Exploring the employment motivation, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction of university English instructors in public institutions: a Chinese case study analysis

Abstract

This study considers the important areas of language teacher employment motivation, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction in state universities in China. This is an area in which there is a distinct lack of research studies. Through an exploratory case study analysis, and depth enlightening interviews, this paper considers the experiences of two outwardly successful doctorate status educators, examining their early career motives and subsequent employment satisfaction and dissatisfaction. It finds that these English instructors were driven by a diverse range of extrinsic motives to work in the Chinese public university sector. They were largely satisfied with their jobs, but they also reported dissatisfaction in certain areas. For example, they appreciated the teaching loads and respect afforded to university teachers, but harboured worries about their longer-term professional development. The study also reveals the different treatment and concerns experienced by home and expatriate university English teachers working in China. There are implications for a wide range of important pedagogic and professional areas. These range from teacher wellbeing and mental health to development and training, career management and leadership practice. On a more macro level still, there are also potential implications for institutional human resource governance.