Understanding psychological processes of applicants’ job search
| Published date | 05 December 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-07-2015-0032 |
| Date | 05 December 2016 |
| Pages | 190-213 |
| Author | Yuhee Jung,Norihiko Takeuchi,Tomokazu Takeuchi |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM |
Understanding psychological
processes of applicants’
job search
Yuhee Jung
College of Business Administration, Ritsumeikan University, Osaka, Japan
Norihiko Takeuchi
Graduate School of Business and Finance, Waseda University, Tokyo,
Japan, and
Tomokazu Takeuchi
Department of Management, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it empirically examines two theory-based
models of applican ts’job search develo ped from planned happ enstance theory (P HT) and theory
of planned behavior (TPB). Second, it tests the cross-cultural compatibility of these models in Japan
and Korea.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors tested two theory-based job search models, PHT
model and TPB model based on samples of college students from Japan (n¼175) and Korea (n¼172).
Findings –The results indicated that the TPB model was a significantly better fitting to the data than
the PHT model. Moreover, a multi-group test of the TPB model demonstrated that the TPB model was
invariant between the Japanese and the Korean samples.
Originality/value –Although there had been an important question among job search literatures
regarding how important the planned behavior in the job search processes would be, the study gave an
empirical support to the TPB job search model in contrast to the PHT model. Another contribution is
that the study tested the Western-driven theories using Asian samples from Japan and Korea,
constituting an important benchmark for further studies that attempt to test the generalizability of the
TPB model, particularly in countries/areas that employ different employment systems.
Keywords Theory of planned behaviour, Planned happenstancetheory, Career planning,
Generalized self-efficacy, Job search behaviours, Job search self-efficacy, Japan, Korea
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
A considerable body of research shows that the more job search activities become
an integral part of people’s working lives, the more attention they pay to finding
a job. This topic has been widely investigated by researchers and practitioners in the
fields of career development and human resource management (Cote et al., 2006;
van Hooft et al., 2004; Zikic and Saks, 2009). Job search activities have become an
important aspect of people’s working lives not only in Western but also Asian
societies. Since both East and West have been affected by the 2008 global financial
crisis, many organizations worldwide have accelerated their restructuring and
Evidence-based HRM: a Global
Forum for Empirical Scholarship
Vol. 4 No. 3, 2016
pp. 190-213
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
2049-3983
DOI 10.1108/EBHRM-07-2015-0032
Received 30 July 2015
Revised 5 November 2015
24 November 2015
Accepted 8 December 2015
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2049-3983.htm
A part of this research was supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) sponsored by the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Technology (MEXT), Japan to the first author
(No. 26780226) and the third author (No. 24730336). The study was also supported by the Grant-in-
Aid for Scientific Research (B) sponsored by MEXT, Japan to the second author (No. 26285091).
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downsizing activities, leading to changes in the nature of work (International Labour
Organization, 2009). Furthermore, in many Asian countries, including Japan and
Korea, employment practices have shifted sharply from the so-called lifetime
employment model to short- or medium-term placements, which reduce personnel
costs and encourage employees to develop more individualized and autonomous
careers. Since the 1990s, millions of people in Japan and Korea have been looking for
new jobs as a result of involuntary job loss, reentry to the workforce, or the
desire to explore the new career opportunities brought about by emerging ventures
( Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training, 2008; Korean Ministry of Labour,
2008). Accordingly, job-seeking activities have become a significant element of
contemporary working life for the unemployed and employed alike.
A number of studies on job search behavior report on its antecedents and
consequences, providing some evidence for the sequential processes that may
ultimately lead to effective outcomes (e.g. Cote et al., 2006; Zikic and Saks, 2009).
In particular, recent empirical research demonstrates that an individual’s self-efficacy,
in the specific context of job hunting, is one of the most significant determinants
of success among various antecedents such as self-esteem, proactive personality,
and conscientiousness (Zikic and Saks, 2009). Indeed, various formulations of the
self-efficacy concept, including generalized self-efficacy (GSE) (Sherer et al., 1982), job
search self-efficacy ( JSSE) (Caplan et al., 1989), and career decision making self-efficacy
(Taylor and Betz, 1983) are related to job search behavior. Such behavior can itself be
further categorized as preparatory (such as gathering information or developing social
networks) and active (such as sending resumes to potential employers). Nevertheless ,
little is yet known about how these multiple concepts of self-efficacy interrelate to
influence job search behaviors (Zikic and Saks, 2009).
Another important aspect largely overlooked in previous studies is the lack of
empirical assessment of theory-driven models of job search in non-Western research
contexts, especially in Asian nations such as like Japan and Korea. Most studies have been
carried out in Western societies, with the topic rarely having been examined in Asia.
For example, Kanfer and colleagues (2001) carried out a meta-analysis of job search
studies based on 21,898 samples, all of which emanated from empirical work done in
Western nations. In a similar vein, although van Hooft et al. (2004) investigated job search
behavior by comparing ethnic minorities and majority groups in the Netherlands, the
implications of their study are limited to a Western research context. In recent years, some
studies have looked at job search in China (Song et al., 2006) and Taiwan (Lin, 2010), yet
little is known about how well Western-derived theories and models of job search account
for Asian applicants’behavior, especially from a cross-cultural comparative perspective.
To address these issues, the present study has two objectives. First, we aim to
identify the relationships between various concepts of self-efficacy as antecedents of
job search behavior, and to confirm their influence on outcomes. From a theoretical
perspective, we test two competing job search models based on: Mitchell et al.’s (1999)
planned happenstance theory (PHT: hereafter “PHT model”) and Ajzen’s (1985) theory
of planned behavior (TPB: hereafter “TPB model”). In the PHT, Mitchell et al. (1999)
regard unplanned events as inevitable and desirable. According to the PHT model, it
does not necessarily mean that individuals’career planning leads to their specific
intentions and behaviors in the job search process. The TPB model, on the other hand,
segregates various concepts into the planning and behavioral phases, on the
assumption that personal intentions, reasons, or plans are needed if individuals are to
engage in looking for a job.
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job search
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