The effect of core self-evaluations on career adaptability: The mediating role of protean career attitudes and the moderating role of meritocratic beliefs

Based on the career construction model of adaptation, this study explores the impact of core self-evaluations on career adaptability, with the mediating role of protean career attitudes and moderating role of meritocratic beliefs. The results of the questionnaire survey on 1000 Chinese college students show that: (1) core self-evaluations positively predicted college students' career adaptability; (2) protean career attitudes mediated the relationship between core self-evaluations and career adaptability; (3) meritocratic beliefs not only moderated the effect protean career attitudes have on career adaptability but also moderated the indirect influence of core self-evaluations on career adaptability through protean career attitudes. These results extend the existing antecedent studies on career adaptability and demonstrate the importance of combining self-mobility beliefs (protean career attitudes) with social mobility beliefs (meritocratic beliefs) in the process of core self-evaluations affecting career adaptability. In conclusion, we hope to further develop the theory of career construction and provide more suggestions for college consultants and students.

Validation of the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale in a Sample of Chinese Employees

Occupational self-efficacy, which refers to the belief that one is competent to fulfill work-related tasks or activities, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. The six-item version of the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale (OSS-6) is an excellent tool for evaluating occupational self-efficacy; however, there is currently no report of the reliability and validity of the OSS-6 among Chinese people. This study aimed to translate the OSS-6 into Chinese and evaluate its reliability and validity in a sample of Chinese employees. A total of 433 junior staff at several firms completed the Chinese version of the OSS-6, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, the in-role performance scale, and the career calling scale. Four weeks later, 94 participants were recalled and were retested using the OSS-6. Factor analysis results supported the one-factor model of the OSS-6. Excellent internal consistency was obtained with the OSS-6. Additionally, the OSS-6 results were significantly correlated with general self-efficacy, self-esteem, job satisfaction, in-role performance, and career calling. Furthermore, occupational self-efficacy was found to partially mediate the effects of career calling on job satisfaction and in-role performance. The results of this study supported the cross-cultural consistency of the structure of the OSS-6 and showed that the Chinese version of the OSS-6 demonstrated excellent validity and reliability. Therefore, the Chinese version of the OSS-6 can be used as an assessment tool for evaluating occupational self-efficacy in future studies.

CSR Perceptions and Career Satisfaction: The Role of Psychological Capital and Moral Identity

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the macro-level has been explored quite extensively, but how it affects employee-level outcomes was only recently researched. This paper draws on insights from the micro-foundation of CSR in explaining the effect of employees’ CSR perceptions on their career satisfaction. Moreover, the mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of moral identity are also explored. Data were collected from a cross-industry sample of 383 employees in Saudi Arabia. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. The results show that CSR perceptions positively affected career satisfaction, and psychological capital mediated the effect of CSR perceptions on career satisfaction. Both factors of moral identity (internalized and symbolic) positively moderated the link between CSR perceptions and psychological capital. Finally, the indirect effect of CSR perceptions on career satisfaction via psychological capital was moderated by internalized moral identity and symbolic moral identity. Organizations can enhance career satisfaction by communicating to employees about CSR programs, initiatives, and actions. Moreover, employees should be provided with a working environment that provides them with the most resources so that they can feel confident, hopeful, resilient, and optimistic.

The Impact of Employees’ Perceptions of CSR on Career Satisfaction: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between employees’ CSR perceptions and their career satisfaction. Moreover, the mediating roles of organizational pride, organizational embeddedness, and psychological capital in the relationship between CSR perceptions and career satisfaction are also examined. Finally, the moderating roles of internalized moral identity and symbolic moral identity in the relationship between CSR perceptions and career satisfaction are investigated. A cross-industry sample of employees from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was collected. The results show that CSR perceptions positively affect career satisfaction. Organizational pride, organizational embeddedness, and psychological capital mediate the link between CSR perceptions and career satisfaction. Both dimensions of moral identity (internalized moral identity and symbolic moral identity) positively moderate the effect of CSR perceptions on career satisfaction.

Relationships Among Leaders' and Followers' Work Engagement and Followers' Subjective Career Success: A Multilevel Approach

Using a sample of 52 work teams (52 work team leaders and their 348 followers) in China, we investigated the influence mechanism of leaders' work engagement on their followers' work engagement and subjective career success. A multilevel structural equation model (MSEM) was applied to analyze the survey data. The results of this study indicated that leaders' work engagement positively influenced their followers' subjective career success, and this relationship was mediated by the followers' work engagement. Implications of these findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed in the final section of the paper.

Linking Protean Career Orientation with Career Optimism: Career Adaptability and Career Decision Self-Efficacy as Mediators

Protean career orientation has become prevalent among young workers in contemporary workplace. Little is known about whether this orientation is related to their positive expectation of future career development. We developed a conceptual model to investigate the relationship between protean career orientation and career optimism. Informed by social construction theory and social cognitive career theory, we considered career adaptability and career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) as potential mediators in the model. Several hypotheses were proposed and tested with a sample of 170 undergraduate students in Hong Kong. The results of path analysis and bootstrapping indicated that protean career orientation has a positive relationship with career optimism, and such relationship is fully mediated by career adaptability and CDSE. Our study has yielded novel into how some individual differences factors affect the development of career optimism among university students.

Psychological Empowerment and Work Engagement as Mediating Roles Between Trait Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction

The majority of research indicates that trait emotional intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in personal well being; however, the deeper mechanisms of this link remain unclear. The study explored the impact of psychological empowerment and work engagement in the link between trait EI and job satisfaction. Female nurses (370) completed the EI Scale, the Psychological Empowerment Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and the Brief Index of Affective Job Satisfaction. The results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that work engagement partially mediated the association between trait EI and job satisfaction. Moreover, the serial one mediator model revealed that trait EI could influence job satisfaction via the serial mediating impact of “psychological empowerment–work engagement.” These results help to a better understanding of the association between these variables and demonstrate that high trait EI may improve occupational well being from emotional perspectives.