Personal and situational work-based identity antecedents

Abstract

This chapter presents a review of the literature on the personal and situational work-based identity (WI) antecedents that are to be used in the Bester (A model of work identity in multicultural work settings. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2012) and De Braine (Predictors of work-based identity. Unpublished doctoral thesis. University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2012) studies. In the first section this chapter explains how the interactions between the personal and situational characteristics help to develop WI. In the second section the relevance of using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as an organising or foundational framework in the prediction of WI is explained despite the lack of specific research evidence that links job resources (JRs) and job demands (JDs) to WI which will be investigated in the current research project. The third section presents the respective job demands and JRs (that may include ones outside the traditional JD-R model) that are to be used in these two studies and also explains their potential link to WI based on existing literature. No previous research could be found that linked JRs and JDs with WI. In the fourth section the possible mediation role of JDs on the relationship of JRs and WI is briefly explained. No previous research is reported on such relationships in respect of WI. Finally, this chapter concludes with a discussion of the literature on the biographical and demographical control variables and their possible moderation role in the prediction of WI. Also in this case no specific studies are reported on the moderating effects of such variables in the prediction of WI.