Research Article
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Occupational embeddedness and job performance
Thomas W. H. Ng,
Daniel C. Feldman,
Corresponding Author
Thomas W. H. Ng
School of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
School of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.Search for more papers by this authorDaniel C. Feldman
University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, Athens, Georgia
Search for more papers by this authorThomas W. H. Ng,
Daniel C. Feldman,
Corresponding Author
Thomas W. H. Ng
School of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
School of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.Search for more papers by this authorDaniel C. Feldman
University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, Athens, Georgia
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
While researchers have recently focused their attention on organizational embeddedness, occupational embeddedness has received little theoretical and empirical attention. Using multisource data on 162 employees in multiple jobs and organizations, we found that occupational embeddedness is positively related to both task performance and creativity and is negatively related to counterproductive work behavior, even after controlling for the effects of organizational embeddedness. In addition, we found that trait affect moderated the relationships of occupational embeddedness to job performance. Occupational embeddedness was more strongly related to counterproductive work behavior when trait negative affect was high, while occupational embeddedness was more strongly related to both citizenship behavior and creativity when trait positive affect was high. Results also indicated that the various components of occupational embeddedness had different effects on job outcomes. Fit had a strong positive effect on core task performance, links had a positive effect on creativity, and sacrifice had a small positive effect on citizenship behavior. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for future research and management practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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