The Generative Mechanism of Boomerang Intention: From the Perspective of Legacy Identification

Abstract

Boomerang employment has become an increasingly significant third way to obtain employees, yet little research has focused on why does ex-employee want to come back. Drawing from social identity theory, we propose that legacy identification could increase boomerang intention and both perceived corporate prestige and psychological contract violation could affect boomerang intention through legacy identification. The cooperative relationship between the former organization and the current organization could enhance these effects. Results from a two-time points survey of 202 Chinese employees showed that legacy identification could increase boomerang intention, perceived corporate prestige could increase boomerang intention via legacy identification, psychological contract violation could decrease boomerang intention via legacy identification. Besides, the positive effect of legacy identification on boomerang intention, the positive indirect effect of corporate prestige on boomerang intention via legacy identification, and the negative indirect effect of psychological contract violation on boomerang intention via legacy identification are all stronger when there is a cooperative relationship. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

How ex-employee citizenship behavior is generated: From the perspective of legacy identification

“…These findings concur with previous research showing that identification is not related to an individual's behaviors, but rather the relationship between identification and behaviors depends on identity salience (Hogg, 2006). CRs, as a specific form of identity salience in the context of post-employment (Tian et al, 2022), moderate the relationship between LI and Ex-ECB. Therefore, these results further our understanding of the boundary conditions under which LI may foster Ex-ECB.…”

“…Second, we found that psychological contract violation was negatively related to Ex-ECB. Based on the SET, when the ex-employee feels that the organization had "failed to fulfill the obligation" during employment tenure, a psychological contract violation (PCV) occurs and will persist after termination (Tian et al, 2022). This may trigger a strong negative emotional response, leading to a decrease in Ex-ECB.…”

“…In addition, the relationship between identification and subsequent behaviors is influenced by identity salience (Hogg, 2006;Marin et al, 2009). In the post-employment context, identity salience can be defined as a cooperative relationship (CR) between an employee's current and former organizations (Campbell et al, 2012;Tian et al, 2022). When identity salience is present, LI is often regarded less threateningly and tends to be unsuppressed by the present organization (Bardon et al, 2015).…”

Boomerang Managers in Tourism Sector: Why Did They Resign? Why Have They Come Back?

“…Yeniden işe almanın artan yaygınlığına ve belirtilen faydalarına rağmen, şaşırtıcı bir şekilde literatürde az sayıda bumerang çalışanlara odaklanan çalışma bulunmaktadır (Shipp vd., 2014;Arnold, vd., 2021). Bununla birlikte, ilgili çalışmaların çoğu, bumerang çalışanlarının yeniden işe alındıktan sonraki tutum, davranış ve performanslarına odaklanmıştır (Tian, 2022). Ayrıca, bumerang istihdamı için çok şey ifade etse de bumerang niyetinin nasıl oluştuğuna dair araştırmalar da sınırlıdır (Raveendra ve Satish, 2022).…”