Conceptual construct and empirical validation of a multifaceted instrument for translator satisfaction

Abstract

The evolution of the language industry over the last two decades has led to drastic changes in the translation process, the translator professional profile and overall organizational dynamics within the industry. Globalization trends such as the advent of Internet-related technologies, outsourcing and the emergence of new organizational structures have modified the modus operandi across the language industry. These trends have affected translator work behavior, particularly individual levels of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the workplace, and arguably redefined the profession itself. Despite the significant impact of these trends, translator satisfaction has been overlooked in translation studies. This article presents an attempt to understand satisfaction in the language industry and develop an instrument for specifically measuring task and job satisfaction among translators. Translator satisfaction is assessed through an online survey questionnaire that is designed to gather quantitative and qualitative data. The process of instrument development, piloting, data collection and preliminary empirical validation are also presented in this paper in order to comprehend sources of satisfaction or dissatisfaction among active translation professionals.