Obstacles open the door \u2014 Negative shocks can motivate individuals to focus on opportunities

Jin Feng,Wenxia Zhou,Mengyi Li,Shuoyu Li

doi:10.1186/s11782-019-0067-9

Jin Feng, Wenxia Zhou + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s11782-019-0067-9

Copy DOI

Abstract

By responding to the call for research on negative career shocks and future time perspective, this study regarded internal social capital as a tool of resource retention which shifts attention to negative career shocks’ positive effects. We test a moderated mediation model which illustrates the effect of negative career shocks on focus on opportunities—positive dimension of occupational future time perspective. Results revealed that internal social capital acts as the mediator between negative career shocks and focus on opportunities, and organizational embeddedness moderats the mediation effect. The relationship is stronger when individuals are highly embedded in organizations.

Highlights

By responding to the call for research on negative career shocks and future time perspective, this study regarded internal social capital as a tool of resource retention which shifts attention to negative career shocks’ positive effects
In order to find the antecedents of focus on opportunities, we proposed and tested a moderated mediation model in which we posit that negative shocks indirectly influences people’ s future time perspective through the effect of social capital, and organizational embeddedness acts as a boundary condition of this relationship
We found that negative career shocks were positively related with focus on opportunities (r = 0.16, p < 0.05) and internal social capital (r = 0.19, p < 0.01)

Summary

Introduction

By responding to the call for research on negative career shocks and future time perspective, this study regarded internal social capital as a tool of resource retention which shifts attention to negative career shocks’ positive effects. The increasingly complex and unpredictable nature of contemporary careers will be accompanied by increased unpredictable career events such as layoffs, bankruptcy or family issues that may change individual’s career path In research, these events are represented by terms such as happenstance, serendipity, or chance events (Miller 1983; Betsworth and Hansen 1996; Bright et al 2005; Akkermans et al 2018). As one of the most important factors predicting employees’ voluntary turnover, career shock has been proven to influence individuals’ work behaviors and career planning (Burton et al 2010; Holtom et al 2005), and alter employee’s career path (Bright et al 2005). Examining and discussing constraining job factors as antecedents can enrich the understanding of future time perspective

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion