In an employment environment where career situations are increasingly unstable and uncertain, career self-management in accordance with the individual's values becomes more important. Therefore, this study examines the effects of career identity and c...
In an employment environment where career situations are increasingly unstable and uncertain, career self-management in accordance with the individual's values becomes more important. Therefore, this study examines the effects of career identity and career adaptability on protean career attitudes and career commitment through an empirical study. It also studies whether organizational support will make any difference to career commitment since a career develops inside an organization. Based on the results of this study, the factors that individuals and organizations should consider for the pursuit of personal career development and organizational values are discussed.
For this study, the following four research issues have been focused. First, what effect do the career identity and career adaptability have on protean career attitudes? Second, what about the effect of protean career attitudes on career commitment? Third, how does protean career attitudes influence as a mediation factor on the relationship between career identity, career adaptability and career commitment? Fourth, how does organizational career management activity affect as a moderation factor the relationship between protean career attitudes and career commitment?
To substantiate this claim, this study analyses, through the Structural Equation Modeling Analysis, data collected by a questionnaire from 465 general management staff working for more than five years in major companies.
The results of this study are as follows:
First of all, in analyzing the relationship between career identity, career adaptability, and protean career attitudes (self-directed career management, value-driven attitude), the higher career identity and career adaptability are, the higher the level of self-directed career management. Also, career identity has a greater effect than career adaptability on self-directed career management. This implies that developing career values is important for self-directed career management.
Second, in analyzing the relationship between protean career attitudes with reference to self-directed career management and value-driven attitude and their effects on career commitment, it is shown that the higher self-directed career management is, the higher the level of career commitment is; on the other hand, value-driven attitude does not affect career commitment. As a result, self-directed career management is more important for career commitment than value-driven attitude on its own.
Third, with regard to the effects of protean career attitudes on the relationship between career identity, career adaptability, and career commitment, as is shown in the mediation analysis conducted for this study, career identity and career adaptability have a meaningful effect on career commitment only through self-directed career management, not through value-driven attitude.
Fourth, in its mediation analysis for the effect of protean career attitudes(self-directed career management, value-driven attitude) on career commitment, organizational career management activity is still not shown to be meaningful effect on the relationship between value-driven attitude and career commitment, but meaningful on the relationship between self-directed career management and career commitment. This means that more systematic organizational support for the employee's career development is needed to meet the individual attitudes and values.
The implications of the results of this study are the following:
First, protean career needs both career identity establishment and self-directed career management. Since a career means a process of looking for career identity not only through a variety of duties within an organization but also through life experiences, action should be taken to boost career identity. Self-directed effort arises when the task is something that really interests and engages the employee.
Second, employees who are adapting to new surroundings such as tasks and human relationships in unstable career situations should connect with value-driven attitude to develop their career.
Third, organizational systematic career development support needs to connect the organization with individual values. Although main agent of career management has moved to the person from the organization, the organization plays an important role since a career develops through tasks inside the organization. The organization should recognize that organizational value is realized by establishing individual career identity and enhancing employability and it should implement effective career development programs to meet the interests of the many different individuals who are employed within it.