International Journal of Information Research and Review, October 2015 International Journal of Information Research and Review Vol. 02, Issue, 10, pp. 1259-1262 October, 2015 Research Article ROLE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON ACADEMIC STAFF JOB SATISFACTION IN MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITIES *Aida Mehrad Department of Social and Development Science Faculty of Human Ecology, Faculty of Human Ecology, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History: Received 09th, July 2015 Received in revised form 16th, August 2015 Accepted 10th, September 2015 Published online 31st, October 2015 Keywords: Gender, Marital Status, Level of Education, Reward, Status of Designation, Job Satisfaction, Academic Staff, University, Organizational Factor. Based on last due decades, job satisfaction assumed as one of the principle organizational factors that has considerable role amongstacademic staff at university; moreover, concentrating on this imperative factor and discoveryoperative items that effect on the level of job satisfaction is very critical. The main purpose of current research is to survey the relationships between gender, marital status, level of education, reward, and status of designationwith job satisfaction of academic staff at Malaysian universities. The Job Descriptive Index (JDI) was applied to measures job satisfaction amongst academic staff. The data of presentstudy taken from 440 academic staff were occupied in Malaysian universities. The findings illustrated there were significant relationships between level of education, reward, and status of designation with job satisfaction, while there were not meaningful association between gender and marital status with job satisfaction; that analyzed by t-test. Copyright © 2015 Aida Mehrad. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. INTRODUCTION One of the main educational organizations in every country is university that plays a great role in developing and increasing individual knowledge and skill. In reality, the presence of university has a considerable contribution to improving the level of consciousness among individuals (Santhapparaj & Alam, 2005). Furthermore, it is very important to focusing on academic staff as principle members at university. Academic staff are professional and educated human resources that growth university’s outcomes. In this regard, Sohail and Delin (2013) explained academic staff arecentral human resources at universities that have a essential role in academician, didactic, and social sectors. As matter of fact, academic staff except of teaching hasmajor contribution in publication, exploration, and community engagement services. Certainly, these scientific activities lead to high level of university’s outcomes toward other universities (Hussin, 2011; Sadeghi, Zaidatol, Habibah, & Foo, 2012). *Corresponding author: Aida Mehrad, Department of Social and Development Science Faculty of Human Ecology, Faculty of Human Ecology, University Putra Malaysia (UPM). According to the main role of academic staff at university, the level of their performance and scientific activities requires some positive factors that appeared by various motivators. One of these significant and positive factors is job satisfaction that has an acceptableinfluence on behavior and approach of academic staff toward their job at the university (Strydom, 2011). Job satisfaction as avital component in educational system has a critical role among academic staff.This main factor likewise regarded as one of the basic human needs that influence on staff performance, behavior, and reaction (Ahsan, Abdullah, Gun Fie, & Alam, 2009). With respect to the basic human needs, psychology has a crucial role in numerous characteristics of human activities (Berghe, 2011). By the way, environmental psychology concentrated on some behaviors and reactions about the job and its state. Those included work behavior, emotion toward work, approach, performance, and relation with others (Wang & Lee, 2009). The study of job satisfaction regarded as a central factor through educational organizations (Khera & Gulati, 2012; Sadeghi et al., 2012). It seems the presence of this organizational factor among academic staff has an imperative position for progressing and changing the state of work (Ling, Bahron, & Boroh, 2014). 1260 Aida Mehrad, Role of demographic factors on academic staff job satisfaction in Malaysian Universities in Malaysia. The key reasons for using the cross-sectional method included budget and time that limit the researcher’s area working. A total 440 academic staff selected based on Krejcie and Morgan’s table among total three public research universities (universiti Putra Malaysia, University Malaya, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Evidence shows that job satisfaction be anessential organizational factor among academic staff that decreased or increased by several factors at the workplace (Noraani, 2013). Moreover, focuses on staff’s view creates a proper atmosphere for enhancing their performance and prevents to appear some negative factor. Low level of job satisfaction is one of these negative factors that formed by the impact of numerous circumstances on universities (Ahsan et al., 2009). Some factors such as gender, marital status, level of education, reward, and status of designation have noticeable role on the level of job satisfaction among staff at university. Measures In current study was used Job Descriptive Index (JDI) to measure job satisfaction amongst academic staff. This scale included 72 items and assessed five facets of work, pay, supervision, promotion, and co-worker. In this regard Lambrou, Kontodimopoulos, and Niakas (2010) stated there is a meaningful connection between gender and job satisfaction. In addition, Noordin and Jusoff (2009) clarified marital status has a significant relationship with job satisfaction amongst academic staff.Based on association between status of designation and job satisfaction, Beckmann, Binz, and Schauenberg (2007) described contract types can be effective onthe level of job satisfaction because they certify the working situation of staff. On the other word, there is an association between the status of designation and job satisfaction. The JDI used three point Likert (Yes=3, No=0, and No Idea=1). Additionally, the demographic assessment developed by the researcher and measured gender, marital status, reward, status of designation, and level of education. Data analysis Data of the present study was analyzed via t-test (SPSS version 20 statistical software). In general, status of designation is so valuablefactor for staff because determines their working situation; and support their needs at university. Reward as another of these demographic factors effects on job satisfaction. It seems that there is a close relationship between this effectual motivator and job satisfaction that originates from the workplace (Jessen, 2010). RESULTS Results of t-test analysis illustrates in Table 1 and shown that job satisfaction significant differ between academic staff with different gender, marital status, level of education, reward, and status of designation. Table 1. Differences in Job Satisfaction between Socio-Demographic Factors based on t-test Results (N=440) n M SD t p 236 204 92.08 92.70 6.204 6.740 -1.00 .320 Reward Yes No 203 237 94.14 90.85 6.522 6.011 -5.51 .000** Marital Status Married Unmarried 372 68 92.43 92.01 6.417 6.715 -.50 .620 Status of Designation Non-Permanent Permanent 119 321 91.00 92.88 6.846 6.244 -2.71 .007** Level of Education Master’s Degree Doctorate 71 369 90.23 92.78 6.305 6.414 -3.07 .002** Socio-demographic profile Gender Female Male *Note: M=Mean; S.D=Standard Deviation Level of education is one of the principle factor that has powerful impact on job satisfaction. Furthermore, distinguishing the effect of this factoron job satisfaction at the educational organization is very essential. These explanations mentioned by Alam and Fakir Mohammad (2010) who studied on relationship between level of education and job satisfaction. Regarding these studies, the present research examines the role of demographic factors on job satisfaction amongst academic staff at public research universities in Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study is a correlational survey. It was used quantitative approach for answer to the purpose and research questions of the study amongst academic staff of public research universities The results of t-test analysis shown there was no significant difference in job satisfaction amongst male (M= 92.70, SD= 6.740) and female (M= 92.08, SD= 6.204), t (438) = -1.00, p=.320. In addition, there was no meaningful difference in job satisfaction between married (M = 92.43, SD= 6.417) and unmarried (M = 92. 01, SD= 6.715), t (438) = -.50, p =.620. On the other hand, the study found statistically significant difference between reward and job satisfaction in which academic staff who got rewarded (M = 94.14, SD= 6.522) tended to be more satisfied than academic staff who did not receive reward (M = 90.85, SD= 6.011), t (438) = -5.51, p =.000. The findings likewiserevealed that there was a significant difference in job satisfaction between status of 1261 International Journal of Information Research and Review Vol. 2, Issue, 10, pp.1259-1262, October, 2015 designation in which academic staff who had permanent designation (M = 92.88, SD= 6.244) tended to be more satisfaction as compared to non-permanent designation staff (M = 91.00, SD= 6.846), t (438) = -2.71, p =.007. Additional, the results of the study shown that there was significant difference in job satisfaction between level of education in which academic staff who had doctorate (M = 92.78, SD= 6.414) tended to be more satisfied than master’s degree staff (M = 90.23, SD= 6.305), t (438) = -3.07, p = .002. In continue, Table 1 illustrates these analyses. DISCUSSION The results of t-test analysis are in corresponded with earlierstudies that concentrated on the role of sociodemographic factors on job satisfaction. The finding of this study supports previous works of Malik, Nawab, Naeem, and Danish (2010) who explained that receiving reward has a considerable proportion among staff. This factor likewise improves their attitudes and beliefs toward their job. It is also confirmed the investigation of Aktar, Sachu, and Ali, (2012) who reported reward as a positive organizational motivator plays a vital role in growing the level of job satisfaction in the place of work. In addition, Beckmann et al. (2007) who found that status of designation is one of the main factors on job satisfaction, and it changes facets of staff about their job. Definitely, this factor has a close association with staff’s view toward their job and its situation (Dawson & Veliziotis, 2013). Bender and Heywood (2006) found that level of education has a great contribution to job satisfaction, and academic staff with high level of education show higher job satisfaction as compared to other staff at the workplace. High level of knowledge amongst staff provides an appropriate view for staff and impact on their performance (Gurbuz, 2007). These results are parallel with finding of the current study that referred to the level of education and mentioned doctorate staff are more satisfied as compared to master’s degree staff. In contrast, the finding of the current study exposed that there is no significant difference in job satisfaction based on gender group. This finding is in agreement with the research by Ghoniem, Elkhouly, Mohsen, and Ibrahim (2011) who argued that there is no significant association between job satisfaction and gender. Although, it is different with the findings of Lambrou et al. (2010) and Sadeghi et al. (2012) who suggested that there is meaningful difference in job satisfaction between male and female.Additionally, the finding of the study mentioned that there is no significant difference in job satisfaction based on marital status. This finding supports the research of Azim, Haque, and Chowdhury (2013) who found that marital status does not have specific proportion on staff’s view toward their job. The researchers statedthat married and unmarried individuals have the same feeling toward their job at the workplace.Whereas, the finding of the current study is different with the findings of Ebrahimi Tazekand,Nafar, andKeramati (2013) who indicated there is meaningful difference in job satisfaction between married and unmarried. Conclusion Based on the results of the present study and earlierexplorations, it can be concluded that level of education, reward, and permanent designation lead to job satisfaction and increase staff performance. Therefore, satisfied academic staff haveanessential role in growing scientific outcomes at public research universities in Malaysia. REFERENCES Ahsan, N., Abdullah, Z., Gun Fie, D. Y. and Alam, S. S. 2009. A study of job stress on job satisfaction among university staff in Malaysia: Empirical study. European Journal of Social Science, 8(1), 121-131. Aktar, S., Sachu, M. K. and Ali, E. 2012. 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