Exploring The Predictors and Mechanism of Protean Career Orientation in Eastern Context: The Effect of Yin-Yang Values, Career Adaptability, and Traditional Gender Role Beliefs

Zhuo Zhang (), Jie Li and Tomoki Sekiguchi
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Zhuo Zhang: Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University
Jie Li: International Business School Suzhou, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Tomoki Sekiguchi: Graduate School of Management, Kyoto University

No 22-07, Discussion Papers in Economics and Business from Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics

Abstract: Due to increasing change and uncertainty in the contemporary work environment, a growing body of literature recognizes that it is crucial for individuals to develop protean career management. Despite the many benefits that protean career orientation can offer to individual career development and organizational results, few empirical studies focus on the predictors and the formation mechanism of protean career orientation, especially in the Eastern context. By introducing an Eastern personal value deriving from Chinese Yin-Yang philosophy and drawing on career construction theory, this study examined the relationship between Yin-Yang values, career adaptability, gender role beliefs, and protean career orientation. Based on a sample of 433 full-time employees in mainland China and Japan, the results of this study showed that both Yin- Yang values and career adaptability predict protean career orientation. Meanwhile, Yin-Yang values also influence protean career orientation via career adaptability. Furthermore, the two-way interaction demonstrates the moderating effect of gender role beliefs on the relationship between career adaptability and protean career orientation. The relationship is more potent when individuals embrace less traditional gender role beliefs than those with solid traditional beliefs. Our findings in this study imply that Eastern cultural factors, including traditional cultural values, may impact the formation mechanism of protean career orientation, suggesting a further discussion and examination from an indigenous perspective.

Keywords: Career adaptability; Protean career orientation; Yin-Yang values; Gender role beliefs; Indigenous study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M1 M12 M14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 14 pages
Date: 2022-11
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