Lifelong learning mindset and career success: evidence from the field of accounting and finance

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 567-580
Author(s):  
David W. Drewery ◽  
Robert Sproule ◽  
T. Judene Pretti

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between a lifelong learning mindset and career success. A lifelong learning mindset is a way of approaching one's work with curiosity, strategic thinking, and resilience. Career success refers to objective (e.g., number of promotions) and subjective (e.g., job satisfaction) indicators of progress and fulfillment in one's work.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies are presented. Both studies draw from an accounting and finance program at a Canadian university. In study 1, data were collected from students (n = 62) and their supervisors at the end of a four-month co-operative education (co-op) work term. In study 2, data were collected from graduates (n = 148).FindingsResults suggest that developing a lifelong learning mindset enhances both objective and subjective career success. Participants' lifelong learning mindset was associated with objective career success in both studies (supervisor-rated performance in study 1 and number of promotions in study 2). Lifelong learning mindset was associated with subjective career success in study 2 (job satisfaction, work engagement, and job-related self-efficacy) but not in study 1 (experience satisfaction).Originality/valueThis article presents the first empirical examination of the relationship between a lifelong learning mindset and career success. Insights from the article highlight the fact that educators and workplace managers might work together to promote a lifelong learning mindset for current and future workers.

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1843-1860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiva Kakkar ◽  
Sanket Dash ◽  
Neharika Vohra ◽  
Surajit Saha

PurposePerformance management systems (PMS) are integral to an organization's human resource management but research is ambivalent on their positive impact and the mechanism through which they influence employee behavior. This study fills this gap by positing work engagement as a mediator in the relationship between perceptions of PMS effectiveness, employee job satisfaction and turnover intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a survey-based design. Data were collected from 322 employees in India attending a management development program at a premier business school. Partial least squares–based structure equation modeling package ADANCO was used for data analysis.FindingsPositive perception of PMS effectiveness was found to enhance employee work engagement. This increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover intentions among employees. Thus, work engagement mediated the relationship between PMS perceptions and job satisfaction and turnover intentions.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that organizations need to focus on three characteristics of PMS, namely its distinctiveness, consistency and consensus. These characteristics determine the effectiveness of PMS in engaging employees and influencing their job satisfaction and turnover intentions.Originality/valuePrior studies on performance management have largely been limited to aspects of justice and focused disproportionately on the appraisal aspect of performance management. This study takes a systems view of performance management and addresses prior shortcomings by examining the role of clarity and horizontal fit between PMS practices in determining employee engagement. The study also provides much needed empirical support to theoretical studies which have argued that PMS is a driver of engagement in organizations (Gruman and Saks, 2011; Mone and London, 2014).


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon C.H. Chan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the relationships between participative leadership and employees’ work engagement and job satisfaction; and second, to determine whether the level of fun experienced at work moderates the effect of participative leadership on job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach The participants were 177 employees in a retailing store in Hong Kong. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with the control variables to ascertain the relationships among participative leadership, level of fun experienced at work, work engagement and job satisfaction. Findings The results indicated that participative leadership was positively related to employees’ work engagement and job satisfaction. Employees’ work engagement mediated the relationship between participative leadership and job satisfaction. This positive relationship between participative leadership and job satisfaction was stronger when employees had more fun at work. Research limitations/implications The generalizability of the data was limited, as the characteristics of participants in a retail store are distinct from others in the service industry. Practical implications This paper’s findings imply that participative leaders can engage in role modeling by providing more fun workplace activities to employees, which will increase their work engagement and job satisfaction. Originality/value The findings help to explain the relationship between participative leadership and job satisfaction, provide a better understanding of leadership management styles and show that participative leaders who engage employees in fun activities in the workplace can increase employees’ job satisfaction.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bashar S. Gammoh ◽  
Michael L. Mallin ◽  
Ellen Bolman Pullins ◽  
Catherine M. Johnson

Purpose The purpose of the study is to address the gap in understanding how the brand influences sales outcomes by focusing one’s attention on the salesperson perceptions of the brand and the salesperson brand selling confidence. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a cross-section survey of professional salespeople. SmartPLS was used to estimate the measurement model and test the hypothesized path relationships. Findings The study’s results indicate that salespeople who believe in the strength of the brands they represent are more likely to identify with the brand, are more confident in selling the brand and, overall, tend to perform better, have higher job satisfaction and are more committed to their companies. Originality/value This paper contributes to the sales literature by further exploring the relationship between the brand and sales function in the firm. This area has recently received academic attention but has not yet considered the mediating processes that connect the two areas. This study identifies perceptions of brand strength and brand selling confidence as mechanisms that mediate the impact of brand on sales outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Mansoor Kundi ◽  
Sandrine Hollet-Haudebert ◽  
Jonathan Peterson

PurposeUsing career construction theory, the authors empirically examine the mechanism by which career adaptability promotes employee subjective career success (career satisfaction and career commitment) through job crafting.Design/methodology/approachA moderated mediation model is tested using survey data from 324 full-time business professionals in France. Hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).Findingshe authors found that job crafting mediated the relationship between career adaptability and subjective career success (career satisfaction and career commitment). The positive effect of career adaptability on job crafting was greater under higher levels of lone wolf personality and positive perfectionism, as was the indirect effect of career adaptability on subjective career success via job crafting.Research limitations/implicationsdata are cross-sectional in nature. Robust theoretical contentions and affective means of identifying common method variance (CMV) are addressed and evaluated.Practical implicationsHigh levels of career adaptability may be a useful strategy for promoting employee job crafting and subjective career success. In addition, individuals with lone wolf personality and positive perfectionism should be given opportunities to craft their jobs in the workplace.Originality/valueThis research confirms a moderated mediation model positioning job crafting as a mediator of career adaptability's effects on employee subjective career success and lone wolf and positive perfectionism as moderators of such effects. This study suggests that job crafting and career-focused personality traits are important factors that influence the relationship between career adaptability and subjective career success.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunsoo Lee ◽  
Jae Young Lee ◽  
Jin Lee

Purpose The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between two sub-constructs of heavy work investment: work engagement and workaholism. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize and critically assess existing research on the relationship between these concepts. Findings The review revealed three major shortcomings of the extant literature: a dichotomous perspective, variations in measurements and the unaddressed complexity of the relationship. Originality/value Based on these findings, this study provides a discussion on the limitations and suggestions for future research on work engagement and workaholism, including using a person-centered approach.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1287-1305
Author(s):  
Emre Burak Ekmekcioglu ◽  
Mahmure Yelda Erdogan ◽  
Alptekin Sokmen

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to test the moderating role of career-enhancing strategies (CESs) in the relationship between career commitment (CC) and subjective career success (CS).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 217 full-time employees working for three different sectors in Ankara, Turkey. The participants were asked to respond to a self-reported survey. The hypotheses were tested using a hierarchical regression analysis.FindingsThe results indicated that CC had a significant and positive effect on subjective CS. Furthermore, the positive relationship between CC and subjective CS was stronger for employees with a high level of self-nomination and for employees with a high level of networking. However, creating career opportunities did not moderate the effects of CC on subjective CS.Research limitations/implicationsBecause this study had a cross-sectional research design, causality cannot be established among the study variables.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest a better understanding of the way CC is able to affect subjective CS through the networking and self-nomination CESs.Originality/valueThis study is original, in that no previous studies have investigated the moderating role of CESs in the relationship between CC and subjective CS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-324
Author(s):  
Eliane Bucher ◽  
Christian Fieseler ◽  
Christoph Lutz

Purpose Online gig labor platforms bring together a global and fast-growing workforce to complete highly granular, remote and decontextualized tasks. While these environments might be empowering to some workers, many others feel disenfranchised and removed from the final product of their labor. To better understand the antecedents of continued participation in forms of crowdsourced digital labor, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between worker’s ability to create a narrative of their work mattering regardless, and their continued work engagement (WE) in these work setups. Design/methodology/approach The authors approach the relationship between individual mattering and digital WE through a longitudinal study among workers on the crowdworking platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. The authors further provide qualitative insight into individual perceptions of mattering based on essay data. Findings The authors develop a measure of mattering in crowdworking with four dimensions: reliance, social recognition, importance and interaction. Reliance is the most pronounced dimension, followed by interaction, importance and social recognition. In the final longitudinal model, only importance affects WE positively, while the other three mattering dimensions do not have a significant effect. Originality/value The findings indicate that individuals who feel that they themselves and their work “count” and “make a difference” will be more engaged in their digital labor. By clarifying the dimensionality of mattering in crowdwork and studying its differentiated effect on WE, the paper makes a contribution to research on crowdwork and the future of work. Beyond the theoretical contributions, the finding that perceived importance fosters WE has important implications for task and platform design.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 737-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Lu ◽  
Allan Cheng Chieh Lu ◽  
Dogan Gursoy ◽  
Nathan Robert Neale

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of employee positions (supervisor vs line-level employee) on work-related variables (e.g. work engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from line-level employees and supervisors of 29 mid- to up-scale hotels. A series of one-way ANCOVA were performed to test the position differences in work engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the moderating role of employees’ positions on the relationships between those variables. Findings Supervisors have significantly higher work engagement and lower turnover intentions than line-level employees, whereas job satisfaction does not differ across positions. Employee positions significantly moderate the relationship between absorption and job satisfaction, and the relationship between dedication and turnover intentions. Practical implications This study provides an in-depth analysis for hotel managers to capture work-related factors (i.e. work engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions) across employee positions. Dedication is the primary barometer that significantly leads to job satisfaction and reduced turnover intentions compared to vigor and absorption. Although job satisfaction may be boosted by improving employee work engagement (i.e. vigor, dedication and absorption), increasing absorption is not an effective solution to increase supervisors’ job satisfaction. Hotel managers need to carefully monitor supervisors’ levels of dedication, given its focal impact on turnover intentions. Originality/value This study is one of the first attempts to examine the differences between line-level employees’ and supervisors’ work engagement (i.e. vigor, dedication and absorption) and its consequences (i.e. job satisfaction and turnover intentions). Findings highlight the unique influence of the individual dimension of work engagement on job satisfaction and turnover intentions. This study reveals the moderating effect of employee positions on the links between engagement dimensions and consequences.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjolein C.J. Caniëls ◽  
Judith H. Semeijn ◽  
Irma H.M. Renders

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether and how employees’ proactive personality is related to work engagement. Drawing on job demands-resources theory, the study proposes that this relationship is moderated by a three-way interaction between proactive personality × transformational leadership × growth mindset. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on survey data from 259 employees of an internationally operating high-tech organization in the Netherlands. Findings In line with prior studies, support is found for positive significant relationships of proactive personality and transformational leadership with engagement. Additionally, transformational leadership is found to moderate the relationship between proactive personality and work engagement, but only when employees have a growth mindset. Originality/value The study advances the literature that investigates the proactive personality-engagement relationship. Specifically, this study is the first to examine a possible three-way interaction that may deepen the insights for how proactive personality, transformational leadership and growth mindset interact in their contribution to work engagement.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Yesim Yalabik ◽  
Bruce A. Rayton ◽  
Andriana Rapti

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the facets of job satisfaction and the work engagement. Previous studies that focus on the linkages between work engagement and overall job satisfaction ignore the multi-faceted nature of job satisfaction construct. In this study, how job satisfaction facets are linked to three dimensions of work engagement – i.e. vigor, dedication and absorption – is discussed by drawing on the social exchange theory. Design/methodology/approach The cross-lagged data used in this study come from the specialist lending division of a UK bank. The linear multiple regression analyses are run to test the proposed theoretical model. Findings The results show that among all the job satisfaction facets, the “satisfaction with work itself” is the key driver of all dimensions of work engagement, i.e. vigor, dedication and absorption. The “satisfaction with conditions” is negatively linked to absorption of employees in their work. This means that the employees with high workload might not be absorbed in their work. Finally, it is found that employees who are satisfied with the communication in their work are also absorbed in their work. Originality/value This study contributes to our knowledge of the drivers of work engagement over time. The facets of job satisfaction as the drivers help us to have a comprehensive understanding of the link between the job satisfaction facets and work engagement. This study first contributes to the work engagement literature which has neglected the multi-dimensional approach of job satisfaction. This study also contributes to the limited number of work engagement studies conducted in service sector and in UK.


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