Predicting protean and physical boundaryless career attitudes by work importance and work alternatives: regulatory focus mediation effects
研究通过工作重要性和工作替代两种认知，结合调节焦点理论，预测以色列高科技行业工程师的多变型和物理无边界职业态度，发现促进焦点正向预测、预防焦点负向预测两种态度。
Prediction of protean and physical boundaryless career attitudes (organizational mobility preference) was investigated through two work cognitions: work importance and work alternatives. Regulatory focus theory served to explore mediation effects in these predictive relations. Respondents were 336 engineers and computer scientists employed in Israel’s hi-tech industry in a post-organizational downsizing period. Results of the direct model showed that perceptions of work importance were related to protean career attitude and not to physical boundaryless career attitude, while perceived work alternatives were related to both career attitudes, but more to the physical boundaryless. The mediated model showed that the promotion motive predicted increase and the prevention motive predicted decrease in both career attitudes, implying that both were triggered more by motives for opportunities and gains than by fears. These results contribute to knowledge on career self-management in the context of repeated organizational downsizings, and underscore the importance of designing human resource career policies that consider employees’ work values and work alternatives.