Previous studies of the relationship between employee participation in decision making and job satisfaction have conceptualized degree of participation as the number of decisions one influences (scope). To explore another dimension of participation--degree of influence--a model was used which emphasizes the balance between how much influence individuals have on the job and the amount they would like to have. Employees (N=760) from 11 divisions of a large western electronics manufacturer were surveyed. Two indices of degree of influence and a four-item scale of overall job satisfaction were used. Three states of balance (saturation, equilibrium, and deprivation), and three categories of desired and perceived influence (high, medium, low) were studied. Results showed that the more influence employees felt they had, the more satisfied they were with their job. Individuals at an equilibrium state of balance were found to report the highest degree of job satisfaction. The larger the discrepency between desired and available influence, the lower the reported job satisfaction. The present study suggests that a match between the individual's desire for participation and the permitted participation will lead to the most positive reactions to the job. (LLL)