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A theory of planned behaviour: perspective on rehiring ex-offenders

Fatin Nadirah Khasni (Department of Economics and Financial Studies, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi Mara Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Malaysia)
J.S. Keshminder (Department of Economics and Financial Studies, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi Mara Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Malaysia)
Soo Cheng Chuah (Department of Economics and Financial Studies, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi Mara Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Puncak Alam, Malaysia)
T. Ramayah (School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Malaysia) (Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh) (Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Kota Samarahan, Malaysia) (Pusat Kajian Penciptaan Nilai dan Kesejahteraan Insan (INSAN), Fakulti Ekonomi dan Pengurusan (FEP), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Malaysia) (Department of Management, Sunway University Business School (SUBS), Bandar Sunway, Malaysia) (Faculty of Accounting and Management, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Kajang, Malaysia)

Management Decision

ISSN: 0025-1747

Article publication date: 7 November 2022

Issue publication date: 17 January 2023

659

Abstract

Purpose

Using the theory of Planned Behaviour as the basis, the study investigates the impact of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control on rehiring intention. The predictors of attitude (i.e. organisational culture, risk and government incentives) and perceived behavioural control (i.e. skills and supporting documents) were examined by expanding the TPB model.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered survey was used to gather data from Malaysian firms hiring ex-offenders. Partial Least Squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to verify the study's proposed research model's hypothesis.

Findings

The SEM analysis showed attitude and subjective norm as solid predictors of rehiring intention. For attitude, organisational culture and government incentives were proven to have an impact. Besides perceived behavioural control, the skill set was a significant predictor.

Practical implications

This study suggests that active involvement of the government to engage employers with ex-offenders through incentives (tax deductions and wage and training subsidies) and prison job fairs can increase their employment opportunities. There is also a need for formal guidelines and practices on hiring ex-offenders in organisations to promote a positive hiring culture. Establishing an employment-based re-entry unit that provides ex-offenders with various transition skill programs, such as technical skills, job search skills and life skills, is crucial for their employment prospects.

Originality/value

This study is among the pioneers in investigating ex-offenders’ rehiring agenda, specifically examining factors that influence employers' decision making. The results are relevant to managers, regulators, institutions and NGOs to structure the right interventions to ensure ex-offenders are successfully hired. It is found that Interventions aiming to increase job opportunities for ex-offenders require activities that expand community and ex-offender engagement since it reduces the social stigma and promotes more ex-offenders accepting behaviour.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia for supporting this research with the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme for Research Acculturation of Early Career Researchers (RACER/1/2019/SS08/UiTM/1). We are also equally thankful to the Malaysia Prison Department for sharing much of the valuable information with us.

Citation

Khasni, F.N., Keshminder, J.S., Chuah, S.C. and Ramayah, T. (2023), "A theory of planned behaviour: perspective on rehiring ex-offenders", Management Decision, Vol. 61 No. 1, pp. 313-338. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-08-2021-1051

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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