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Modeling the Relationship Among Perceived Corporate Citizenship, Firms’ Attractiveness, and Career Success Expectation

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Abstract

Drawing on propositions from the signaling theory and expectancy theory, this study hypothesizes that the perceived corporate citizenship of job seekers positively affects a firm’s attractiveness and career success expectation. This study’s proposed research hypotheses are empirically tested using a survey of graduating MBA students seeking a job. The empirical findings show that a firm’s corporate citizenship provides a competitive advantage in attracting job seekers and fostering optimistic career success expectation. Such findings substantially complement the growing literature arguing that corporate citizenship brings firms competitive advantages without solid evidence from the perspective of recruitment and human resources. Finally, managerial implications and limitations of this study are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Business & Management, National Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Chieh-Peng Lin

  2. Department of Finance, Chihlee Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

    Yuan-Hui Tsai

  3. Department of Business Administration, Vanung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Sheng-Wuu Joe

  4. Graduate Institute of Business Administration, National Taichung University of Education, No. 140 Min-Sheng Rd., Taichung, 40302, Taiwan, ROC

    Chou-Kang Chiu

Authors
  1. Chieh-Peng Lin
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  2. Yuan-Hui Tsai
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  3. Sheng-Wuu Joe
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  4. Chou-Kang Chiu
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Correspondence to Chou-Kang Chiu.

Appendix A: Measurement Items

Appendix A: Measurement Items

Firm’s attractiveness (Source: Bhattacharya and Sen 2003)

  • FA1. I like what this firm stands for.

  • FA2. The firm has an attractive identity.

  • FA3. For me, this firm is a good organization to work for.

Career success expectation (Source: Seibert et al. 2001)

  • CS1. I expect the likelihood of my promotion is high if I work in the firm.

  • CS2. I expect my salary is good if I work in the firm.

  • CS3. I expect my career development can be successful if I work in the firm.

Perceived economic citizenship (Source: Lin 2010)

  • EC1. This firm supports employees who want to acquire additional education.

  • EC2. This firm provides a good work environment and life quality for employees.

  • EC3. This firm provides important job training for employees.

  • EC4. This firm provides a quality and safe working environment for employees.

  • EC5: This firm encourages the employees to develop their skills continually.

Perceived legal citizenship (Source: Lin 2010)

  • LE1. The managers of this firm comply with the law.

  • LE2. This firm follows the law to prevent discrimination in workplaces.

  • LE3. This firm always fulfills its obligations of contracts.

  • LE4. This firm always seeks to respect all laws regulating its activities.

  • LE5: This firm always pays its taxes on a regular and continuing basis.

Perceived ethical citizenship (Source: Lin 2010)

  • ET1. This firm has a comprehensive code of conduct in ethics.

  • ET2. Fairness toward co-workers and business partners is an integral part of the employee evaluation process in this firm.

  • ET3. This firm provides accurate information to its business partners.

  • ET4. This firm is recognized as a company with good business ethics.

  • ET5. A confidential procedure is in place in the firm for employees to report any misconduct at work.

Perceived philanthropic citizenship (Source: Lin 2010)

  • PH1. This firm gives adequate contributions to charities.

  • PH2. This firm sponsors partnerships with local schools or institutions.

  • PH3. This firm is concerned about respecting and protecting the natural environment.

  • PH4. This firm is concerned about the improvement of the public well-being of society.

  • PH5: This firm encourages its employees to participate in volunteer activities.

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Lin, CP., Tsai, YH., Joe, SW. et al. Modeling the Relationship Among Perceived Corporate Citizenship, Firms’ Attractiveness, and Career Success Expectation. J Bus Ethics 105, 83–93 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0949-z

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