Does the Perception of Unemployment Risk Affect the Willingness of Urban Citizenship of Chinese New-Generation Migrant Workers?

Abstract

Presently, the pace of transformation within traditional sectors of the Chinese economy is accelerating, resulting in the gradual demise of traditional occupations. Consequently, the emerging cohort of Chinese migrant workers confronts unprecedented challenges pertaining to their professional prospects and assimilation into urban society. In order to examine the impact of perceived unemployment risk on the inclination of new-generation migrant workers to embrace urban citizenship, we introduce the notions of environmental dynamism and active skill development as moderating variables. Employing multiple regression analysis, we construct a dual moderating model. The results of our study indicate that the perception of unemployment risk positively predicts the willingness of new-generation migrant workers to embrace urban citizenship. Moreover, we observe that environmental dynamism exerts a positive moderating influence on the relationship between unemployment risk perception and citizenship inclination. Additionally, active skill development serves to positively moderate the moderating effect of environmental dynamism. This study not only reveals the unique influence of subjective unemployment risk perception on the inclination towards urban citizenship but also sheds light on the role played by environmental dynamism and active skill development in this context. The findings of this research further enhance the theoretical framework pertaining to the study of urban citizenship inclination among new-generation Chinese migrant workers.