In this paper, we revisit this well‐established linear relationship of person‐organisation, demands‐abilities, and needs‐supply fit with job satisfaction, commitment, and OCBs, and propose that this ...relationship may be linear for affective work outcomes but curvilinear for behavioural ones. We test this idea in a two‐wave sample of 212 employees, with measures taken 4 weeks apart. The results support the idea that the relationship between fit and behavioural outcomes can, indeed, be curvilinear. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the nature of the relationship between fit and work outcomes by challenging the long‐held ‘more fit is better’ logic that pervades much of the PE fit research to date.
This article is part of the 50th anniversary issue of the Journal of Vocational Behavior (JVB), with a focus on person-environment (P-E) fit. P-E fit has been a central research area in vocational ...and organizational psychology. With a focus on highly influential work in both fields, this article aims to synthesize P-E fit literature and develop theoretical models to guide future research. First, we summarize key perspectives and the state of the art in the general P-E fit literature. Second, based on a succinct review of P-E fit papers published in JVB, we take an interdisciplinary approach to critically discuss the conceptual and methodical ambiguities in this area. Third, we integrate identity and social exchange theories to present an Identity-Capability-Reward (ICR) model to conceptualize P-E fit across job roles and work entities at different levels. Fourth, we draw upon self-regulation and life-span development perspectives to propose a cybernetic development model that theorizes the self-regulated changes of fit experiences across time. We conclude with recommendations for an integrative, dynamic, and developmental approach to advance the P-E fit theories.
•P-E fit research in vocational and organizational psychology is reviewed.•Theoretical and methodological issues in JVB P-E fit research are discussed.•An Identity-Capability-Reward (ICR) model is developed to conceptualize P-E fit.•A cybernetic development model is developed to theorize fit changes across time.•An integrative, dynamic and developmental approach is recommended.
While extant literature generally suggests a positive relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention, several moderators have been identified – suggesting possible ...boundary conditions on that relationship. This paper introduces perceived person-entrepreneurship fit to entrepreneurship and shows that it moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. Three studies are conducted which illuminate the utility of randomized experiments and methodological approaches to address limitations in the interpretation of empirical results. Studies 1 and 2 are randomized experiments to examine causality; Study 3 contains two correlational surveys to triangulate the results by examining whether the proposed effects withstand the influence of confounding variables in real-life. The findings indicate that when a strong perception of fit with entrepreneurship is achieved, entrepreneurial intention is strongly predicted by entrepreneurial self-efficacy. In contrast, if one perceives a low level of fit or no fit, entrepreneurial intention will be low, regardless of entrepreneurial self-efficacy.
•Perceived P-ENT fit increases entrepreneurial intentions.•Entrepreneurial self-efficacy increases entrepreneurial intentions.•Perceived P-ENT fit positively moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention.
This study investigated the relationships between various person–environment fit types and employees' withdrawal attitudes and behaviors. I collected an initial survey data from 901 employees who had ...been with their organizations for 6
months at most and whose current organizations were their first employers. Of these respondents, only 297 responded to the second survey, 6
months after the first. The results showed person–job, person–supervisor, and person–organization fits correlated significantly with turnover intention on the first survey. Logistic regression analyses showed only person–organization fit correlated significantly with actual turnover at the time of Survey 2. I discuss implications and limitations of this study.
Based on career construction theory, the current research examined the role of career adaptability in Chinese university graduates' job search process (N=270). Results from a three-wave survey study ...showed that the four dimension of career adaptability (measured at wave 1) correlated positively with university graduates' job search self-efficacy (measured at wave 2) and their employment status (measured at wave 3). Among graduates who became employed, career adaptability dimensions also predicted positively their person–environment (P–E) fit perceptions (measured at wave 3). The results further showed that with the effects of demographics (gender, age, education level and major) and family background (family economical status and parental education) controlled for, when putting the four dimensions of career adaptability together, career concern and career control served as the strongest predictors for job search self-efficacy, which further mediated the positive effects of these two dimensions on employment status. In addition, career control also had indirect effect on P–E fit through the mediation of job search self-efficacy. Additional analyses using the global indicator of career adaptability also supported this mediation model such that career adaptability significantly predicted employment status and P–E fit, with these relations mediated by job search self-efficacy. These findings carry implications for research on career construction theory, as well as career education and career counseling practices.
•We examined the role of career adaptability in university graduates' job search.•Career adaptability positively predicts employment status at graduation.•Career adaptability positively predicts person–environment fit perceptions.•Job search self-efficacy mediates the positive effects of career adaptability.
The article presents a personal historical review of the person‐organization fit (PO) literature by Amy Kristof‐Brown, Benjamin Schneider and Rong Su. We present six conundrums and research evidence ...about each that we've encountered while studying fit during our careers: (1) What exactly is PO fit?—the term can be narrowly or broadly defined, but must be distinguished from other forms of Person‐Environment (PE) fit; (2) What is the best way to measure PO fit?—there are a variety of ways, each with strengths and liabilities and the measure of P and O can vary across a variety of attributes; (3) At what level of analysis is PO fit?—although conceptually cross‐level, it has been studied most frequently as an individual‐level variable; (4) To what extent does PO fit actually matter?—quite a bit, especially with regard to individual attitudes and turnover, but there are many caveats including measures and national culture; (5) Is PO fit always desirable?—for individuals generally yes, but there can be benefits of misfit; for organizations the answer is still unknown, particularly with regard to diversity; and (6) What are the implications of PO fit change over time?—it is clear that people engage in purposeful activity toward establishing fit in their lives, and purposeful organizational tactics toward accomplishing productive fit is recommended. Addressing these conundrums, we provide thoughts on future directions for research on PO fit and practical implications for managers who want to maximize the benefits of PO fit.
Fit is generally conceptualized as a dynamic construct, but most research on person‐environment fit has focused on fit in the current moment. We addressed this oversight by examining the dynamic ...relationships among person‐job (PJ) fit, demand‐ability (DA) fit, need‐supply (NS) fit, and employee work attitudes over time using a three‐wave survey design over a 12‐month period. Results from 168 employees revealed that change in PJ fit was significantly related to changes in job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment. In addition, DA and NS fit changes were significantly and indirectly associated with job satisfaction and commitment changes through PJ fit change. We also found that increases in job demands and employee abilities significantly decreased DA fit, and increases in employee needs significantly decreased NS fit whereas increases in job supplies significantly increased NS fit. Finally, we examined age as an important moderator for employees’ reactions to PJ fit changes, and found that younger employees reacted more strongly to increases/decreases in PJ fit than did older employees.
This study informed researchers about the performance of different level-specific and target-specific model fit indices in the Multilevel Latent Growth Model (MLGM) with unbalanced design. As the use ...of MLGMs is relatively new in applied research domain, this study helped researchers using specific model fit indices to evaluate MLGMs. Our simulation design factors included three levels of number of groups (50, 100, and 200) and three levels of unbalanced group sizes (5/15, 10/20, and 25/75), based on simulated datasets derived from a correctly specified MLGM. We evaluated the descriptive information of the model fit indices under various simulation conditions. We also conducted ANOVA to calculated the extent to which these fit indices could be influenced by different design factors. Based on the results, we made recommendations for practical and theoretical research about the fit indices. CFI- and TFI-related fit indices performed well in the MLGM and could be trustworthy to use to evaluate model fit under similar conditions found in applied settings. However, RMSEA-related fit indices, SRMR-related fit indices, and chi square-related fit indices varied by the factors included in this study and should be used with caution for evaluating model fit in the MLGM.
Previous research on fit has largely focused on person-organization (P-O) fit and person-job (P-J) fit. However, little research has examined the interplay of person-vocation (P-V) fit and ...person-group (P-G) fit with P-O fit and P-J fit in the same study. This article advances the fit literature by examining these relationships with data collected from 167 employees and their respective supervisors. As predicted, P-V fit related positively to both P-O and P-J fit, while P-O and P-J fit together fully mediated relations between P-V fit and outcome variables. Also as predicted, P-G fit moderated several relations of P-O and P-J fit with such outcome variables as in-role and extra-role performance. The article concludes with directions for future research on relations among these four different types of fit and implications for management practice.
The present study simultaneously examined people's perceptions of person-organization (PO) and personsupervisor (PS) fit and related these perceptions to employees' commitments. ...Three-hundred-and-sixty employee-supervisor dyads from Taiwanese organizations reported about their PO fit and PS fit perceptions. In addition, supervisors reported about their perceptions of fit and guanxi with each of their employees. Results indicated that PO and PS fit perceptions both had an independent and additive relationship with organizational commitment. The link between employee PS fit perceptions and organizational commitment was mediated by commitment to the supervisor. Both employee and supervisor fit perceptions contributed to commitment to the supervisor through their influence on the quality of the leader-member exchange (LMX). Guanxi could not explain additional variance in LMX and supervisor commitment. Implications for theory and practices regarding person-environment fit, commitment, and LMX are discussed. The study findings offered suggestions for a new Theory of Multiple Fits.
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