The purpose of this literature review is to examine the construct of job embeddedness. Job embeddedness is a construct first developed by Mitchell et al (2001) to better explain employee turnover. Job embeddedness is described as the forces that keep an individual in their job. Over the years this construct has been researched and used to explain other beneficial employee behaviors (e.g. organizational citizenship behaviors). This review will bring to light the historical and theoretical background of job embeddedness will be discussed. Along with this, this review will define job embeddedness and conceptually differentiate it from similar constructs. Next, common antecedents of job embeddedness will be described. Fourth, this review will discuss the many different effects of job embeddedness has on organizations and work behavior. After that, there will be a further conceptual discussion about job embeddedness as both a mediating and moderating variable. Finally, a section on future directions for job embeddedness research will be presented.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Historical and Theoretical Background
Defining Job Embeddedness
Antecedents of Job Embeddedness
The Impact of Job Embeddedness on Organizations
Job Embeddedness: A Mediator and Moderator
Conclusion and Future Directions
Research Objectives and Themes
This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the "job embeddedness" construct, exploring its theoretical origins, conceptual framework, and its multifaceted role in organizational behavior. The primary goal is to examine how embeddedness influences employee retention, performance, and workplace attitudes, while also evaluating its function as both a mediating and moderating variable in human resource management.
- The theoretical underpinnings of job embeddedness (Field Theory, Unfolding Model, Conservation of Resources Theory).
- Conceptual differentiation between job embeddedness and related constructs like organizational commitment, satisfaction, and engagement.
- Organizational and non-organizational antecedents that increase or decrease employee embeddedness.
- Positive and negative impacts of embeddedness on job performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, and employee well-being.
- The role of job embeddedness as a mediator and moderator in workplace relationships.
Excerpt from the Book
Historical and Theoretical Background
Traces of Job embeddedness theory can be found dating all the way back to Kurt Lewin’s Field theory in the 1930s (Hom et al, 2017). Field theory states that behavior is a function of a person and their environment (Lewin, 1939). An important concept in Field theory is called life space, which Lewin describes to be produced when a person interacts with their environment. Life space is all the factors found in the environment affecting the behavior of an individual (Lewin, 1939). Job embeddedness as described briefly, is a collection of forces keeping someone in a job (Mitchell et al, 2001). These forces could also be considered as the factors affecting their behavior in their environment, which within the Field theory framework makes these forces the life space (Holtom & Inderrieden, 2006). So, someone connected to these forces, or embedded in their job, is someone highly linked with the life space (Holtom & Inderrieden, 2006). This is important to note because it sets in place why links and fits (two components of job embeddedness) would have an effect on employee turnover behavior (Holtom & Inderrieden, 2006).
Another influencing theory is the unfolding model of turnover first described by Lee and Mitchell (1994). In the unfolding model, Lee and Mitchell went against the leading thought on turnover and stated that turnover was not primarily caused by job dissatisfaction or opportunities for better alternative jobs (Lee & Mitchell, 1994). Instead, they posited that there were four main paths that people go down that lead to leaving their jobs. Three of these paths begin with a phenomenon they described as “shocks”. These “shocks” are some event that takes place either within the job or externally to the job that leads to the first thought of leaving.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the shift in turnover research from focusing on why employees leave to why they stay, introducing job embeddedness as the central framework.
Historical and Theoretical Background: Explores the foundations of the theory, drawing upon Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory, the Unfolding Model of turnover, and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory.
Defining Job Embeddedness: Provides a formal definition of the construct, detailing its two main forms (on-the-job and off-the-job) and its components (links, fit, and sacrifice), while differentiating it from organizational commitment and job satisfaction.
Antecedents of Job Embeddedness: Categorizes the factors that drive embeddedness into organizational (e.g., HR practices, socialization) and non-organizational (e.g., psychological capital, work-family conflict).
The Impact of Job Embeddedness on Organizations: Examines how embeddedness predicts turnover and positively influences in-role and extra-role performance, while acknowledging potential negative outcomes in adverse conditions.
Job Embeddedness: A Mediator and Moderator: Analyzes the dual role of the construct in workplace relationships, clarifying when it acts as a mediator of performance or a moderator of turnover risks.
Conclusion and Future Directions: Summarizes the importance of the construct and suggests future research avenues, particularly concerning remote work and off-the-job embeddedness.
Keywords
Job Embeddedness, Employee Turnover, Conservation of Resources, On-the-job Embeddedness, Off-the-job Embeddedness, Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, Work Engagement, Psychological Capital, Adaptive Performance, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, HR Practices, Resource Caravans, Mediation, Moderation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this literature review?
The review examines the construct of job embeddedness, a theoretical framework used to understand the various forces—such as links, fit, and sacrifice—that influence why employees choose to remain in their jobs.
What are the primary themes addressed in this work?
The themes include the historical development of the theory, its conceptual distinction from other job attitudes, the organizational and personal antecedents that foster embeddedness, and its tangible impacts on employee and organizational performance.
What is the central research question?
The work seeks to synthesize existing literature to explain how job embeddedness functions as a mechanism for retention and how it shapes various workplace behaviors, including in-role performance and organizational citizenship.
Which scientific methodologies are utilized in this review?
This document is a comprehensive literature review that integrates findings from previous psychological and organizational research, building a theoretical argument based on established theories like Conservation of Resources (COR) and Field Theory.
What content is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body provides a detailed analysis of the components of job embeddedness, the specific factors that lead to it, its positive and negative consequences, and its functional role as a mediator and moderator in organizational relationships.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include job embeddedness, employee turnover, resource caravans, organizational citizenship behavior, and adaptive performance.
How does job embeddedness differentiate itself from job satisfaction?
Unlike job satisfaction, which is primarily affect-driven and focused on feelings of contentment, job embeddedness is resource-driven and considers both on-the-job and off-the-job factors.
What are the potential negative aspects of being too "embedded"?
In adverse work environments, highly embedded employees may feel "stuck," leading to negative outcomes such as emotional exhaustion, poor physical health, or even unethical behavior as a defense mechanism to protect their resources.
- Quote paper
- Eli Dickinson (Author), 2020, Job Embeddedness. A Literature Review, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1194037
