The effect of geographical factors on the job satisfaction of university teachers

This article reports on the effect of geographical factors on the job satisfaction of university lecturers in a provincial university. 189 university teachers at a Welsh University College who responded to a job satisfaction questionnaire (51.9 per cent) indicated whether the geographical location of the College in relation to the local town and its immediate environment affected job satisfaction, and whether the geographical position of the College relative to other parts of Britain affected job satisfaction. Results indicate that most teachers found the immediate environment contributed positively to job satisfaction, whereas, the geographical position of the College relative to other parts of Britain contributed in more instances to job dissatisfaction than to satisfaction. A major reason given for this dissatisfaction involved feelings of academic isolation, such as isolation from adequate library facilities and from other colleagues in the same discipline. Those who attended school in Wales were significantly more satisfied than others with the geographical position of the College considered in relation to the rest of Britain.