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1 – 10 of 186Chia-Huei Wu, Amy Wei Tian, Aleksandra Luksyte and Christiane Spitzmueller
The purpose of this paper is to offer an autonomous motivation perspective to explore the relationship between perceived overqualification and adaptive work behavior and examine…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an autonomous motivation perspective to explore the relationship between perceived overqualification and adaptive work behavior and examine job autonomy as a factor that may moderate the association.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested in two culturally, demographically, and functionally diverse samples: sample 1 was based on North American community college employees (n=215); sample 2 was based on full-time workers, employed in a Chinese state-owned enterprise specializing in shipping (n=148).
Findings
In study 1, perceived overqualification was negatively related to self-rated adaptive behavior. A follow-up study 2 extended these findings by demonstrating that perceived overqualification was negatively related to supervisor-rated adaptive work behavior when job autonomy was low, rather than high.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this research offer an autonomous motivation perspective to explain why perceived overqualification relates to adaptive behavior and suggests a job design approach to encourage adaptive behaviors of people who feel overqualified – a sizable segment of the current workforce.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to explore adaptive behavior of workers who feel overqualified – an outcome that has not been examined in this domain. The findings further point out what can be done to encourage adaptive behaviors among overqualified employees.
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Drawing on the equity theory and self-categorization theory, the authors examine the congruence effect of perceived self-overqualification and perceived coworker-overqualification…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the equity theory and self-categorization theory, the authors examine the congruence effect of perceived self-overqualification and perceived coworker-overqualification on team–member exchange (TMX) quality, which in turn influences employees' organizational identification.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 392 employees in 78 teams at 2 time points, and polynomial regressions was used to test the hypothesized associations.
Findings
The more consistent perceived self-overqualification is with perceived coworker-overqualification, the higher quality of TMX. Moreover, TMX mediates the relationship between this congruence on organizational identification, which indicates that the congruence of perceived overqualification is related to higher-quality TMX, and then makes overqualified employees produce higher levels of organizational identification.
Originality/value
The findings of the research contributes to theory building of perceived overqualification through distinguishing perceived overqualification as an individual characteristic from the perception of overqualification that occurs in teams. Besides, by analyzing employees' experiences of overqualification in the context of their colleague-group, this study demonstrates the importance of considering overqualified individuals' social context (e.g. the composition of teams) in exploring the consequences of perceived overqualification. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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Chao Ma, (George) Zhen Xiong Chen and Xinhui Jiang
This paper aims to build a moderate mediation model to delineate when and how employee with perceived overqualification will exert extra effort and therefore engage in more…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to build a moderate mediation model to delineate when and how employee with perceived overqualification will exert extra effort and therefore engage in more altruistic helping behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The research hypotheses were empirically tested using multitime and multisource survey data. Given the nested nature of data (i.e. 52 immediate supervisors rated 143 subordinates), multilevel structural equation modeling analyses within Mplus were conducted to test the proposed model.
Findings
The results support the proposed moderated mediation effect and indicate that perceived overqualification is positively related to extra effort on a condition that there is either strong desire for higher workplace status or more developmental job opportunities. The extra effort will subsequently lead to more altruistic helping behavior.
Practical implications
Based on the findings of this paper, human resource managers should consider the job applicant’s desire for workplace status and the organizational context the employer can provide when hiring overqualified employees. Second, organizations should carefully conduct job design to improve overqualified employees’ on-the-job developmental experiences. Third, training programs should be conducted to help satisfy needs and improve workplace status of overqualified employees, so that they can exert extra job effort and engage in pro-organizational behaviors.
Originality/value
Drawing on motivation–opportunity–ability theory, this paper extends the limited understanding of important boundary conditions under which perceived overqualification can be beneficial. The findings add to the knowledge on extant literature by identifying altruistic helping behavior as a new outcome of perceived overqualification.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the linkage between perceived overqualification and task i-deals via the mediating effect of prove goal orientation and the moderating…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the linkage between perceived overqualification and task i-deals via the mediating effect of prove goal orientation and the moderating effect of a climate for inclusion.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes and tests the mechanism of perceived overqualification in affecting task i-deals. Matched data were collected from a two-wave survey among 457 employees who work in two Chinese enterprises. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical linear modeling and bootstrapping
Findings
The findings reveal that perceived overqualification has a significant positive impact on task i-deals. Prove goal orientation has a mediating role between perceived overqualification and task i-deals. Climate for inclusion moderates the relationship between prove goal orientation and task i-deals and the mediation effect of prove goal orientation, which has a moderated mediating effect.
Originality/value
This study reveals the influence mechanism of perceived overqualification on task i-deals from the perspective of self-verification, which not only enriches the results of being overqualified but also expands the antecedents of task i-deals. Moreover, the findings emphasize that contextual factors may strengthen the positive mediation effect of prove goal orientation.
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Harun Sesen and Senay Sahil Ertan
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between perceived overqualification and job crafting, which has the ability to drive satisfaction, loyalty and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between perceived overqualification and job crafting, which has the ability to drive satisfaction, loyalty and performance; drawing on the broaden-and-build theory, the study tests the positive psychological capital (PsyCap) moderation role in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from 320 white-collar employees in Northern Cyprus. Data on perceived overqualification and positive PsyCap were gathered in the first survey, and job crafting was measured as a follow up. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression.
Findings
Perceived overqualification has a significantly negative effect on all dimensions of job crafting. However, considering PsyCap as a moderator, the study demonstrates that the negative impact of perceived overqualification on job crafting lessens when positive PsyCap is high rather than low.
Research limitations/implications
Self-reported surveys are used and results were collected from only Northern Cyprus.
Practical implications
The study has important practical implications for managing and reaping benefits from employees who perceive themselves as overqualified. Specifically, organizations need to implement efficient activities that increase positive PsyCap among these employees (e.g. inspirational videos and other learning), which can thereby boost their job-crafting behavior and result in better organizational performance.
Originality/value
This research is the first to investigate positive PsyCap among employees who feel overqualified. The findings further point to what can be done to encourage job-crafting behavior by using positive PsyCap to increase passion and motivation among overqualified employees.
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Zhouyue Wu, Xiaohu Zhou, Qiao Wang and Jingjing Liu
Previous studies have examined the emotional mechanism between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding. Based on a relational perspective, this study aims to draw on…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous studies have examined the emotional mechanism between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding. Based on a relational perspective, this study aims to draw on social comparison theory to reveal the cognitive mechanism of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding, along with the mediating effect of relational identification. This research conceptualizes perceived overqualification differentiation and reveals the moderating effect of perceived overqualification differentiation on strengthening the link between perceived overqualification and knowledge hiding.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper conducts two times lagged research, addresses a sample of 216 employees nested in 47 groups from technology or R&D industries and uses structural equation modeling to test an original model.
Findings
The results show that perceived overqualification positively affects knowledge hiding; relational identification mediates this relationship; perceived overqualification differentiation moderates the effect of perceived overqualification on relational identification as well the indirect effect of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding via relational identification.
Originality/value
This paper shows the cognitive mechanism of perceived overqualification on knowledge hiding. Moreover, this study also extends current perceived overqualification literature from a single individual level/a dyad level to a complex team level by conceptualizing the perceived overqualification differentiation. The research findings are helpful to guide team talent management and knowledge management in business management practice.
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Maria José Chambel, Vânia S. Carvalho, Sílvia Lopes and Francisco Cesário
The purpose of this paper is to test the direct effect of the perceived overqualification on the burnout syndrome and the indirect effect through the workers’ autonomous and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the direct effect of the perceived overqualification on the burnout syndrome and the indirect effect through the workers’ autonomous and controlled motivation.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested with a sample of 3,256 contact center operators from one Portuguese company and data were analyzed using the software package Mplus to conduct structural equation models.
Findings
The results revealed that workers’ perceived overqualification is positively related to burnout and that both autonomous and controlled motivation partially mediates this relationship.
Research limitations/implications
The cross-sectional design should be regarded as a limitation. Moreover, each variable was only assessed with self-reported measures, the sample comprised call center employees from only one company and one country (Portugal), and the workers were all employed in commercial services of telecommunications, energy, banking or insurance companies, which may constrain the generalization of these results.
Practical implications
Workers’ perceived overqualification should be avoided to prevent their burnout. Furthermore, an increase in workers’ skills and competencies, enhanced decision latitude, and the task variety and quality should be crucial for employees to develop more autonomous motivation to work in a contact center and the promotion of their well-being at work. More precisely, as overqualification concerns the employees’ perceptions of surplus education, experience and knowledge, from a practical perspective, enhancing the decision latitude, task variety and quality of these individuals’ work may contribute to decreasing individuals’ perception of overqualification and, therefore, contribute to increasing workers’ autonomous motivations and well-being.
Originality/value
This study provides evidence concerning the mediating role of both workers’ autonomous and controlled motivation to explain the relationship between perceived overqualification and burnout.
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Nasib Dar, Saima Ahmad and Wali Rahman
This paper aims to examine the influence of perceived overqualification on innovative behaviour in the workplace. By integrating self-efficacy and human capital theories, this…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the influence of perceived overqualification on innovative behaviour in the workplace. By integrating self-efficacy and human capital theories, this study proposes that perceived overqualification improves innovative behaviour directly and indirectly by boosting employee creative self-confidence. It further investigates the boundary conditions imposed by perceived psychological safety in this process.
Design/methodology/approach
The research utilises a quantitative research methodology through a two-wave survey of 335 employees and their 135 leaders. Moderated and mediated regression analyses were used to analyse the research data.
Findings
The results revealed that perceived overqualification promotes innovative behaviour at work directly and indirectly through its positive influence on creative self-confidence. The mediating effect of creative self-confidence in the relationship between perceived overqualification and innovative behaviour is moderated by perceived psychological safety at work, such that the relationship is stronger in a higher perceived psychological safety condition compared to when it is low.
Research limitations/implications
This study has theoretical and practical implications for personnel management. From a theoretical perspective, it integrates human capital and self-efficacy theories to explain a mechanism through which perceived overqualification will lead to innovative behaviour in the workplace. From a managerial perspective, it mitigates the stigma associated with an overqualified workforce by suggesting that perceived overqualification can be a source of innovation at work.
Originality/value
This is the first study that examines the creative self-confidence-based mechanism in the relationship between perceived overqualification and innovative behaviour at work. It also explores the moderating role of psychological safety in this relationship.
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Junwei Zhang, Muhammad Naseer Akhtar, Yajun Zhang and Shan Sun
Drawing from cognitive and emotional perspectives, the purpose of this paper is to theorize and test a dual-pathway model in which moral disengagement and anger toward…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing from cognitive and emotional perspectives, the purpose of this paper is to theorize and test a dual-pathway model in which moral disengagement and anger toward organization act as two explanatory mechanisms of the association between perceived overqualification and employee cyberloafing. The authors further proposed that the strengths of these two mediating mechanisms depend on employee moral identity.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the hypotheses by analyzing a sample of 294 employees working in 71 departments in China.
Findings
Results revealed that moral disengagement and anger toward organization mediated the positive link between perceived overqualification and cyberloafing beyond the influence of social exchange. Furthermore, moral identity attenuated the association between the mediators (i.e. moral disengagement and anger) and cyberloafing and the indirect relationship between perceived overqualification and cyberloafing.
Originality/value
Extant studies have examined the effects of perceived overqualification on employee behaviors in terms of task performance, organizational citizenship behavior, proactive behavior, as well as withdrawal behavior. The study expands this line of research by empirically investigating whether and how perceived overqualification influences cyberloafing.
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Jianpeng Fan, Jie He, Huichuan Dai, Yijia Jing and Guanghui Shang
Overqualification is a growing concern for employers in many countries. The practice of mismatching employees and positions inevitably leads to an increase in organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
Overqualification is a growing concern for employers in many countries. The practice of mismatching employees and positions inevitably leads to an increase in organizational training and management costs. This study can not only further enrich the theoretical achievements in the field of human resource management, but can also provide a reference for enterprise managers on how to effectively stimulate employees' innovative behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
503 questionnaire responses were analysed using SPSS 24.0 and Mplus 8.0.
Findings
It was concluded that, (1) perceived overqualification is negatively related to employees' innovation behaviour (β = −0.32, p < 0.001); (2) psychological contract breach and psychological distance partially mediate the relationship between perceived overqualification and employees' innovation behaviour. Among them, the mediating effect of psychological contract breach was −0.14 (p < 0.01), and that of psychological distance was −0.12 (p < 0.001); the chain-mediating effect of psychological contract breach and psychological distance was −0.09 (p < 0.01); (3) employment relationship atmosphere played a moderating role in the relationship between perceived overqualification and employees' innovation behaviour (β = 0.04, p < 0.01).
Originality/value
This study verifies the negative impact of perceived overqualification on employee innovation behaviour and reveals the mediating role of psychological factors between the two. It also discusses the moderating effect of employment relationship climate on the relationship between perceived overqualification and employees' innovation behaviour.
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