Work Value Congruence and Satisfaction at Work: Is this Western Concept Applicable to a Developing Country such as Malaysia?

Abstract

This study aims to fulfil two literature gaps in the person-environment
fit theory, in particular the supply-value fit or S-V fit relating to work
congruence. Firstly, previous research in S-V fit tended to look mainly
at autonomy and supervision style. However, there appears to be no
reported research that has simultaneously investigated, in a single
study, the effects of the discrepancy between the perceived and desired
levels of work quantity, variety, power, responsibility and
concentration required for the job and its relationship with satisfaction
at work. Secondly, the S-V fit theory has been relatively established
in developed countries such as America and Britain. However, it
would be interesting to discover whether the theory is also applicable
among workers in small isolated towns in a developing country such
as Malaysia. Questionnaires were distributed and collected from two
hundred and eighty respondents working in small towns in Peninsular
Malaysia. Support for the S-V fit theory was obtained, as results
suggested that the greater the discrepancy between the supplies and
values of work quantity, variety, power, responsibility and
concentration required at work, the lesser was the satisfaction.
Key Words: Job Satisfaction, Person-Environment Fit, Supply-Value Fit
JEL classification: M12, M51, M54