Industry Image Perceptions and Organizational Attractiveness: Results of an International Survey

Abstract

Extending the research on corporate brand image and recruitment, this study investigates the influence of industry image on organizational attractiveness in a cross–national context. Drawing from signaling theory and the application of the instrumental‐symbolic image framework, we apply an experimental vignette design in the renewable energy industry (REI) and the oil and gas exploration and production industry (OGI) with potential job applicants in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. We conceptualize national context as collective signaling environments. Results from 550 respondents indicate that the REI and OGI differ in most of the instrumental and symbolic image dimensions. The instrumental image dimension of pay and the three symbolic image dimensions of sincerity, innovativeness, and prestige predict organizational attractiveness. Moreover, sincerity, innovativeness, and prestige carry a mediating effect in the link between industry affiliation and organizational attractiveness. Findings also demonstrate that image perceptions of the REI and OGI vary across countries such that the already more favorable image perceptions regarding the REI are for the most part even more pronounced in France. Implications for theory and tailored recommendations for practice are provided.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12582
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Work & Organisational Psychology
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School
Funding Information: Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
Additional Information: Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Human Resource Management Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
Uncontrolled Keywords: organizational attractiveness,young talent,national context,instrumental–symbolic image framework,signaling theory,green economy,industry image
Publication ISSN: 1748-8583
Last Modified: 01 Apr 2025 07:11
Date Deposited: 09 Dec 2024 18:12
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Related URLs: https://onlinel ... 1748-8583.12582 (Publisher URL)
http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2024-12-01
Published Online Date: 2024-12-01
Accepted Date: 2024-11-12
Submitted Date: 2022-03-28
Authors: Davies, Samuel
Nguyen, Thanh
Stoermer, Sebastian
Froese, Fabian Jintae
Budhwar, Pawan (ORCID Profile 0000-0001-8915-6172)

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