The moderating role of a city’s institutional capital and people’s migration status on career success in China

Abstract

This article explores the role of cities’ institutional capital in the context of massive waves of migration from rural regions to cities in China. We examine reasons for and consequences of the accelerated urbanization process from both social and individual points of view. Based on surveys using a database of 8113 Chinese people, we identify and analyse factors that influence career success according to their migration status, comparing those who have migrated from rural to urban areas with those who have not moved. We also identify the role of an individual’s migration status and the role of a city’s institutional capital as moderators of the relationships between human, social capital and career success. We find that human, social and institutional capital, both individually and interactively play important roles in career success. The article offers an original contribution to career theory, in particular by incorporating migration status as a novel factor, and by determining the role of a city’s institutional capital in the process. With these overwhelming structural changes in populations, it may also inform internal migration policy and its implementation.