Predictors of job satisfaction among police officers: a test of goal-setting theory

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to explain the antecedents of police officers’ job satisfaction within the framework of Locke and Latham’s goal-setting theory. Specifically, it is suggested that goal difficulty, goal specificity, feedback, self-efficacy, goal commitment, and participation in goal-setting enhance police officers’ job satisfaction. Hypotheses are tested with data from 1970 police officers working at three different police departments. The results indicate that goal specificity, feedback, and participation are significant and positive predictors of job satisfaction. However, the results indicate no significant relationship between goal difficulty, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. Overall, the results suggest goal-setting theory could be used to enhance job satisfaction among police officers. Practical implications and future research directions are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Job satisfaction
• goal-setting theory
• goal difficulty
• goal specificity
• feedback

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ismail Cenk Demirkol

Ismail Cenk Demirkol, PhD, was major at Turkish National Police. Since earning a doctorate degree in criminal justice, he has conducted research on organizational psychology. He has also conducted research on migration and xenophobia.