Effects of Performance Pressure of Junior Faculty in Universities on Organizational Socialization: The Moderating Role of Organizational Support and Job Autonomy

Abstract

Purpose: Identification and recruitment of excellent junior faculty, and improving their organizational recognition and sense of belonging are the basis for sustainable development of high-quality colleges and universities. During the pre-employment period, the management of junior faculty in the by various colleges and universities focuses on screening, while organizational socialization tends to be ignored. Materials and Methods: Based on the organizational identification theory, 438 new faculty members of colleges and universities were enrolled to investigate the effects of performance pressure on junior faculty by colleges and universities on their organizational socialization, as well as the dual regulation roles of perceived organizational support and job autonomy. Results: Empirical analysis reveals that performance pressure has an inverted-U-shaped effect on organizational socialization of junior faculty members; the perceived organizational support negatively regulates the effects of performance pressure on organizational socialization; job autonomy regulates the effects of performance pressure on organizational socialization of junior faculty members by influencing organizational support of junior faculty members, indicating that job autonomy has secondary regulating effects on correlation of performance pressure with organizational socialization of junior faculty members. Conclusion: This study elucidates the regulating effect of performance pressure on organizational socialization and explains the phenomenon that many junior faculty members in colleges and universities tend to avoid public affairs, do not integrate into the community and actively take responsibility for their work, which is of theoretical and practical value in the management of performance pressure among junior faculty members in colleges and universities.