Occupational Hierarchies and Job Satisfaction Disparities

This study critically examines occupational disparities in job satisfaction, reconceptualising it as a crucial yet frequently overlooked dimension of social stratification. Building upon Kalleberg and Griffin's (1978) foundational work, the research investigates a complex relationship between job satisfaction and occupational status in South Africa, a context characterised by profound socioeconomic disparities. The study posits that variations in job satisfaction are not merely individual phenomena but rather systemic manifestations of structural inequalities stemming from the asymmetrical distribution of both material and non-material rewards across occupational strata.

Leveraging cross-sectional data from the 2005 and 2015 iterations of the South African Social Attitudes Survey, encompassing a nationally representative sample of approximately 2,000 economically active respondents, the research employs a multivariate analysis to explain the nuanced variance in job satisfaction across occupational categories. The findings reveal a complex interplay of determinants, demonstrating how personal factors and differential access to extrinsic and intrinsic rewards mediate job satisfaction.

Crucially, the study argues that the observed job satisfaction differential functions as a potent mechanism for reproducing and potentially amplifying existing socioeconomic disparities. Furthermore, the research shows a persistent misalignment between intrinsic and extrinsic work values and rewards, particularly pronounced in lower-status occupations. This incongruence undermines job satisfaction and reinforces broader societal inequalities, contributing to the perpetuation of stratified social structures in the labour market and beyond.