Relationship between decent work and job satisfaction amongst blue-collar workers : exploring the potential mediating and moderating effects of psychological ownership

The study bridged the gap by exploring the relationships between decent work, job satisfaction and psychological ownership and by investigating the direct, indirect and moderating effect of psychological ownership on the relationship between decent work and job satisfaction. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing targeted interventions and policies that improve working conditions and job satisfaction among blue-collar workers in the context of South Africa’s unique socioeconomic and cultural environment. The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design using a convenience sample of 628 participants from a South African truck trailer manufacturing company, achieving a response rate of 78.5%. Data were analysed employing SPSS and Mplus to test the hypotheses.

Significant positive relationships were found between decent work, job satisfaction and psychological ownership. Psychological ownership was found to have an indirect influence on the link between decent work and job satisfaction. However, no support was found that psychological ownership plays a moderating role in the relationship.