Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A social network theory perspective on how social ties influence perceived employability and job insecurity: evidence from school teachers

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Social Network Analysis and Mining Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With the emergence of critical educational reforms and agentic career perspective, unemployment and job insecurity are considered a significant threat to school teachers in Pakistan. Drawing on the social network theory (SNT), this study attempts to investigate the effect of social network ties on perceived employability (PEM) and job insecurity (JIS) and how PEM mediates the association between social ties and job insecurity. Moreover, the current study pursues to assess the moderation effect of information sharing in the association between social network ties and PEM. Using the survey approach, we recruited teachers from government schools. The proposed model and relationships were validated through structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear regression. The findings revealed that strong tie is significantly related to PEM and JIS. Similarly, the weak tie is significantly related to PEM except for JIS. This study extends SNT by empirically establishing the influence of network characteristics (strong and weak ties) on PEM and JIS. This study helps school management and government policymakers to enhance teacher’s PEM and job security through networking and training opportunities. This research moreover guides government policymakers to formulate realistic education policies with the consensuses of school management. This practice will enhance teachers’ trust toward acceptance and implementation of educational policies. The present research successfully covers the gap by establishing the association of social network ties with PEM and JIS which was largely ignored in the literature on social employment management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aiken LS, West SG, Reno RR (1991) Multiple regression: testing and interpreting interactions. Sage, Thousand Oaks

    Google Scholar 

  • Akkermans J, Seibert SE, Mol ST (2018) Tales of the unexpected: integrating career shocks in the contemporary careers literature. SA J Ind Psychol 44:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakshy E, Rosenn I, Marlow C, Adamic L (2012) The role of social networks in information diffusion. In: Proceedings of the 21st international conference on World Wide Web. ACM, pp 519–528

  • Barbulescu R (2015) The strength of many kinds of ties: unpacking the role of social contacts across stages of the job search process. Organ Sci 26:1040–1058

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batistic S, Tymon A (2017) Networking behaviour, graduate employability: a social capital perspective. Educ + Train 59:374–388

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown E (2011) Strong and weak ties: why your weak ties matter. Social Media Today, New York City

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke RJ, Singh P (2016) Correlates and consequences of nursing staff job insecurity. J Health Hum Serv Adm 39:383–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron JE (2004) A three-factor model of social identity. Self Identity 3:239–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y (2017) Graduate employability: the perspective of social network learning. Eurasia J Math Sci Technol Educ 13:2567–2580

    Google Scholar 

  • Chung N, Nam K, Koo C (2016) Examining information sharing in social networking communities: applying theories of social capital and attachment. Telemat Inform 33:77–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen P, West SG, Aiken LS (2014) Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Psychology Press, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cox AM, Al Daoud M, Rudd S (2013) Information management graduates’ accounts of their employability: a case study from the University of Sheffield. Educ Inf 30:41–61

    Google Scholar 

  • De Dreu CK (2007) Cooperative outcome interdependence, task reflexivity, and team effectiveness: a motivated information processing perspective. J Appl Psychol 92:628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Witte H (2005) Job insecurity: review of the international literature on definitions, prevalence, antecedents and consequences. SA J Ind Psychol 31:1–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellonen N, Nätti J (2015) Job insecurity and the unemployment rate: micro-and macro-level predictors of perceived job insecurity among Finnish employees 1984–2008. Econ Ind Democr 36:51–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feeney MK, Bozeman B (2008) Mentoring and network ties. Hum Relat 61:1651–1676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fornell C, Larcker DF (1981) Structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error: algebra and statistics. J Mark Res 18(3):382–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu YC, Ho HC, Chen HM (2013) Weak ties and contact initiation in everyday life: exploring contextual variations from contact diaries. Soc Netw 35:279–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giulietti C, Wahba J, Zenou Y (2018) Strong versus weak ties in migration. Eur Econ Rev 104:111–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glambek M, Matthiesen SB, Hetland J, Einarsen S (2014) Workplace bullying as an antecedent to job insecurity and intention to leave: a 6-month prospective study. Hum Resour Manag J 24:255–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Government of Punjab (2017) Report on annual school census 2017–18. Retrieved on 26 October 2018, from http://www.pesrp.edu.pk/downloads/library/Report_on_Annual_School_Census_2017_18.pdf

  • Granovetter MS (1973) The strength of weak ties. Am J Sociol 78:1360–1380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter MS (1977) The strength of weak ties. In: Leinhardt S (ed) Social networks: a developing paradigm. Academic Press, New York, pp 347–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-442450-0.50025-0

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Green F (2011) Unpacking the misery multiplier: how employability modifies the impacts of unemployment and job insecurity on life satisfaction and mental health. J Health Econ 30:265–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guilbert L, Bernaud JL, Gouvernet B, Rossier J (2016) Employability: review and research prospects. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 16:69–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair JF, Black WC, Babin BJ, Anderson RE, Tatham R (2010) Multivariate data analysis, 7th edn. Pearson, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hair JF, Sarstedt M, Ringle CM, Mena JA (2012) An assessment of the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling in marketing research. J Acad Mark Sci 40:414–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haythornthwaite C (2002) Strong, weak, and latent ties and the impact of new media. Inf Soc 18:385–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heide JB, Miner AS (1992) The shadow of the future: effects of anticipated interaction and frequency of contact on buyer-seller cooperation. Acad Manag J 35:265–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu LT, Bentler PM (1999) Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct Equ Model Multidiscip J 6:1–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingusci E, Manuti A, Callea A (2016) Employability as mediator in the relationship between the meaning of working and job search behaviours during unemployment. Electron J Appl Stat Anal 9:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang HS (2016) Effect of uncertainties on network embeddedness and the moderating role of information sharing. J Mark Thought 3:19–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Karkoulian S, Mukaddam W, McCarthy R, Canaan Messarra L (2013) Job insecurity: a whirlpool of chronic powerlessness. Educ Bus Soc Contemp Middle Eastern Issues 6:55–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Låstad L, Näswall K, Berntson E, Seddigh A, Sverke M (2018) The roles of shared perceptions of individual job insecurity and job insecurity climate for work-and health-related outcomes: a multilevel approach. Econ Ind Democr 39:422–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lecat A, Beausaert S, Raemdonck I (2018) On the relation between teachers’(in) formal learning and innovative working behavior: the mediating role of employability. Vocat Learn 11:529–554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H (2007) Effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on employee knowledge. J Inf Sci 33:135–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liou YH, Daly AJ (2018) Broken bridges: a social network perspective on urban high school leadership. J Educ Adm 56:562–584. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-01-2018-0010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lissitsa S, Chachashvili-Bolotin S (2016) The less you know, the better you’ll sleep–Perceived job insecurity in the Internet age. Comput Hum Behav 62:754–761

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu W (2018) High-involvement human resource practices, employee learning and employability. Career Dev Int 23:312–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mäkikangas A, De Cuyper N, Mauno S, Kinnunen U (2013) A longitudinal person-centred view on perceived employability: the role of job insecurity. Eur J Work Organ Psychol 22:490–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirzaee S, Ghaffari A (2018) Investigating the impact of information systems on knowledge sharing. J Knowl Manag 22:501–520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ollington N, Gibb J, Harcourt M (2013) Online social networks: an emergent recruiter tool for attracting and screening. Pers Rev 42:248–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onyishi IE, Enwereuzor IK, Ituma AN, Omenma JT (2015) The mediating role of perceived employability in the relationship between core self-evaluations and job search behaviour. Career Dev Int 20:604–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park JH, Gu B, Leung ACM, Konana P (2014) An investigation of information sharing and seeking behaviors in online investment communities. Comput Hum Behav 31:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlou PA, El Sawy OA (2006) From IT leveraging competence to competitive advantage in turbulent environments: the case of new product development. Inf Syst Res 17:198–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perry-Smith JE (2014) Social network ties beyond nonredundancy: an experimental investigation of the effect of knowledge content and tie strength on creativity. J Appl Psychol 99:831–846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philippaers K, De Cuyper N, Forrier A, Vander Elst T, De Witte H (2016) Perceived employability in relation to job performance: a cross-lagged study accounting for a negative path via reduced commitment. Scand J Work Organ Psychol 1:1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee JY, Podsakoff NP (2003) Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical common method biases in behavioral research. J Appl Psychol 88:879–903

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preacher KJ, Hayes AF (2008) Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behav Res Methods 40:879–891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Probst TM (2003) Development and validation of the job security index and the job security satisfaction scale: a classical test theory and IRT approach. J Occup Organ Psychol 76:451–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rienties B, Héliot Y (2018) Enhancing (in) formal learning ties in interdisciplinary management courses: a quasi-experimental social network study. Stud High Educ 43:437–451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogelberg SG, Stanton JM (2007) Introduction: understanding and dealing with organizational survey nonresponse. Organ Res Methods 10:195–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothwell A, Arnold J (2007) Self-perceived employability: development and validation of a scale. Pers Rev 36:23–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothwell A, Jewell S, Hardie M (2009) Self-perceived employability: investigating the responses of post-graduate students. J Vocat Behav 75:152–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabatini F (2009) Social capital as social networks: a new framework for measurement and an empirical analysis of its determinants and consequences. J Soc Econ 38:429–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sykes TA, Venkatesh V (2017) Explaining post-implementation employee system use and job performance: impacts of the content and source of social network ties. MIS Q 41:917–936

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tian F, Lin N (2016) Weak ties, strong ties, and job mobility in urban China: 1978–2008. Soc Netw 44:117–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlinson M (2017) Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Educ + Train 59:338–352

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Waes S, De Maeyer S, Moolenaar NM, Van Petegem P, Van den Bossche P (2018) Strengthening networks: a social network intervention among higher education teachers. Learn Instr 53:34–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vander Elst T, De Witte H, De Cuyper N (2014) The job insecurity scale: a psychometric evaluation across five European countries. Eur J Work Organ Psychol 23:364–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vanhercke D, De Cuyper N, Peeters E, De Witte H (2014) Defining perceived employability: a psychological approach. Pers Rev 43:592–605

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei Y, O’Neill H, Lee RP, Zhou N (2013) The impact of innovative culture on individual employees: the moderating role of market information sharing. J Prod Innov Manag 30:1027–1041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright KB, Miller CH (2010) A measure of weak-tie/strong-tie support network preference. Commun Monogr 77:500–517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yizhong X, Lin Z, Baranchenko Y, Lau CK, Yukhanaev A, Lu H (2017) Employability and job search behavior: a six-wave longitudinal study of Chinese university graduates. Empl Relat 39:223–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Affairs, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

    Aqsa Mehreen & Yang Hui

  2. School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China

    Zulqurnain Ali

Authors
  1. Aqsa Mehreen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yang Hui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zulqurnain Ali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zulqurnain Ali.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mehreen, A., Hui, Y. & Ali, Z. A social network theory perspective on how social ties influence perceived employability and job insecurity: evidence from school teachers. Soc. Netw. Anal. Min. 9, 25 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13278-019-0572-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13278-019-0572-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation