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A Swiss–US Comparison of the Correlates of Job Insecurity
Author(s) -
König Cornelius J.,
Probst Tahira M.,
Staffen Sarah,
Graso Maja
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
applied psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1464-0597
pISSN - 0269-994X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-0597.2010.00430.x
Subject(s) - job insecurity , psychology , uncertainty avoidance , demographic economics , social psychology , job satisfaction , sample (material) , job attitude , value (mathematics) , turnover , job performance , economics , sense (electronics) , chemistry , management , chromatography , machine learning , individualism , computer science , electrical engineering , market economy , collectivism , engineering
Much is known about the general correlates of job insecurity but less about whether the strength of these correlations differs between countries. In order to fill this gap in the literature, the current study explored the correlates of job insecurity as a function of the cultural value of uncertainty avoidance. Specifically, using two samples from countries with very different uncertainty avoidance orientations (Switzerland and the US), we tested whether the relationships of job insecurity with job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and turnover intention are stronger in the Swiss sample. As expected, Swiss respondents scored higher in uncertainty avoidance than their US counterparts. Contrary to expectations, however, the results showed that the relationships between job insecurity and outcomes were stronger in the US than in Switzerland. Substantial differences in the social safety net within the two countries are discussed as a plausible explanation of this finding.