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Job satisfaction is an essential construct explaining human behavior in organizations. To fully understand the construct. however, it is necessary to recognize how employees establish satisfaction levels One method has been to explore who employees use as a basis of comparison referent others when establishing their perceptions of equity. which influence satisfaction. This study expanded the body of knowledge associated with satisfaction and sport organizations by using nontraditional participants members of the Association for Women in Sports Media. The referent-selection processes used by these women in determining their level of satisfaction in five specific areas of job satisfaction were compared. The Job Descriptive Index was used to establish satisfaction levels, and a Referent Selection Instrument identified whom the participants used as a basis of comparison. The findings indicate the extent to which the participants made referent comparisons, what comparisons were made, and the relationship between satisfaction and their referent comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the foundation of Adams' (1963) Theory of Inequity, this study analyzed job satisfaction and referent comparisons of administrators in three different segments of the sport industry. Specifically, this study examined whether these administrators in each segment made referent comparisons in formulating their job satisfaction perceptions, how many were made and to whom and/or what. Administrators (N = 273) employed full-time in professional sport, fitness, and parks and recreation responded to the Job Descriptive Index (Smith, Kendall, & Hulin, 1969), the Job In General (Ironson, Smith, Brannick, Gibson, & Paul, 1997), and a referent selection instrument. Significant satisfaction differences were found amongst the three segments. Also, the administrators overwhelmingly selected referents and multiple referents in each segment and significant differences were found when analyzing to whom the respondents compared to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]