Proactive and politically skilled professionals: What is the relationship with affective occupational commitment?

The aim of this study is to extend research on employee affective commitment in three ways: (1) instead of organizational commitment the focus is on occupational commitment; (2) the role of proactive personality on affective occupational commitment is examined; and (3) occupational satisfaction is examined as a mediator and political skills as moderator in the relationship between proactive personality and affective occupational commitment. Two connected studies, one in a hospital located in the private sector and one in a university located in the public sector, are carried out in Pakistan, drawing on a total sample of over 400 employees. The results show that proactive personality is positively related to affective occupational commitment, and that occupational satisfaction partly mediates the relationship between proactive personality and affective occupational commitment. No effect is found for a moderator effect of political skills in the relationship between proactive personality and affective occupational commitment. Political skills however moderate the relationship between proactive personality and affective organizational commitment

Conscientiousness, Career Success, and Longevity: A Lifespan Analysis

Markers of executive functioning, such as prudent planning for the future and impulse control, are related to conscientiousness and may be central to both occupational success and health outcomes. The aim of the study was to examine relations among conscientiousness, career success, and mortality risk across a 65-year period. Using data derived from 693 male participants in the Terman Life Cycle Study, we examined associations among childhood personality, midlife objective career success, and lifelong mortality risk through 2006. Conscientiousness and career success each predicted lower mortality risk (N = 693, relative hazard (rh) = 0.82 [95% confidence interval = 0.74, 0.91] and rh = 0.80 [0.71, 0.91], respectively), with both shared and unique variance. Importantly, childhood personality moderated the success–longevity link; conscientiousness was most relevant for least successful individuals. Conscientiousness and career success predicted longevity, but not in a straightforward manner. Findings highlight the importance of lifespan processes

Career Plateauing, Job Satisfaction and Commitment of Scholars in French Universities

International audienceThis article deals with the impact of subjective career plateauing (in terms of job content and structure) on job satisfaction, organizational and occupational commitment and intention to leave an organization. The particular case of scholars working in French universities provides an example. This study demonstrates that career plateauing is a real feeling experienced by French scholars, and can negatively impact their behavior. Regression analyses results (sample N = 2,028) indicate that career plateauing negatively impacts job satisfaction. Indeed, the more scholars believe they have little or no opportunity for future advancement, the lower their job satisfaction. Moreover, career plateauing impacts commitment. The more scholars feel they have reached a plateau, the lower their commitment to their university and job. Career plateauing affects the affective and normative dimension of commitment more than the continuance dimension, and the results for the latter dimension are counterintuitive. Finally, career plateauing increases intention to leave the organization