The present paper examines the relationships between principal job satisfaction, school characteristics, roles of the principal, and student achievement, as well as predictors, in Australia, Finland, Latvia, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, and Spain. Data for this quantitative study are from the 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) and the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The eight countries were selected based upon their participation in both the TALIS and PISA. To create this dataset, researchers merged the datasets, yielding a study sample of 1301 schools. Job satisfaction has been related to increased recruitment and retention (Conrad & Rosser, 2007; Federici & Skaalvik, 2012; Witaker, 2003; Yu-kwong & Walker, 2010). Research specifically related to principals has been underrepresented in this body of research. It is critical to understand the relationships between principal job satisfaction, school characteristics, and student achievement due to the direct and indirect influence of principals on student achievement (Clifford, Behrstock-Sherratt, & Fetters, 2012; Federici & Skaalvik, 2012). “Research on leadership efficacy indicates that positive efficacy beliefs are vital to leaders’ success because it determines the effort and persistence on a particular task as well as the aspirations and goals they set” (Federici & Skaalvik, 2012, p. 297). In recent decades, job satisfaction has been the theme of numerous studies in both public and private organizations; however, little attention has been given to job satisfaction among public school principals (Sablatura, 2002). Studies focusing on principal job satisfaction have revealed that increases in responsibilities in the form of accountability and mandates have made the job of principals more stressful (National Association of Elementary School Principals, 2003). Overcrowded classrooms, safety issues, and teacher shortages are all factors that have resulted in additional pressures on principals, which have influenced their perceived levels of satisfaction (Institute for Educational Leadership, 2000). In addition, research findings indicated that one-third of school principals were not prepared for what the school expected of them (Schmidt, Weaver, & Aldredge, 2001). To gain a deeper understanding of the critical importance of job satisfaction, researchers explore the factors that play a role in defining satisfaction, including hygiene factors and motivators (Sodoma & Else, 2009), work-life factors (Conrad & Rosser, 2007), and professional responsibilities (Eckman, 2004). According to Conrad and Rosser (2007), factors that have a positive influence on job satisfaction include work-life factors, support in career, recognition at work, relationship building, and an adequate working environment. Conversely, issues outside of work, including pressure to succeed, demands of family, and personal conflicts have a negative impact on job satisfaction. Eckman (2004) found that interaction with students, and professional development contributed to job satisfaction, while politics, frustration with the school board, and dealing with teachers who are resistant to change decreased job satisfaction. Anderson and Pigford (1987) espoused that the more principals are in classrooms, the more credible they are as instructional leaders, and the more likely teachers are to be receptive to their instructional suggestions and ideas. Despite the barriers that impede principals’ ability to develop as instructional leaders, Anderson and Pigford (1987) explain that effective leaders develop the strategies that will enable them to provide instructional leadership regardless of increased demands from other tasks. According to the researchers, the problem will be solved when principals embrace their role as instructional leaders and develop the qualities that will permit them to function effectively in that role (Anderson & Pigford, 1987). Okoroma and Robert-Okah (2007) identified factors that increased stress and decreased job satisfaction in Nigeria. Inadequate school facilities, poor working conditions, and demands of work overload decreased job satisfaction, while insufficiently trained teachers had less of a direct impact on increased stress. Job satisfaction is dependent on cultural factors (Saif, Nawaz, Jan, & Khan, 2012). The dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism and collectivism, and masculinity were the four major themes that emerged through environmental factors and personal characteristics that impacted job satisfaction (Saif et al., 2012). Research studies focusing on job satisfaction have explored both the global and specific aspects of the concept. Job satisfaction can manifest itself both as a global feeling towards one’s work and as specific attitudes about various facets of the job that can produce satisfaction or dissatisfaction (Lu, White, & Barriball, 2005). Despite differences in how the construct is conceptualized, research studies have indicated that job satisfaction is related to both burnout (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001; Skaalvik and Skaalvik, 2009) and self-efficacy (Judge, Bono, Thoresen, & Patton, 2001; Klassen and Chiu, 2010). In a study conducted by Federici and Skaalvik (2012), the researchers explored relationships between principals’ self-efficacy, burnout, job satisfaction and principals’ motivation to quit. The participants in the study were 1,818 principals from Norway. The findings revealed that principal self-efficacy was positively related to job satisfaction and motivation to quit and negatively related to burnout. Burnout and job satisfaction were negatively related. In addition, burnout was positively related to motivation to quit; whereas job satisfaction was negatively related to both dimensions. The study indicated that important relations exist between self-efficacy, burnout, job satisfaction and motivation to quit
