Thursday 2 February 2012

Constellations of new demands concerning careers and jobs: Results from a two-country study on social and economic change

an article by Martin Obschonka and Rainer K. Silbereisen (Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany) and Jacek Wasilewski (Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland) published in Journal of Vocational Behavior Volume 80 Issue 1 (February 2012)

Abstract

Focusing on new demands posed by social and economic change, and applying a pattern-based approach, this study examined constellations of increasing labour market uncertainties (understood as threat) and increasing job-related learning tasks (understood as positive challenge).

We investigated whether and how the groups of working individuals behind these constellations would systematically differ in socio-demographic characteristics and psychological resources and adjustment.

Results derived from two corresponding data sets from Germany and Poland (German data set: N = 1448; Polish data set: N = 1584). Discriminant analyses revealed very similar results in both countries.

As expected, respondents with a "Negative change" pattern (high uncertainty/low learning) differed from the "Positive change" group (low uncertainty/high learning) in that they showed higher levels of psychological resources (e.g., change-related self-efficacy), adjustment (e.g., work satisfaction), and socioeconomic status.

Respondents with a "Complex change" pattern (high/high) mainly differed from those with a "No change" pattern (low/low) in that they showed more change-related exploration. Additional analyses revealed that the "Positive change" pattern is particularly prevalent in high positions (i.e., managers and professionals).

Taken together, the results illustrate that constellations of change-related demands are systematically distributed within the working population as a function of socio-demographic background and psychological make-up.


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