Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Network and perceptual determinants of satisfaction among science and engineering faculty in US research universities

  • Published:
The Journal of Technology Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines how personal research collaboration and advice networks of academic faculty in six fields of science and engineering affect three kinds of satisfaction: satisfaction with rewards; satisfaction with reputation of department and institution; and satisfaction with professional recognition and visibility of research. The study includes determinants found in the literature such as perceived influence on departmental decisions, departmental provision of resources, and perceptions of time spent on service and other controls. Using data collected from a national survey of academic faculty in six fields of science and engineering in Carnegie designated Research I universities, regression models test literature derived hypotheses. Findings show that the effects of network structure and resources on satisfaction depend on the kind of satisfaction studied. Non-network variables demonstrate associations with satisfaction that are generally expected from the literature. The paper provides evidence of the critical role that personal research collaboration and advice networks play for scientists’ satisfaction. It also raises important questions about the complex relationships between network structures and resources, and satisfaction. Conclusions present implications for university and departmental administrators.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Of the 151 universities, two universities (Yeshiva University and Columbia Teachers College) were excluded because they did not grant doctoral degrees in the target fields. Names of scientists were collected from departmental websites of the 149 remaining universities and manually entered into a database. Fields entered included: first name, last name, rank, sex, department, institution, email address and postal address. Gender was determined through a combined analysis of first name and photograph. Rank was nearly always listed on the faculty page. When it was not, researchers queried the university directories to find the rank data. A total of 23,896 names were entered into the population database.

  2. The survey used an ego‐centric network design to explore the respondents’ relationships with their collaborators and advice ties, not the global network of which individuals are members (Wasserman and Faust 1994). Ego-centric surveys collect information from the respondent (ego) about the other people (alters) with whom he or she is connected, about the relationships that exist between them, and the resources they receive from them (Burt and Minor 1983; Straits 2000; Marin 2004). Through the use of an ego-centric network design, this survey was able to obtain detailed information about the collaboration and advice ties that are not accessible through existing data such as bibliometrics.

  3. Once the survey respondent provided names of collaborators and advice ties, Sawtooth Software® removed the duplicates automatically before piping them as rows in subsequent name interpreter questions. This only occurred when an individual was named in both collaboration and advice networks. While the existence of the individual tie in both networks was recorded permanently, duplicates were removed such that the respondent did not have to enter data twice for the name interpreter questions.

  4. While we considered modeling the three types of satisfaction as a set of structural equations, we decided not to for two reasons. First, we do not have sufficient guidance from theory to justify linkage across the different types of satisfaction. Second, it would be difficult to identify variables that would identify the different equations. We therefore opted to estimate the three types of satisfaction in separate OLS equations.

References

  • Agneessens, F., & Wittek, R. (2012). Where do intra-organizational advice relations come from? The role of informal status and social capital in social exchange. Social Networks, 34(3), 333–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allison, P. D., & Stewart, J. A. (1974). Productivity differences among scientists: Evidence for accumulative advantage. American Sociological Review, 39(4), 596–606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ambrose, S. T., Huston, T., & Norman, M. (2005). A qualitative method for assessing faculty satisfaction. Research in Higher Education, 46(7), 803–830.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amick, D. J. (1974). An index of scientific elitism and the scientist’s mission. Social Studies of Science, 4(1), 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appelbaum, S. H., Adam, J., Javeri, N., Lessard, M., Lion, J. P., Simard, M., & Sorbo, S. (2005). A case study analysis of the impact of satisfaction and organizational citizenship on productivity. Management Research News, 28(5), 1–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • August, L., & Waltman, J. (2004). Culture, climate, and contribution: Career satisfaction among female faculty. Research in Higher Education, 45(2), 177–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bilimoria, D., Perry, S. R., Liang, X., Stoller, E., Higgins, P., & Taylor, C. (2006). How do female and male faculty members construct job satisfaction? The roles of perceived institutional leadership and mentoring and their mediating processes. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 31(3), 355–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blackburn, R. T., & Lawrence, J. H. (1995). Faculty at work: Motivation, expectation, satisfaction. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boice, R. (2000). Advice for new faculty members: Nihil nimus. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Börner, K., Contractor, N., Falk-Krzesinski, H. J., Fiore, S. M., Hall, K. L., Keyton, J., et al. (2010). A multi-level systems perspective for the science of team science. Science Translational Medicine, 2(49), 49cm24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bozeman, B., & Corley, E. (2004). Scientists’ collaboration strategies: Implications for scientific and technical human capital. Research Policy, 33(4), 599–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bozeman, B., & Gaughan, M. (2011). Job satisfaction among university faculty: Individual, work, and institutional determinants. The Journal of Higher Education, 82(2), 154–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burt, R. S. (1982). Toward a structural theory of action: Network models of social structure, perception, and action. New York: Academic Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Burt, R. S., & Minor, M. J. (1983). Applied network analysis: A methodological introduction. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Callister, R. R. (2006). The impact of gender and department climate on job satisfaction and intentions to quit for faculty in science and engineering fields. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 31(3), 367–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, S., & Cole, J. R. (1967). Scientific output and recognition: A study in the operation of the reward system in science. American Sociological Review, 32(3), 377–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, K. S., & Whitmeyer, J. M. (1992). Two approaches to social structure: Exchange theory and network analysis. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 109–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crane, D. (1965). Scientists at major and minor universities: A study of productivity and recognition. American Sociological Review, 30(5), 699–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cross, R., Borgatti, S. P., & Parker, A. (2001). Beyond answers: Dimensions of the advice network. Social Networks, 23(3), 215–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cross, R., & Cummings, J. N. (2004). Tie and network correlates of individual performance in knowledge-intensive work. The Academy of Management Journal, 47(6), 928–937.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, J. N., & Kiesler, S. (2005). Collaborative research across disciplinary and organizational boundaries. Social Studies of Science, 35(5), 703–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, J. N., & Kiesler, S. (2007). Coordination costs and project outcomes in multi-university collaborations. Research Policy, 36(10), 1620–1634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daly, C. J., & Dee, J. R. (2006). Greener pastures: Faculty turnover intent in urban public universities. Journal of Higher Education, 77(5), 776–803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Janasz, S. C., Sullivan, S. E., & Whiting, V. (2003). Mentor networks and career success: Lessons for turbulent times. The Academy of Management Executive, 17(4), 78–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, J. S., & Bozeman, B. (2005). Academic careers, patents, and productivity: Industry experience as scientific and technical human capital. Research Policy, 34(3), 349–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eimers, M. T., & Pike, G. R. (1997). Minority and nonminority adjustment to college: Differences or similarities? Research in Higher Education, 38(1), 77–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emerson, R. M. (1972). Exchange theory, part II: Exchange relations and networks. Sociological Theories in Progress, 2, 58–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emerson, R. M. (1976). Social exchange theory. Annual review of sociology, 2, 335–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Endo, J. J., & Harpel, R. L. (1982). The effect of student–faculty interaction on students’ educational outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 16(2), 115–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etzkowitz, H., Kemelgor, C., & Uzzi, B. (2000). Athena unbound: The advancement of women in science and technology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fairweather, J. S. (1996). Faculty work and public trust: Restoring the value of teaching and public service in American academic life. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falk-Krzesinski, H. J., Börner, K., Contractor, N., Fiore, S. M., Hall, K. L., Keyton, J., et al. (2010). Advancing the science of team science. Clinical and Translational Science, 3(5), 263–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feldman, K. A., Smart, J. C., & Ethington, C. A. (1999). Major field and person-environment fit: Using Holland’s theory to study change and stability of college students. Journal of Higher Education, 70(6), 642–669.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, M. F. (2001). Women, science, and academia graduate education and careers. Gender & Society, 15(5), 654–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, M. F., & Mohapatra, S. (2007). Social–organizational characteristics of work and publication productivity among academic scientists in doctoral-granting departments. Journal of Higher Education, 78(5), 543–571.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gappa, J. M., Austin, A. E., & Trice, A. G. (2007). Rethinking faculty work: Higher education’s strategic imperative. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gargiulo, M., & Benassi, M. (2000). Trapped in your own net? Network cohesion, structural holes, and the adaptation of social capital. Organization Science, 11(2), 183–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gist, M. E., & Mitchell, T. R. (1992). Self-efficacy: A theoretical analysis of its determinants and malleability. Academy of Management Review, 17(2), 183–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gitlin, L. N., Lyons, K. J., & Kolodner, E. (1994). A model to build collaborative research or educational teams of health professionals in gerontology. Educational Gerontology: An International Quarterly, 20(1), 15–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gruneberg, M. M. (1979). Understanding job satisfaction. New York: Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S. (1994). Retirement proximity’s role in the prediction of satisfaction in academe. Research in Higher Education, 35(6), 711–728.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S. (1996). Wage equity and female faculty job satisfaction: The role of wage differentials in a job satisfaction causal model. Research in Higher Education, 37(5), 569–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagedorn, L. S. (2000). Conceptualizing faculty job satisfaction: Components, theories, and outcomes. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2000(105), 5–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamermesh, D. A. (1977). Economic aspects of job satisfaction. In O. C. Ashenfelter & W. E. Oates (Eds.), Essays in labor market analysis. NewYork: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, M. C. (2000). The more, the merrier? Multiple developmental relationships and work satisfaction. Journal of Management Development, 19(4), 277–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, M. C., & Kram, K. E. (2001). Reconceptualizing mentoring at work: A developmental network perspective. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 264–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • House, J. S., Umberson, D., & Landis, K. R. (1988). Structures and processes of social support. Annual review of Sociology, 14(1), 293–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnsrud, L. K., & Des Jarlais, C. D. (1994). Barriers to the retention and tenure of women and minorities: The case of a university’s faculty. Review of Higher Education, 17(4), 335–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnsrud, L. K., & Rosser, V. J. (2002). Faculty members’ morale and their intention to leave: A multilevel explanation. Journal of Higher Education, 73(4), 518–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katz, J. S., & Martin, B. R. (1997). What is research collaboration? Research Policy, 26(1), 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keith, B., & Babchuk, N. (1998). The quest for institutional recognition: A longitudinal analysis of scholarly productivity and academic prestige among sociology departments. Social Forces, 76(4), 1495–1533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilduff, M., & Krackhardt, D. (1994). Bringing the individual back in: A structural analysis of the internal market for reputation in organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 37(1), 87–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krackhardt, D., & Stern, R. N. (1988). Informal networks and organizational crises: An experimental simulation. Social Psychology Quarterly, 51(2), 123–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lancee, B. (2010). The economic returns of immigrants’ bonding and bridging social capital: The case of the Netherlands. International Migration Review, 44(1), 202–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawler, E. E. (1971). Pay and organizational effectiveness: A psychological view. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawler, E. J. (2001). An affect theory of social exchange. American Journal of Sociology, 107(2), 321–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawler, E. E., & Porter, L. W. (1967). The effect of performance on job satisfaction. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 7(1), 20–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawler, E. J., & Thye, S. R. (2006). Social exchange theory of emotions. In Handbook of the sociology of emotions (pp. 295–320). Springer.

  • Leahey, E. (2007). Not by productivity alone: How visibility and specialization contribute to academic earnings. American Sociological Review, 72(4), 533–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, J. S. (1978). Productivity and academic position in the scientific career. American Sociological Review, 43, 889–908.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magner, D. K. (1999). The graying professoriate. Chronicle of Higher Education, 46(2), 18–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mamiseishvili, K. (2011). Characteristics, job satisfaction, and workplace perceptions of foreign-born faculty at public 2-year institutions. Community College Review, 39(1), 26–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin, A. (2004). Are respondents more likely to list alters with certain characteristics? Implications for name generator data. Social Networks, 26(4), 289–307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., & Hattie, J. (2002). The relation between research productivity and teaching effectiveness: Complementary, antagonistic, or independent constructs? Journal of Higher Education, 73(5), 603–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mâsse, L. C., Moser, R. P., Stokols, D., Taylor, B. K., Marcus, S. E., Morgan, G. D., et al. (2008). Measuring collaboration and transdisciplinary integration in team science. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35(2), S151–S160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matier, M. W. (1990). Retaining faculty: A tale of two campuses. Research in Higher Education, 31(1), 39–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melin, G. (2000). Pragmatism and self-organization: Research collaboration on the individual level. Research Policy, 29(1), 31–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merton, R. K. (1968). The Matthew effect in science. Science, 159(3810), 56–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merton, R. K. (1988). The Matthew effect in science, II: Cumulative advantage and the symbolism of intellectual property. Isis, 79(4), 606–623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Molm, L. D. (1991). Affect and social exchange: Satisfaction in power-dependence relations. American Sociological Review, 56(4), 475–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monge, P. R., & Contractor, N. (2003). Theories of communication networks. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, D., & Near, J. P. (1994). Role conflict and faculty life satisfaction. Review of Higher Education, 17(2), 179–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oshagbemi, T. (1999). Overall job satisfaction: How good are single versus multiple-item measures? Journal of Managerial Psychology, 14(5), 388–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S. M. (1996). Research, teaching, and service: Why shouldn’t women’s work count? Journal of Higher Education, 67(1), 46–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, J. G., & Asher, S. R. (1993). Friendship and friendship quality in middle childhood: Links with peer group acceptance and feelings of loneliness and social dissatisfaction. Developmental Psychology, 29(4), 611–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phongsavan, P., Chey, T., Bowman, A., Brooks, R., & Silove, D. (2006). Social capital, socio-economic status and psychological distress among Australian adults. Social Science and Medicine, 63, 2546–2561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reskin, B. F. (1977). Scientific productivity and the reward structure of science. American Sociological Review, 42(3), 491–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rook, K. S. (1987). Reciprocity of social exchange and social satisfaction among older women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(1), 145–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosser, V. J. (2004). Faculty members’ intentions to leave: A national study on their worklife and satisfaction. Research in Higher Education, 45(3), 285–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosser, V. J. (2005). Measuring the change in faculty perceptions over time: An examination of their worklife and satisfaction. Research in Higher Education, 46(1), 81–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosser, V. J., & Tabata, L. N. (2010). An examination of faculty work: Conceptual and theoretical frameworks in the literature. Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, 25, 449–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabharwal, M. (2011). Job satisfaction patterns of scientists and engineers by status of birth. Research Policy, 40(6), 853–863.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabharwal, M., & Corley, E. A. (2009). Faculty job satisfaction across gender and discipline. The Social Science Journal, 46(3), 539–556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seibert, S. E., Kraimer, M. L., & Liden, R. C. (2001). A social capital theory of career success. Academy of Management Journal, 44(2), 219–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seifert, T. A., & Umbach, P. D. (2008). The effects of faculty demographic characteristics and disciplinary context on dimensions of job satisfaction. Research in Higher Education, 49(4), 357–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapira, Z., & Griffith, T. L. (1990). Comparing the work values of engineers with managers, production, and clerical workers: A multivariate analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 11(4), 281–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smart, J. C. (1990). A causal model of faculty turnover intentions. Research in Higher Education, 31(5), 405–424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spector, P. E. (1997). Job satisfaction: Application, assessment, causes, and consequences (Vol. 3). Sage publications.

  • Spreitzer, G. M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 38(5), 1442–1465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephan, P. E. (2004). Robert K. Merton’s perspective on priority and the provision of the public good knowledge. Scientometrics, 60(1), 81–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephan, P. E., & Levin, S. G. (1996). Property rights and entrepreneurship in science. Small Business Economics, 8(3), 177–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stokols, D., Hall, K. L., Taylor, B. K., & Moser, R. P. (2008). The science of team science: Overview of the field and introduction to the supplement. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35(2), 77–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straits, B. C. (2000). Ego’s important discussants or significant people: An experiment in varying the wording of personal network name generators. Social Networks, 22(2), 123–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf, S. A., & Rabinowitz, S. (1981). Career stage as a moderator of performance relationships with facets of job satisfaction and role perceptions. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 18(2), 202–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tack, M. W., & Patitu, C. L. (1992). Faculty job satisfaction: Women and minorities in Peril. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 4. Publications Department, The George Washington University, Washington, DC.

  • Tsui, A. S. (1984). A role set analysis of managerial reputation. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 34(1), 64–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uzzi, B. (1997). Social structure and competition in interfirm networks: The paradox of embeddedness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(1), 35–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Doef, M., & Maes, S. (1999). The job demand-control (-support) model and psychological well-being: A review of 20 years of empirical research. Work and Stress, 13(2), 87–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Emmerik, I. J. H. (2004). The more you can get the better. Career Development International, 9(6), 578–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Rijnsoever, F. J., Hessels, L. K., & Vandeberg, R. L. J. (2008). A resource-based view on the interactions of university researchers. Research Policy, 37(8), 1255–1266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wasserman, S., & Faust, K. (1994). Social network analysis: Methods and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wharton, A. S., Rotolo, T., & Bird, S. (2000). Social context at work: A multilevel analysis of job satisfaction. Sociological Forum, 15(1), 65–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zey-Ferrell, M. (1982). Predictors of faculty intent to exit the organization: Potential turnover in a large university. Human Relations, 35(5), 349–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, Y., & Volkwein, J. F. (2004). Examining the influences on faculty departure intentions: A comparison of tenured versus nontenured faculty at research universities using NSOPF-99. Research in Higher Education, 45(2), 139–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The data analyzed in this article were collected as part of an NSF funded study entitled “Women in Science and Engineering: Network Access, Participation, and Career Outcomes,” (Grant #REC-0529642).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Studies (CSTEPS), School of Public Affairs, 411 N. Central Avenue, Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA

    Eric W. Welch

  2. UNH ADVANCE, The University of New Hampshire, Dimond 356, Durham, NH, USA

    Yamini Jha

Authors
  1. Eric W. Welch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yamini Jha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric W. Welch.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 6 for the survey questions and Table 7 for the correlations

Table 6 Variables and measures
Full size table
Table 7 Correlations
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Welch, E.W., Jha, Y. Network and perceptual determinants of satisfaction among science and engineering faculty in US research universities. J Technol Transf 41, 290–328 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-015-9393-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-015-9393-z

Keywords

JEL Classification

Search

Navigation