CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The main purpose of this study is to describe the work values and job
satisfaction of the interpreters in Taiwan. A second purpose is to explore which
work values and items of job satisfaction bear significant correlations with one
another. The study also examines respectively the work values and job satisfaction
of Taiwan interpreters with various backgrounds. To this end, a questionnaire is
administered to gather the necessary information for analysis. This chapter presents
an overview of the study’s methods, participants, research tools, and data analysis
process.
3.1 Introduction
With a review of the literature, the researcher identifies the research questions
of this study as follows. What are some of the more specific work values that shape
an interpreter? In which aspects are interpreters satisfied with their job? Are there
marked relations between certain work values and items of job satisfaction, and do
these relations vary among interpreters of different backgrounds? The study hopes
to answer these questions by employing primarily a quantitative (questionnaire)
method, with qualitative, open-ended questions.
As discussed in Chapter 2, authority, co-workers, creativity, independence,
security, altruism, work conditions, and prestige, as related by Dose (1997), are some
of the universal dimensions constituting different work values theories, while facets
drawn from the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), including ability
utilization, achievement, activity, advancement, authority, company policies,
compensation, co-workers, creativity, independence, security, social service, social
status, moral values, recognition, responsibility, supervision-human relations,
supervision-technical, variety, and working conditions, are acknowledged to
constitute most, if not all, of the variables of job satisfaction.
To formulate a questionnaire compatible with interpreters, this study starts off
by surveying the various work values and job satisfaction questionnaires before
adopting Wu (1996) and the MSQ questionnaires as the archetypes. The reasons for
the selection will be elaborated later in this chapter. Next, the items in each of the
questionnaire are examined one by one, revised or deleted if not relevant to the
interpreting profession. Along the way, additional items are also incorporated to
form a questionnaire which better reflects the needs of interpreters and the conditions
they may face. Four open-ended questions are raised as well to gather answers
which might not emerge otherwise in a standardized questionnaire. Background
questions are posed to understand the demographics of the interpreters. Finally, a
questionnaire with an appropriate number of questions is produced having considered
the amount of time to which the subjects are willing to devote. After the
questionnaires are collected, the data are processed by applying descriptive and
inferential statistics and correlation.
Figure 3.1 presents the research process of this study.
Identifying the problem
Literature review
Data collection and analysis
Findings and
answers to research
Background variables
Job satisfaction Work
values
Lack of knowledge on interpreters’ work values and job satisfaction may retard the advancement of interpreting as a profession and recruit people who are not fit for the job.
1. Work values 2. Job satisfaction
3. Work values and job satisfaction 4. Interpreting as a profession
1. Questionnaire on interpreters’ work values and job satisfaction
2. Analysis of data to produce description of interpreters’ work values, job
satisfaction, and the relation between the two
Conclusions and recommendations
Figure 3.1. Research Flowchart
3.2 Questionnaire
3.2.1 Participants
In this study, approximately 100 interpreters were invited by e-mail to
participate in the online questionnaire. Since there is no formal list of interpreters, a
roster of interpreters, numbered at 96, was offered by a leading conference organizer
in Taiwan. Meanwhile, invitations were also sent to the Monterey alumni in Taiwan
with the help of a mutual contact. Nevertheless, how many interpreters were
reached and eventually filled out the questionnaire remained uncertain. Neither
could this study be sure if there was any overlap with the list provided by the
conference organizer.
3.2.2 Background Questions
This section of the questionnaire seeks to gather background information
including (1) gender; (2) age; (3) marital status; (4) degree of education; (5) major in
school; (6) job status; (7) prior work experience; (8) years of experience as an
interpreter; (9) place of interpreter training (10) working languages; (11) side jobs;
and (12) revenue from interpreting. The questions are formulated by referring to
relevant research questionnaires and the antecedents and consequences of work values
and job satisfaction as presented in Chapter Two. Although the aim of this study is
mainly to discover the relation between work values and job satisfaction, the
demographics of the subjects still play a differentiating role in shaping interpreters’
work values and job satisfaction and so will be discussed further in the next chapter.
3.2.3 Questionnaire on interpreters’ work values and job satisfaction
Based on the literature review, this research selects two survey instruments,
Domestic Work Values Inventory (Wu et al., 1996) and Minnesota Satisfaction
Questionnaire (1967), to be the framework for the questionnaire in this study. Hence
the questions in this section can be divided into two parts: (1) interpreter’s work
values; and (2) interpreter’s job satisfaction. The former inquires interpreters’
general views on work. The latter surveys interpreters’ attitude toward current work.
With regard to the work values section, the reasons to adopt Domestic Work
Values Inventory as the basis are twofold. First, the making of the Inventory takes
into consideration some of the most popular work values theories. Wu et al. (1996)
had incorporated the findings of Super (1970), Jurgensen (1978), Elizur(1984), Super,
Dorothy & Nevill (1985), Macnab, Futzsimmons & Casserly (1987), Nevill &
Super(1989), Yuan (1983), Xia & You (1984), in addition to Herzberg’s
motivator-hygiene theory and Maslow’s need hierarchy theory to construct the
Inventory. Furthermore, the instrument had been revised and tested several times for
better efficacy in reflecting the work values of the Taiwanese people. The internal
consistency of each of its seven dimensions ranged from 0.78-0.93. Second, the
Inventory has been widely adopted by researches in Taiwan for its availability,
cultural proximity and elaborative design. The studies conducted by Zhong Z-M.
(2000), Guo X-M. (2002) and more have chosen Domestic Work Values Inventory to
be their instrument to explore the work values held by their subjects.
The 49-item Domestic Work Values Inventory comprises two sets of work
values (terminal and instrumental) and is categorized into seven dimensions: (1)
personal growth; (2) self-actualization; (3) self-esteem; (4) interaction with others; (5)
organizational and financial security; (6) freedom from anxiety; and (7) recreation and
life. However, to fulfill the purpose of this research, which is to better understand
work values specifically held by interpreters, the items of the Inventory were
reviewed and revised where necessary. In addition, items that are similar in meaning
or somewhat irrelevant to interpreters’ work traits are deleted to make the
questionnaire as concise as possible. All the while, active interpreters and literature
on interpreting studies were consulted to support the reconstructed content. As a
result, 26 questions were categorized into five dimensions, namely (1) personal
growth; (2) self-actualization; (3) self-esteem; (4) interaction with others; (5) sense of
security and leisure. Respondents were asked to rate each on a Likert scale of “not
important at all”, “somewhat important”, “moderately important”, “important”, or
“very important”. For each question, one answer must be chosen. Table 3.1 shows
the categories of questions in this section compared to the dimensions of Domestic
Work Values Inventory.
Table 3.1
A Comparison of the Categories for Work Values Questions
Dimension Item
(The job I do...)
This Study
Domestic Work Values Inventory Allows me to constantly acquire new
information and skills.
○ ○
Provides chances for on the job training. X ○ Gives me the chance to go into the depth of
things.
○ ○
Encourages me to try out new methods. X ○
Encourages me to be creative. ○ ○
Is full of prospects. ○ ○
Enables me to develop my own career. X ○ Personal
Growth
Is challenging and full of variety. ○ X
Maximizes my potential. ○ ○
Helps me realize my life-long dream. ○ ○ Helps me achieve my goals step by step. X ○
Helps raise the quality of life. X ○
Brings variety to life. ○ ○
Allows me to devote myself to meaningful endeavors for the society.
X ○
Allows me to serve the society and make it a better place.
○ ○
Self-
Actualization
Combines my interest. ○ X
(Table 3.1 continued)
Gives me a sense of achievement. X ○
Produces observable results and gives me a sense of achievement.
X ○
Allows me to take on responsibilities. X ○ Makes me feel confident of myself. X ○ Allows me to be fully authorized by my boss. X ○ Allows me to be recognized by others. X ○ Allows me to be in full control of things. X ○ Is in line with family expectations ○ X Is understood and acknowledged by others ○ X Is one that I have ample control over its
conditions and environment
○ X
Self-esteem
Helps me obtain reputation and status ○ X
Has a kind supervisor. X ○
Has co-workers that care for each other. X ○ Allows me to accomplish the tasks with my
colleagues pleasantly.
X ○
Allows me to frequently collaborate with others.
○ X
Rarely sees conflicts between associates. ○ ○ Has co-workers that get along quite well. ○ ○ Allows me maintain friendly relationship with
others.
X ○
Allows me to treat others with sincerity. X ○ Enables me to expand my personal network. ○ X Requires efforts to be made to maintain
relationship with my clients.
○ X
Interaction with Others
Can mostly be done on my own; there is rarely a need to consult others.
○ X
(Table 3.1 continued)
Allows me to be fully taken care of by the company when I am ill.
X ○
Is offered by a company that has a comprehensive security scheme.
X ○
Is offered by a company that has a comprehensive insurance scheme.
X ○
Offers a fair salary. X ○
G Organizational and Financial Security
ives out raises and bonuses every now and then.
X ○
Offers a pay that is in accordance with my contribution.
X ○
Is offered by a company that has a sound benefit package.
X ○
Allows me to live comfortably on just one income.
○ X
Has work hours that are compatible with my lifestyle and schedule.
X ○
Is full of variety and orderly in nature. X ○ Does not involve too many miscellaneous
affairs.
X ○
Involves providing professional service only;
I do not have to tend to affairs outside rpreting.
Freedom from inte Anxiety
○ X
Does not involve constant competition and therefore anxiety can be avoided.
X ○
Seldom gives me feeling of uneasiness and anxiety.
○ ○
Does not require me to keep it constantly on my mind, especially after work.
X ○
Gives me a sense of security; I rarely have to worry about the future.
○ ○
(Table 3.1 continued)
Does not involve working in a hazardous environment.
X ○
Provides me with sufficient time to practice sports and enjoy recreational activities.
X ○
Has flexible work hours. ○ ○
Grants me a long vacation each year so that I could arrange recreations.
X ○
Seldom requires me to attend after-work networking events.
○ ○
Is offered by a company that is at a convenient location.
X ○
Recreation and Life
Keeps me away from traffic jams. X ○
In terms of job satisfaction, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ, 1967)
is selected to be the prototype for the design of this section’s questionnaire for its
reputation and availability. The MSQ was the collective effort of Weiss, Dawis,
England, and Lofquist (1967) and had its origin in the University of Minnesota’s
Work Adjustment Project conducted in the 1960s and 1970s. The instrument is set
to measure employees’ satisfaction with their jobs. The MSQ is useful in exploring
client’s vocational needs and generating information about reinforcers in jobs.
Short-Form MSQ, the foundation of this questionnaire, consists of 20 items that were
grouped into two facets – Intrinsic and Extrinsic Satisfaction – by means of factor
analysis. Scores on these two facets in addition to a General Satisfaction score may be
obtained. The 20 dimensions of the MSQ are: (1) ability utilization; (2) achievement;
(3) activity; (4) advancement; (5) authority; (6) company policies; (7) compensation;
(8) co-workers; (9) creativity; (10) independence; (11) security; (12) social service;
(13) social status; (14) moral values; (15) recognition; (16) responsibility; (17)
supervision - human relations; (18) supervision – technical; (19) variety; and (20)
working conditions. However, as most interpreters work freelance, dimensions such
as advancement, authority, supervision – technical, supervision - human relations and
company policies are generally inapplicable to them. Chen Y-C. (2005) pointed this
out in his study, where around half of the interpreters surveyed found it difficult to
rate the aforementioned dimensions. Therefore these items were later deleted to
avoid receiving “no comment” again as the answer.
To develop a job satisfaction survey especially for interpreters, this research
also referred to Chen’s Job Satisfaction Questionnaire for Interpreters (2005).
Complied from the MSQ, Chen added an additional eight questions to formulate a
questionnaire which better reflected the traits of the profession. The eight
dimensions were: (1) flexibility in work hours; (2) quality time with family; (3)
resources for work; (4) means to enhance professional knowledge; (5) welfare and
benefits; (6) future prospects; (7) the amount of general affairs to deal with; and (8)
opportunity to network. In this study, the aforementioned eight dimensions were
incorporated. Meanwhile, one other dimension – client cooperation and
appreciation – was added to measure how interpreters were satisfied with this respect.
In the end, 21 questions that catered to the interpreting profession were
generated, in the hope to gain a more all-round understanding of interpreters’ current
attitude toward their job. Respondents were asked to rate each with “strongly
disagree”, “disagree”, “undecided”, “agree”, or “strongly agree”. For each question,
one answer must be chosen. Table 3.2 shows the categories of questions in this
section compared to the dimensions of MSQ and Chen’s Job Satisfaction
Questionnaire.
Table 3.2
A Comparison of the Categories for Job Satisfaction Questions
Category This Study MSQ Chen (2005)
Ability Utilization ○ ○ ○
Achievement ○ ○ ○
Activity ○ ○ ○
Advancement X ○ ○
Authority X ○ ○
Company Policies X ○ ○
Compensation ○ ○ ○
Co-workers ○ ○ ○
Creativity ○ ○ ○
Independence ○ ○ ○
Security ○ ○ ○
Social Service ○ ○ ○
Social Status X ○ ○
Moral Values X ○ ○
Recognition ○ ○ ○
Responsibility X ○ ○
Supervision - Human Relations X ○ ○
Supervision - Technical X ○ ○
Variety ○ ○ ○
Working Conditions ○ ○ ○
Flexibility in Work Hours ○ X ○
Quality Time with Family ○ X ○
Resources for Work ○ X ○
Means to Enhance Professional Knowledge
○ X ○
Welfare and Benefits ○ X ○
Future Prospects ○ X ○
Amount of General Affairs ○ X ○
Opportunity to Network ○ X ○
Client Cooperation and Appreciation ○ X X
3.2.4 Open-Ended Questions
Aside from the multiple-choice questions on interpreters’ work values and job
satisfaction, four open-ended questions are posed at the very beginning of the
questionnaire with the intention to collect spontaneous answers that could sometimes
be especially revealing. These four questions include: (1) the reason to become an
interpreter; (2) the most gratifying part about the interpreting job; (3) the most
unpleasant part about the interpreting job; and (4) suggestion of possible measures to
increase interpreters’ job satisfaction. It is hoped that the responses elicited from this
section will serve as a supplement, providing information that corresponds to the
multiple-choice questions. Since the open-ended questions allow the respondents to
answer freely, they are more qualitative in nature and could complement what
quantitative surveys fall short of, thus increasing overall reliability and validity of the
research.
3.2.5 Pilot Testing of the Questionnaire
The pilot test of the questionnaire was conducted online at http://my3q.com,
and posed 66 questions. Four interpreters were invited by e-mail to participate in the
survey. Having finished the questionnaire, all four of the interpreters reported that
the questions were completely understandable and are likely to have covered most of
the items necessary to ask. This was probably because prior to the launch of the
online pilot test, the researcher had administered paper-and-pencil tests to three
interpreters and sought for their advice, and in the process revised the content bit by
bit (as stated in 3.2.3). However, one interpreter did comment about the placement
of the open-ended questions and suggested to remove the section to a later part before
the background questions. After contemplation, the researcher decided to keep the
section at where it was. The reason is that while the participants may find the
questionnaire to be “easier” to complete with all the multiple-choice questions at first
glance, placing the open-ended questions at the end runs the risk of having the
previous questions directing the participants’ thoughts in answering the open-ended
ones. With the pilot test being workable, the researcher moves on to administer the
final questionnaire.
3.2.6 Measures and Research Procedure
In this study, convenience sampling was chosen to be the method to collect the
necessary data. The questionnaire was officially launched on September 11, 2007,
and 96 interpreters plus an unknown number of Monterey Alumni were invited to fill
out the questionnaire via e-mail. The participating session was scheduled to close on
October 31, 2007. In between, approximately three weeks after sending out first
invitations, the researcher sent out an e-mail reminder to the interpreters who had not
yet participated. Upon deadline, a total of 36 questionnaires were completed.
3.2.7 Research Tools
The website http://my3q.com is employed in this study to post the questionnaire.
Users have their choices of joining as paid members or general users. As a general
user, the researcher was authorized to have the questionnaire open to the public for 6
months. This did not affect the execution of this study, for the questionnaire was
intended to be in effect for two months at most. One drawback was that the
questionnaire was accessible to the public, despite the researcher’s intention to
include only the interpreters. However, this study is relatively assured that there
were no repeated participants, as all the IP addresses of the respondents provided by
the website were different.
3.3 Data Analysis
At this stage, the data collected from the questionnaires are processed by
statistical tests to generate results that could later be interpreted.
Responses from the work values and job satisfaction sections are first
summarized by means of descriptive statistics, including frequency distribution,
percentage, weighted average and standard deviation. In addition, cross tabulation is
employed to display the joint distribution of the background variables and the work
values or job satisfaction variables where the researcher deemed necessary. Having
compiled graphic summaries of the data, this study is able to provide a general picture
of how important each work value is to the interpreters, and how their needs are being
satisfied by the interpreting job.
Next, to see if relationship exists between work values and job satisfaction,
correlation tests are administered to reveal the strength and direction of the linear
relationship between pairs of variables selected by the researcher. The results could
then serve as references to determine if certain variables bear significant connection
with each other.
The study then turns to the interpreters’ responses from the open-ended
questions and analyzes them against the data produced by the above-mentioned
statistical tests. To this point, what quantitative data are sometimes short of is
complemented by the elaborate responses from the interpreters.
Tentative conclusions could then be drawn to answer the research questions in
the beginning, discovering which work values are commonly held by interpreters,
how interpreters are satisfied with their job, if marked relations exist between certain
work values and job satisfaction factors, in addition to the variations between
interpreters of different backgrounds.
A chart displaying the process of data analysis for this study is shown in Figure
3.2.
h
2. Inferential Statistics
Responses from open-ended questions Data from work values
questions 1. Descriptive Statistics
Data from job satisfaction questions
Data from background
questions 3. Correlation
Interpreters’
WORK VALUES
& JOB SATISFACTION Implications and
Recommendations
Figure 3.2. Data Analysis Flowchart
To summarize, the data of this study is collected through a questionnaire with
both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. By means of descriptive statistical
methods and correlation test, the researcher is able to identify which work values are
shared by active interpreters, their general attitude toward work, the strength of
relation between work values and job satisfaction variables, and if these results apply
to all or just certain subgroups. The results of the data analyses are compiled in
Chapter 4.
