Investigating the Role of Goal Orientation in Job Seekers’ Experience of Value Congruence

An integrative conceptual two-factor model of workplace value congruence and incongruence

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to integrate research conducted on work values, political values and cultural values to develop a new heuristic model of values that can be applied to workplace outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that draws upon the work values, political values and cultural values literatures and the “similarity leads to attraction” and “dissimilarity leads to repulsion” hypotheses to advocate an integrative conceptual model spanning these constructs.

Findings

Integrating the three types of values with the underlying hypotheses of “similarity leads to attraction” and “dissimilarity leads to repulsion”, an internally consistent two-factor model of values is developed. This heuristic model argues that one set of factors causes value congruence and its associated outcomes and a different set of factors causes value incongruence and its associated outcomes. By conceptualizing value congruence and value incongruence as a two-factor theory, the idea is advanced that people do not assess value similarity and value dissimilarity unidimensionally, but these are two separate dimensions supported by different theoretical hypotheses and processes.

Originality/value

Previous conceptual work on values has isolated different types of values and considered them separately. A contribution is made by integrating the three main streams of values research. The paper is the first to advocate a two-factor theory to values and the first to incorporate the “similarity leads to attraction” and “dissimilarity leads to repulsion” hypotheses. The model repositions the focus for future research on value congruence and incongruence.

Corporate social responsibility and job seekers' application intention: a mediated moderation model of calling and value congruence

Purpose

This study investigated how and when corporate social responsibility (CSR) fosters job seekers' application intention using a mediated moderation model. Specifically, the study explored the positive effect of CSR on job seekers' intention to apply, the moderating role of applicants' calling and the mediating role of value congruence in the relationship between the person and organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample consisted of 259 college students in South Korea. A quasi-experimental design and survey were used. Data were analyzed using a regression-based path analysis to test a mediated moderation model.

Findings

The results showed that CSR significantly increased job seekers' application intention, which was moderated by their calling. Furthermore, the interaction between CSR and calling on application intention was fully mediated by the value congruence between person and organization.

Practical implications

The results suggest that engaging in active CSR can effectively attract job applicants, especially those with a high calling, who are known as qualified workers needed for the organization. The findings can provide a competitive advantage to organizations in this highly competitive environment.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of the micro-effect of CSR by showing the positive influence of CSR on job seekers' application intention. Further, by evaluating a mediated moderation model, this study advances the field's understanding of the underlying mechanisms of CSR, especially in terms of calling and value congruence.