced Research Journal of Management and Business Studies. 2(2), 114-119.

[31] Armstrong, G.S., Griffin, M.L., 2004. Does the job matter? Comparing correlates of stress among treatment and correctional staff in prisons. Journal of Criminal Justice. 32(6), 577-592.

[32] Kunte, M., Gupta, P., Bhattacharya, S., et al., 2017. Role overload, role self-distance, role stagnation as determinants of job satisfaction and turnover intention in banking sector. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 39(5), 590.

[33] Chen, M.F., Lin, C.P., Lien, G.Y., 2011. Modelling job stress as a mediating role in predicting turnover intention. The Service Industries Journal. 31(8), 1327-1345.

[34] Hackman, J.R., Oldham, G.R., 1976. Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organisational Behavior and Human Performance. 16(2), 250-279.

[35] Kuhn, T.S., 1970. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 2nd enl. ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

[36] Ganu, J., Abdulai, I., 2014, March. Linking Employees’ Employment Experience and Employer Brand Offer: An Assessment of the Banking Sector in Ghana. International Conference on Arts, Economics and Management (ICAEM ‘14), Dubai. pp. 22-23.

[37] Demirtas, E.A., Buruk, Y., Sağır, M., 2015. A multi-criteria job evaluation method for a state bank. International Journal of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. 7(2).

[38] Bowe, J., Bowe, M., Streeter, S.C., eds., 2000. Gig: Americans talk about their jobs at the turn of the millennium. New York: Crown Publishers.

[39] Chein, I., 1981. Appendix: An introduction to sampling. Selltiz, Wrightsman& Cook’s research methods in social relations. 4, 418-441.

[40] Merriam, S.B., Tisdell, E.J., 2015. Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. United States of America, Jossey-Bass Publishing.

[41] Yin, R.K., 2009. How to do better case studies. The SAGE Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods. 2, 254-282.

[42] Silverman, D., 2006. Interpreting Qualitative Data: Methods for Analysing Talk, Text and Interaction 3rd edition. Sage Publications, India.

[43] Saldaña, J., 2015. The coding manual for qualitative researchers. 3rd ed. Los Angeles: Sage publications.

[44] Griffiths, C.A., Ryan, P., Foster, J.H., 2011. Thematic Analysis of Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Theory. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. 52, 168-173.

[45] Vander Elst, T., Richter, A., Sverke, M., et al., 2014. Threat of losing valued job features: the role of perceived control in mediating the effect of qualitative job insecurity on job strain and psychological withdrawal. Work & Stress. 28(2), 1-22.

[46] Cheng, G.H.L., Chan, D.K.S., 2008. Who suffers more from job insecurity? A meta-analytic review. Applied Psychology: An International Review. 57(2), 272-303.

[47] Gilboa, S., Shirom, A., Fried, Y., et al., 2008. A meta-analysis of work demand stressors and job performance: examining main and moderating effects. Personnel Psychology. 61(2), 227-271.

[48] Koen, J., Low, J.T.H., Van Vianen, A., 2020. Job Preservation efforts: When does job insecurity prompt performance. Career Development International. 25(3), 287-305.

[49] Eurofound, 2012. Banking Sector: Working Conditions and Job Quality. Fifth European Working Conditions Survey

Downloads

How to Cite

Lukea-Bhiwajee, S. D., & Gunesh, P. D. (2022). Exploring the Perception of Job Quality among Banking Professionals: The Case of a Small Island Developing State. Journal of Sustainable Business and Economics, 5(2), 35–. https://doi.org/10.30564/jsbe.v5i2.8

Issue

Article Type

Article