Work Discretion and Work Satisfaction: A Study of British Factory Workers.

This paper presents and discusses a portion of empirical data collected from a large sample of British factory workers and relates these workers' perception of the discretion available to them to their work satisfaction. Perceived discretion is measured for two sectors of work experience: first, discretion surrounding actual job performance; and second, direction involving participation in the world of work. The major conclusion suggested by the evidence presented is that job performance discretion is less significantly related to work satisfaction than workers' perceived discretion as to where and at what job they work. (Also included are a 29-item bibliography and some of the research data.) (Author)