THEORY DEVELOPMENT - Shodhgangashodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/68283/9/09_chapter...

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CHAPTER 3

THEORY DEVELOPMENT

3.1 Background

This thesis uses a blend of theoretical foundations from interdisciplinary spheres of

research in order to develop the theoretical framework for this study. From the field of

psychology, theories of attitude formation (Chaiken 1980; Wilson et al. 2000), and

memory models (Baddeley 1992) as well as theories of information processing and

source credibility (Oskamp 1977) have been utilized. Theory of brand equity (Aaker

1997) and logical decision making (Ajzen 1991) both have been borrowed from the

domain of marketing. From the area of information system, theory of technology

acceptance (Park et al. 2007) has been integrated into the overall theoretical

architecture.

3.2 Impact of Testimonial-type and Testimonial-source on

Perceived Credibility and Quality of E-Recruitment Ads

3.2.1 Realistic Information Hypothesis and Yale Persuasive Communication

Model

A lot of studies in the past have been geared towards developing a structured

framework of attitude change (Zimbardo, Ebbesen and Maslach 1977, Popovich and

Wanous 1982). The most comprehensive model to understand the factors influencing

persuasive strength of a message is provided by a framework developed by

researchers at Yale University USA (Oskamp 1977). This framework, known as the

Yale Persuasive Communication Model (YPCM) specifies the process of persuasive

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communications as a combination of the following stages- attention, comprehension,

acceptance (yielding), retention, and action. This five-stage sequence of attitude

change is the outcome of the persuasion process, which includes four categories of

factors: (1) the source of the message, (2) the contents of the message itself, (3) the

medium used (or channel), and (4) the type of audience receiving the message. The

credibility of a source is a crucial element in changing attitudes. Three factors

determine source credibility: (1) perceived expertise, (2) trust, and (3) liking (Hovland

et al., 1953).

Figure 1. Yale Persuasive Communication Model (Source: Oskamp, 1977)

Furthermore, the expertise of a source must be perceived by the audience prior to

receiving the message, and it must be relevant for the particular message being

transmitted (Oskamp, 1977). Trust in the source is also important, particularly if there

is reason to suspect ulterior motives. Studies have shown that a source who advocates

an unexpected position may be even more persuasive (Eagly, Wood and Chaiken,

Major Categories of Factors

Affecting Persuasion

-Source of Message

-Message Content

-Medium Used (Channel)

-Audience Characteristics

The Persuasion Process

Attention

!

Comprehension

!

Acceptance

!

Retention

!

Action

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1978). In this regard, providing RJP based content in employee testimonials can help

in positioning the employee in an unusual stance towards their firms. Providing the

same information through a company independent website can further reduce any

suspicion of ulterior corporate agenda behind the message.

Sources are considered even more trustworthy when the message channel is

audiovisual (Andreoli and Worchel, 1978). Therefore, if the message content is

transmitted through an audio-visual channel compared to text based medium, the

message may be perceived to be of higher credibility. From the YPCM, it may be

deduced that for message to attain higher level of persuasion, the degree to which

recipients consider the source of the message to be authentic and unbiased can

influence the overall process of attention-comprehension-acceptance-retention-action.

At the same time how reliable the recipients find the content of the message may also

have serious impact on the persuasive power of the message. Finally the medium of

communication or the channel used may also have an effect on message persuasion

capacity.

3.2.2 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) theory states that ‗the acceptance of a

new technology to an end user will depend on the perceived ease of use (user

friendliness) and perceived usefulness of the technology‘ (Koufaris, 2002; Loiacano

et al, 2007).

To an online job seeker, the ease of navigation through the different job openings with

relative ease, i.e., through the option of tailoring the search, easy resume delivery

process and quick reply from the portal managers about the status of their resume

gives them a feeling about the usefulness of the website and how easy it is to find and

43

apply jobs through such sites (Borstroff et al, 2005). TAM theory suggests that this

will lead to higher acceptance and reliance towards the E-recruitment media

(Loiacano et al, 2007).

Figure 2. Technology Acceptance Model

(Source: Park, N., Lee, K. M., & Cheong, P. H. 2007)

3.2.3 Research Proposition 1

RJP based employee testimonials will be perceived to be more credible than positive

employee testimonials

The main objective of this study is to understand how to make the online job previews

more realistic to enhance their credibility. The central research question being asked

here is whether organizations can promote a higher sense of credibility by providing

realistic job previews (RJPs) in place of positively framed previews. Media credibility

theory and the YPCM both indicate that if information is perceived to be trustworthy

and coming from an expert source, then it will have positive effect on perceived

credibility of the information in the mind of the recipient. Employee testimonials have

Perceived Ease of Use

External Variables Attitude towards

Using

Behavioral

Intention to

Use

Actual

Use

Perceived Usefulness

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been found to be considered as expert sources of job related information in previous

E-recruitment research (Van Hoye and Lievens 2007).

However, employee testimonials containing both positive and negative information

(realistic job previews) have never been used in online recruitment practice so far; nor

has any research been done to test whether such testimonials may be considered as

more credible than normal positively oriented testimonials (Breaugh and Starke 2000;

Strohmeyer 2007; Wolfswinkel 2009). Since RJPs provide unexpected information

about the negative side of the workplace, they may be considered as more credible

than the testimonials with only good things written about a firm (Popovich and

Wanous 1982). At the same time, it follows from technology acceptance model

(TAM) that credible message channel may be considered to be of higher quality since

they trigger a greater sense of trustworthiness in the minds of the recipients.

Therefore, RJP based testimonials can be used in the design of the job preview in

order to increase both the credibility of the message and quality of the online ad‘s

design. Based on these theoretical premises, the research hypothesis and sub-

hypotheses that can be framed is as follows:

H 1: Job seekers‘ perception towards online job advertisements will differ depending

on the type of content of employee testimonial

H1a: Job seekers’ perception of quality of online job advertisements will differ

depending on the type of content of employee testimonial

H1b: Job seekers’ perception of credibility of online job advertisements will differ


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Testimonials presented through company independent online recruitment platforms

will be perceived to be more credible than those communicated through company

dependent channels

If so, then organizations can post the RJPs either through their company-owned

websites or through some indirect channel such as a neutral web blog. How will job

seekers react to a neutral source of realistic information compared to a biased source

of information? Do RJP based employee testimonials through company-independent

channels such as third-party blogs, internet newsgroups or personal social networking

sites help to increase the perceived credibility of online jobs compared to those

advertised through company dependent sources such as corporate career webpages?

Therefore, a second area of interest is to use innovative internet applications such as a

web 2.0 platform to host the employee testimonials. From source credibility theory, it

is opined that neutral sources of information are considered more credible than biased

sources of information, since the latter has a hidden motive of selling information to

the receivers while the former does not. Therefore, information about jobs posted in

company independent channels such as weblogs, newsgroups, personal social

networking sites etc. can have more positive effect on job seeker‘s perceived

credibility than that provided through firm dependent sources such as corporate career

pages and E-recruitment portals.

At the same time, it follows from technology acceptance model (TAM) that credible

message channel may be considered to be of higher quality since they trigger a greater

sense of trustworthiness in the minds of the recipients. Therefore, RJP based

testimonials may be provided through company-independent channels in order to

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increase both the credibility of the message and quality of the online ad‘s design.

Based on these theoretical premises, the research hypothesis and sub-hypotheses that

can be framed is as follows:


on the source of employee testimonial


depending on the source of employee testimonial



3.3 Impact of Preview-Modes on Job-Seekers’ Perceived

Credibility and Quality of E-Recruitment Advertisements

3.3.1 Cognitive Load Theory

Cognitive load theory is defined as the amount of ―mental energy‖ required to process

a given amount of information. As the amount of information increases, so do the

cognitive load on our mental resources. When the amount of information and

instruction exceed the capacity and limitations of our mental resources, then learning

will be inhibited. Sweller and Cooper (1985) described a cognitive modal model of

learning that distinguishes between three distinct memory types (modes): sensory

memory, working memory and long-term memory. Sensory memory deals with

incoming stimuli from our senses, including sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches.

Sensory memories extinguish extremely quickly. Working memory (previously

named short-term memory) is a three-part system (Baddeley 1992) that includes a

central executive system acting as the attention-controlling system, and two slave

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systems: the visuo-spatial sketch pad that manipulates visual images, and the

phonological loop that stores and rehearses speech-based information (see Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Baddeley & Hitch’s Working Memory Model (Source: Baddeley 1992,

p.557)

According to Cognitive Load Theory (Baddeley 1992), information presented in

audio-visual mode is easier to comprehend compared to text based presentations.

Therefore, audio-visual web interfaces may be helpful in enhancing the quality of the

websites by increasing the usefulness, ease of use and aesthetic aspect of the sites.

However, research has been less in the context of analyzing the impact of such

information delivery styles on perceptions of E-recruitment website quality (Cable

and Yu 2006; Russell 2008). In this regard, the rise of video podcasts has opened a

new avenue of presenting online information, and in so doing presented new ways of

enhancing website quality. Until recently, organizations were only providing a brief

text-based presentation about their profile. In MonsterIndia website

(www.monsterindia.com), a recent addition has been the section of video profile of

organizations. So far, no research has been conducted to test the usefulness of

providing video profiles of organizations along with the online recruitment message

on the perceived quality of such websites. It is important to understand whether using

video-based information delivery styles will be considered more useful, easy to

Central Executive

Visuo-Spatial Sketch Pad Phonological Loop

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understand and more entertaining compared to the prevailing plain text based layouts

of E-recruitment web pages.


Audio-Visual Corporate Previews will be considered to be more credible and of

better quality and than text based Corporate Previews

Taking cue from the cognitive load theory of memory processing, it is further

expected that job related information (organizational information, employee

testimonials etc.) through audio-visual previews can be considered as of higher

quality in terms of website design compared with plain text based previews (Baddeley

1992; Walker et al. 2009). Earlier research has established the fact that audio-visual

media are considered as more attractive and persuasive than text based media (Dugoni

and Ilgen 1981; Popovich and Wanous 1982; Chandler and Sweller 1991; Baddeley

1992). As per media richness theory, richer the media, more credible is the

information (Petty et al. 1987; Cable and Yu 2000; Cable et al. 2006). Audio-visual

media have been found to be richer than audio only, textual and pictorial

communication (Walker et al. 2009). At the same time, it follows from YPCM that

audio-visual message channel may be considered to be more credible than plain text

or image based channels. Therefore, video podcasts can be used in the design of the

job preview in order to increase both the credibility of the message and quality of the

online ad‘s design. Based on these theoretical premises, the research hypothesis and

sub-hypotheses that have been framed is as follows:


on the type of corporate preview

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depending on the mode of corporate preview



3.4 Moderating Impact of Preview-Mode, Testimonial-type

and Testimonial-source and Mediating Effect of

Organizational Attractiveness on Intention to Apply

3.4.1 Signaling Theory & Brand Equity Theory

Signaling theory (Lampe et al. 2007) states that certain signals can communicate

specific meanings about the message it is trying to convey to the receiver. From this

point of view, it may be inferred, that the users will perceive the quality of websites,

based on what information / signal the website communicated to the users. For

example, in an E-recruitment context, the signal of advanced search options will

communicate the signal for depth of the website, thus enhancing perception of

credibility. Again, from Brand Equity Theory (Aaker 1997), it may be deduced that

positive perceptions of credibility and quality of a firm‘s E- recruitment website can

positively influence job seeker attitude towards the firm as a prospective employer.

Realistic information about a job can help enhance trust towards the firm. At the same

time, a neutral channel to project such information can further strengthen the

credibility of the information. Taking cue from signaling theory and brand equity

theory, it can be inferred that if job seekers receive cues about higher perception of

website credibility and quality through RJP based employee testimonials, audio visual

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corporate previews and company independent advertisement platforms, then job

seekers will feel attracted towards the organization as a prospective employer.

3.4.2 Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Ajzen 1991), states that that the decision to

engage in a particular behavior is the result of a rational process which in case of

online job-seekers, involves the job seekers reasoning out that a firm has a willingness

to meet the diverse search demands of the job seekers through its website.

Figure 4: Theory of Planned Behavior (Source: Ajzen 1991)

As a result, job-seekers may develop a positive attitude towards the site in the form of

more positive perceptions of credibility and quality. This eventually will be reflected

in his/ her actions such as feeling attracted towards the firm and in a higher intention

to apply for jobs through that site (Ajzen, 1991). It follows from TPB that such

perceptions may in turn result in a higher intention to apply for jobs posted by that

firm.

Attitude towards

Behavior

Subjective Norms

Perceived Behavioral

Control

Behavioral

Intention Usage Behavior

51


Preview-mode, testimonial-content and testimonial-source may affect job-seekers’

perception towards organizational attractiveness and intention to apply

Drawing upon the above cluster of theories it is being proposed that if job and

company related information is presented in corporate career websites using

combinations of audio-visual corporate previews, RJP based employee testimonials

and company independent platform to host such testimonials it will enhance the

attractiveness of the employer in the eyes of the job-seeker which in turn will affect

their intention to apply for job vacancies posted through the website of the firm.

Audio-visual mode of delivery can help in better processing of the information and

make the advertisement more appealing. Consequently, job seekers may develop a

favorable image of the organization and consider applying for a job there. Hence it is

being proposed that

H 4: Job-seekers‘ perception of organizational attractiveness will differ for different

types of preview-modes, testimonial-types and testimonial-sources.

H 4a: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness of online job advertisements will differ


H 4b: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness of online job advertisements will differ


H 4c: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness of online job advertisements will differ


H5: Job-seekers‘ intention to apply will differ for different preview-modes,

testimonial-types and testimonial-sources.

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H 5a: Job seekers’ intention to apply to online job advertisements will differ


H 5b: Job seekers’ intention to apply to online job advertisements will differ

depending on the source of testimonial

H 5c: Job seekers’ intention to apply to online job advertisements will differ


3.5 Triggering of Perceptions by the External Stimuli either

in a Holistic Manner or in a Systematic Fashion

3.5.1 The Mechanisms of Information Processing

The degree to which individuals pay attention to information decides to what extent

the message is understood and interpreted by the recipient (Chaiken 1980).

Individuals can either interpret any information at a superfluous level making no

effort to analyze the inner meaning conveyed through the message or they may

carefully decipher the information at a deeper level using cognitive resources. The

former strategy, if adopted, is an example of heuristic information processing and the

latter is an example of systematic information processing (Chaiken 1980; Chaiken and

Maheswaran 1994).

3.5.2 Heuristic Information Processing

Heuristic information processing occurs when the message recipients spend very little

time and effort to verify the validity of the message. Recipients take cue from the

source of the message and other peripheral signs and symbols to judge the

authenticity and importance of the message. Heuristic information processing may

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involve the use of relatively general rules (scripts, schemata) developed by individuals

through their past experiences and observations (Abelson, 1976; Stotland & Canon,

1972). For example, persons may possess and utilize the rule or categorical script

(Abelson, 1976) that statements by experts can usually be considered authentic, or

that statements by celebrities considered to be trustworthy probably reflect those

persons' honest opinions. Such a notion may be derived from past experiences with

others or, alternatively, may stem from a lower-order rule suggesting a fairly

consistent association between the concepts of liking and interpersonal similarity

(Stotland & Canon, 1972). Other heuristics may underlie the persuasive impact of

other cues. For example, the finding that recipients are less persuaded when an

overheard audience expresses disapproval (vs. approval) of a message (Landy, 1972;

Silverthorne & Mazmanian, 1975) might reflect their use of a consensus heuristic.

Recipients may reject such a message because most other recipients find it

unacceptable.

3.5.3 Systematic Information Processing

In contrast with heuristic information processing, systematic processing involves

giving proper attention towards understanding the validity of the message content, not

on the basis of certain basic rules and schema, but with the help of deeper cognitive

appraisal. Systematic information processing should become paramount when

recipients perceive that the validity of a message needs to be ascertained at the

foremost before taking any decision or being persuaded by the message. This is more

likely in situations involving greater stakes (Keisler, Collins and Miller 1969). That is,

when recipients receive messages on personally important topics or when recipients

feel that their opinion judgments have important consequences for themselves, they

should engage in systematic information processing.

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3.5.4 Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of Information Processing

Closely resembling the Heuristic-Systematic model of information processing, Petty

and colleagues (1987) formed the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) theory of

information processing which posits that human beings can process information in

their brains through two different routes- central and peripheral (Petty et al. 1987). In

the central route of processing, the information is processed in greater details and with

more interest. Contrastingly, in peripheral processing, information is processed

discretely and with lesser attention. By the term ‗elaboration‘ in context of persuasion,

it is meant, to what extent an individual engage in issue-relevant thinking while

deciphering a message. If the message helps to trigger recipient‘s motivation to

expend energy in issue-relevant cognition, then the likelihood of elaboration of the

message meaning is supposed to be high and vice versa. Whether the information will

be processed by the brain using central or peripheral route depends on how important

the message appears to the receiver at first glance. The information must provide

some cue to the recipient to trigger a sense of importance (expertise) and authenticity

(trustworthiness) in the message content.

Often, due to lack of such cognitive appraisal of information, jobseekers have been

found to be less interested in processing job related queries through internet or willing

to trust online job advertisements compared to other traditional channels such as

newspaper ads on vacancies (Cable et al. 2000; Tong and Sivanand 2005; Maurer and

Liu 2007; Tyagi 2012). Peripheral persuasion is somewhat simpler to develop because

it has no grounds in a strong factual message. Instead, peripheral cues such as scarcity

or perceived credibility are the factors that receivers base their decisions on.

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Figure 5: Elaboration Likelihood Model

(Source: Petty, R.E., Kasmer, J., Haugtvedt, C. & Cacioppo, J. 1987)

Persuasive

Communication

Are people motivated to process?

(Personal relevance; need for cognition;

personal responsibility etc.)

Do Recipients have ability to process?

(Distraction; repetition; prior knowledge;

message comprehensibility)

Nature of cognitive processing, initial

attitude, argument quality etc.

Cognitive Structure Change

(Are new cognitions adopted and stored in memory?

Are different responses made salient than previously?)

Peripheral Attitude Shift

(Attitude is relatively

temporary, leading to

susceptible and

unpredictable behavior)

Is Peripheral cue present?

(Positive affect, negative

affect, attractive and expert

sources etc.)

Retain/ regain initial

attitude

Favorable

though

predominant

Unfavorable

though

predominant

Neutral

though

predominant

Yes No

No

No

Yes

Yes No

Yes (Favorable) Yes (Unfavorable)

CENTRAL POSITIVE

ATTITUDE CHANGE

CENTRAL NEGATIVE

ATTITUDE CHANGE

Attitude is relatively enduring, resistant and

predictive of behavior

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However, peripheral persuasion is not as strong nor as long lasting as central

persuasion. Although it can produce a positive change in behavior, ―for it to become a

more lasting change the message should be repeated over a period of time‖ (Moore,

2001). Attitude changes can be fleeting when simply based on promotions or jingles.

3.5.5 Theories of Attitude Formation

Attitude has been investigated by various researchers (Rosenberg and Hoveland 1960;

Ostrom 1969) as a multifaceted construct. There are three types of attitudinal

components, namely, affective, cognitive and behavioral components. Sympathetic

nervous responses and verbal statements of affect are in the affective component;

overt actions and verbal statements concerning behavior are in the behavioral

component; and perceptual responses and verbal statements of beliefs are in the

cognitive component. In the present study, perceived quality and perceived credibility

will come under cognitive component, organizational attractiveness should be in the

category of affective component and behavioral component will comprise of intention

to apply. Researchers have argued that individuals first experience cognitive

component of attitude, followed by formation of affective attitude and finally

behavioral attitude in a stage by stage process (Wood 2000).

However Wilson and colleagues (2000) have put forward the Dual Attitude

Hypothesis which states that under certain conditions, individuals can form two or

more attitudes towards the same stimuli. Such attitudes are formed when individuals

receive stimulus for development of explicit (aware) as well as implicit (unaware)

attitudes simultaneously or one after another. An example of dual attitude is an

‗independent cognitive system‘ in which two attitudes- one implicit and one explicit

can germinate independent of one another (Greenwald and Banaji 1995). The two

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attitudes can coexist together with the implicit attitude influencing implicit behavior

and the explicit attitude influencing explicit behavior.

3.5.6 Research proposition 5

The external stimuli (preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source) may

trigger perceptions of quality, credibility, attractiveness and intention to apply either

in a holistic fashion or in a systematic fashion

The Heuristic-systematic model of information processing indicates that recipients

may either process a message in great detail or at a very rudimentary level depending

on to what extent they feel interested in the content. As is in the case of heuristic

information processing, it can also be derived from the theory of dual attitude that

people can develop and retain two different attitudes at the same time. Therefore, it

may be likely that attitudinal perception of quality and credibility may be formed at

the same time by the job-seekers. Similarly, job-seekers may form attractiveness

towards firms and develop intention to apply to the firm simultaneously. Therefore,

the effect of manipulations in preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source

may be cumulative on the dependent variables of interest. Hence Model I is proposed

(see figure 6) to test whether the cognition takes place in this route. The

corresponding sets of hypotheses which will be tested through Model I are as follows:

H 6: Job seekers‘ perception of quality, credibility, organizational attractiveness and

intention to apply will vary depending on different combinations of preview-mode

and testimonial-type

H6a: Job seekers’ perception of quality will vary depending on different combinations

of preview-mode and testimonial-type

58

H6b: Job seekers’ perception of credibility will vary depending on different

combinations of preview-mode and testimonial-type

H6c: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness will vary depending on different


H6d: Job seekers’ intention to apply will vary depending on different combinations of

preview-mode and testimonial-type



and testimonial-source


of preview-mode and testimonial-source


combinations of preview-mode and testimonial-source




preview-mode and testimonial-source



and testimonial-source


of testimonial-type and testimonial-source

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combinations of testimonial-type and testimonial-source




testimonial-type and testimonial-source

Figure 6: Research Model I

H 9: Job-seekers‘ perception of quality, credibility, organizational attractiveness and

intention to apply and recommend will vary depending on different combinations of

preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source taken together

H9a: Job-seekers’ perception of quality will vary depending on different

combinations of preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source

E Recruitment Design

Manipulations

-Featuring Realistic (RJP)

employee testimonials

-Hosting job related

Information through

company neutral platforms

-Presenting corporate

preview through audiovisual

medium

Perceived Quality of Online

Job Advertisement

Perceived Credibility of

Online Job Advertisement

Perceived Organizational

Attraction

Intention to apply

HEURISTIC INFORMATION PROCESSING

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H9b: Job-seekers’ perception of credibility will vary depending on different


H9c: Job-seekers’ perception of attractiveness will vary depending on different



preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source

Then again, it may be so that job-seekers will develop a systematic perception of

credibility and quality first and then attractiveness perception and intention to apply

following a cognitive-affective-behavioral route of attitude formation. This will be

tested through Model II (Refer figure 7). The central research question that is being

asked here is -can different levels of perceptions of quality and credibility, trigger

different levels of appreciation of organizational attractiveness and intention to apply

among jobseekers in a systematic manner? Based on this argument, the following

hypotheses have been formulated:

H10: Jobseeker‘s perceived organizational attraction and intention to apply will differ

depending on perceived quality of the firm‘s website

H10a: Job seekers’ perceived attractiveness will differ depending on perceived

quality of the firm’s website

H10b: Job seekers’ intention to apply will differ depending on perceived quality of the

firm’s website

H11: Jobseeker‘s perceived organizational attraction and intention to apply will differ

depending on perceived credibility of the firm‘s website

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H11a: Job seekers’ perceived attractiveness will differ depending on perceived

credibility of the firm’s website

H11b: Job seekers’ intention to apply will differ depending on perceived credibility of

the firm’s website

Next it is argued that job-seekers‘ perception of attractiveness and intention to apply

will differ depending on the mode of preview, the type of testimonial and the source

of the same. Drawing upon the theories of attitude formation and the TPB, it is being

proposed that if job and company related information is presented in corporate career

websites using combinations of audio-visual corporate previews, RJP based employee

testimonials and company independent platform to host such testimonials it will

enhance the attractiveness of the employer in the eyes of the job-seeker which in turn

will affect their intention to apply for job vacancies posted through the website of the

firm. Audio-visual mode of delivery can help in better processing of the information

and make the advertisement more appealing. Consequently, job seekers may develop

a favorable image of the organization and consider applying for a job there. Hence the

corresponding hypotheses are supposed to hold true in similar lines as H4 and H5 for

this situation as well.

Therefore, it is being proposed that

H 12: Job-seekers‘ perception of organizational attractiveness will differ for different

types of preview-modes, testimonial-types and testimonial-sources.

H 12a: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness of online job advertisements will

differ depending on the mode of corporate preview

62

H 12b: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness of online job advertisements will

differ depending on the type of content of employee testimonial

H 12c: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness of online job advertisements will

differ depending on the source of employee testimonial

H13: Job-seekers‘ intention to apply will differ for different preview-modes,

testimonial-types and testimonial-sources.

H 13a: Job seekers’ intention to apply to online job advertisements will differ


H 13b: Job seekers’ intention to apply to online job advertisements will differ


H 13c: Job seekers’ intention to apply to online job advertisements will differ

depending on the source of testimonial

Next, as is evident from TRA, as well as systematic information processing theory,

job-seekers may first form perceptions of quality and credibility of the E-recruitment

message and then find the organization attractive as an employer. Finally this

attractiveness will lead to a higher intention to apply for job vacancies posted by the

firm. A third model, Model III will verify this theory (refer figure 8). Once again it is

being argued that manipulations in preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-

source will create different perceptions in the minds of job-seekers with respect to the

online job advertisement‘s credibility and quality and the employer‘s appeal as a

career destination, and subsequently affect their intention to apply.

63

COGNITIVE-AFFECTIVE-BEHAVIORAL ATITTUDE FORMATION

Figure 7: Research Model II

Hence the following logic can be drawn that if the job-seekers consider the message

to be attractive, credible and persuasive due to certain manipulations in the mode of

preview, testimonial-type and source of testimonial, then they will experience a

higher state of perceived credibility and perceived quality. Consequently, the

attractiveness of the employer may also rise. This, in turn, will lead to a rise in intention

to apply. Following this, the job-seeker may engage in careful consideration of the

firm as a proper choice for their career. They may even try to leverage the brand

equity of the firm to confirm how this organization can provide a congenial work

environment for them. Finally, job-seekers will need all the cues that they can derive

from the firm‘s online appearance to decide whether or not to apply for job in the

firm. Hence the following hypothesis is being proposed:

H14: Job seeker‘s intention to apply to a firm will depend on perceived organizational

attractiveness towards the firm

Job Seeker’s

Cognitive Attitudes

Attraction

towards

Organizations

(Affective)

Intention to

Apply

(Behavioral)

Media credibility theory, Yale Persuasive

Communication Model (YPCM)

Source Credibility Framework

Brand Equity

Theory

Theory of

Reasoned

Action

Perceived

Credibility of

Online Job

Advertisement

(Cognitive)

Perceived

Quality of

Online Job

Advertisement

(Cognitive)

E Recruitment

Design

Manipulations

-Featuring Realistic

(RJP) employee

testimonials

-Hosting job related

Information through

company neutral

platforms

-Presenting corporate

preview through

audiovisual medium

Job Seeker’s Affective

& Behavioral Attitudes

64

SYSTEMATIC INFORMATION PROCESSING

As evident from the dual attitude hypothesis, two or more combinations of preview-

mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source may evoke deeper cognition in the

minds of the job-seekers leading them to further ponder on the aspects of the job

advertisement‘s credibility and quality, regarding the attractiveness of the firm and

with respect to their intention to apply for job. The above propositions will be tested

through the hypotheses which should correspond to H6d, H7d, H8d, and H9d

respectively.

Figure 8: Research Model III

Therefore,

H 15: Job seekers‘ perception of organizational attractiveness and intention to apply

will vary depending on different combinations of preview-mode and testimonial-type

H15a: Job seekers’ perception of attractiveness will vary depending on different


Advertisement source

[Company dependent /

Company independent]

Corporate preview

delivery mode

[Text/ Audio-visual]

Perceived E-

Recruitment

Website

Credibility

Perceived E-

Recruitment

Website Quality

Perceived

Organizational

Attractiveness

Intention to

apply for

job

YPCM

Cognitive Load Theory

Technology

Acceptance

Model ( TAM)

Brand Equity

Theory Signaling

theory

Theory of Reasoned

Action

Testimonial content

[Positive/ Realistic]

Yale Persuasive Communication Model

(YPCM)

TAM

65

H15b: Job seekers’ intention to apply will vary depending on different combinations

of preview-mode and testimonial-type


will vary depending on different combinations of preview-mode and testimonial-

source




of preview-mode and testimonial-source


will vary depending on different combinations of preview-mode and testimonial-

source




of testimonial-type and testimonial-source

H 18: Job-seekers‘ perception of organizational attractiveness and intention to apply

will vary depending on different combinations of preview-mode, testimonial-type and

testimonial-source taken together

H18a: Job-seekers’ perception of attractiveness will vary depending on different


66


of preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source


Preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source will moderate the

relationship between perceived quality, perceived credibility and organizational

attractiveness

Finally a separate analysis is conducted to test whether the experimental

manipulations can moderate the inter-relationships between the independent variables

and dependent variables, and whether there is any evidence of mediation with respect

to the variables of interest. To test this proposition a Structural Equation Model has

been developed (refer to figure 9).

Figure 9: Structural Model for testing Moderated-Mediation Effect

Perceived Quality

Perceived

Credibility

Organizational

Attractiveness

Intention to

Apply

Preview-mode

Testimonial-type

Testimonial-source

67

It is opined that the relationship between perceived quality and organizational

attractiveness will be moderated by the type of preview-mode used by the firm to

describe its corporate profile to prospective applicants. This should be because if the

profile is audio-visual, then it will create a better perception regarding the website‘s

quality and this may enhance the richness of the medium and make the message

appear to be more believable. Consequently, it will trigger a positive perception of

brand equity in the minds of the job-seeker thus creating a higher sense of firm

attractiveness.

Similarly, it is being reasoned out that if the testimonial is realistically framed, it will

create a higher perception of quality and credibility as per TAM and YPCM. This

may create a greater sense of appreciation regarding the honesty of the firm and

indirectly make the firm more attractive. Also, if the firm does not provide the

testimonials themselves but direct job-seekers to third party blogs to view the

testimonials, it may likewise create a greater sense of authenticity and trustworthiness

for the message which again follows from TAM and YPCM.

It can be also argued through theory of planned behavior as well as the systematic

information processing theory that perceived quality and perceived credibility will be

initially affected by the treatment variables and then organizational attractiveness

perceptions will be formed. Following this, intention to apply to the firm will get

shaped. Therefore there is a possibility that organizational attractiveness will mediate

the path between perceived quality and intention to apply and the path between

perceived credibility and intention to apply.

Therefore it is being hypothesized that:

H 19: The relationship between perceived quality and organizational attractiveness

will be moderated by preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source

68

H 19a: The relationship between perceived quality and organizational attractiveness

will be moderated by preview-mode

H 19b: The relationship between perceived quality and organizational attractiveness

will be moderated by testimonial-type

H 19c: The relationship between perceived quality and organizational attractiveness

will be moderated by testimonial-source

H 20: The relationship between perceived credibility and organizational attractiveness

will be moderated by preview-mode, testimonial-type and testimonial-source

H 20a: The relationship between perceived credibility and organizational

attractiveness will be moderated by preview-mode

H 20b: The relationship between perceived credibility and organizational

attractiveness will be moderated by testimonial-type

H 20c: The relationship between perceived credibility and organizational

attractiveness will be moderated by testimonial-source


Organizational attractiveness will mediate the relationship between perceived

quality, perceived credibility and intention to apply

It can also be further derived from TRA that in case of systematic information

processing, job-seekers may first make judgment about the credibility of the message

and the quality of presentation of the message. After this, the next stage of cognition

will involve perception regarding the attractiveness of the firm as a potential

employer, followed by the applicants‘ overall intention to apply for the job.

69

Therefore, there is a possibility that organizational attractiveness will mediate the

relationship between perceived quality and intention to apply and the relation between

perceived credibility and intention to apply.

H 21: The relationship between perceived quality and intention to apply will be

mediated by organizational attractiveness

H 22: The relationship between perceived credibility and intention to apply will be

mediated by organizational attractiveness

THEORY DEVELOPMENT - Shodhgangashodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/68283/9/09_chapter...

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