Kimberly W. O'Connor, Kimberly S. McDonald, Brandon T. McDaniel and Gordon B. Schmidt
The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine individual perceptions about the impact that social media use has on career satisfaction and perceived career benefits. We…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine individual perceptions about the impact that social media use has on career satisfaction and perceived career benefits. We examined whether informal online learning through “typical” types of social media behaviors (e.g. liking a post or messaging another user) and “networking” types of social media behaviors (e.g. endorsing another user, writing recommendations, going “live,” or looking for a job) impacted career-related perceptions.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, we analyzed Amazon Mechanical Turk survey data gathered from adult participants (n = 475). We focused our inquiry specifically on two social media sites, Facebook and LinkedIn. We asked participants about their social media use and behaviors, as well as their perceptions of career satisfaction and career benefits related to social media.
Findings
We found that both typical and networking types of social media behaviors positively predicted the “knowing whom” career competency (defined as career relevant networks and contacts that individuals use to develop their careers) and career satisfaction. Only networking behaviors were positively associated with perceived career benefits of social media use. We further found that LinkedIn users’ career satisfaction was lower compared to non-LinkedIn users.
Originality/value
This study adds to the small, but growing body of career research focusing on social capital and social media. Our results suggest that informal online learning via social media may have a positive impact on employees’ career-related perceptions.
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Keywords
Mark Julien, Micheal Stratton, Gordon B. Schmidt and Russell Clayton
Management educators often seek out innovative ways to introduce theories and concepts in such a way that students are more engaged and connected with the course material. A meme…
Abstract
Purpose
Management educators often seek out innovative ways to introduce theories and concepts in such a way that students are more engaged and connected with the course material. A meme is an image juxtaposed with short text that elicits emotional responses from its readers and is now a staple in social media. Examples include: grumpy cat, success kid and distracted boyfriend. The authors have successfully used memes both online and in-person as a teaching tool. This paper aims to describe how the authors have used memes and some of the best practices and lessons learned from this experience.
Design/methodology/approach
Students in a training and development undergraduate course and an organizational behavior MBA course were tasked with creating and presenting memes that reflected the subject matter in their respective courses.
Findings
Their fellow students were successful in identifying the course theory or concept when these student presenters presented their memes in class. This suggests that this type of activity is helpful for students to apply a key course concept or theory in a way that was fun and interactive. Follow-up feedback from the students indicated that they enjoyed this type of activity and felt that it aided in their retention of course material.
Originality/value
While memes are quite popular in social media, there is a paucity of academic articles on the application of memes for teaching management concepts. This article guides instructors on how the authors have used memes in the classroom and offers some suggestions for doing a debrief afterward.
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Gordon B. Schmidt, Jestine Philip, Stephanie A. Van Dellen and Sayeedul Islam
As conventional practices of working continue to be modified in the gig economy, more theoretical work examining the experiences of gig workers is needed. Relying on person-based…
Abstract
Purpose
As conventional practices of working continue to be modified in the gig economy, more theoretical work examining the experiences of gig workers is needed. Relying on person-based fit and levels of analysis literature, this paper proposes an adaptation to the traditional Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) framework to the gig economy.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the ASA framework, this conceptual paper explores how gig workers join, leave and could be retained by gig employers.
Findings
The authors recognize an intermediary “organizing” phase within the ASA framework for gig workers. Using examples of appwork and crowdwork, the authors show that workers tend to self-organize through third-party websites to help gig work become economically sustainable, avoid being exploited and enhance gig workers' sense of community and identity.
Practical implications
The practical implications of this research lie in gig employers understanding how workers experience gig employment and in helping employers be successful in attracting, selecting and retaining quality workers and thereby lowering permanent attrition.
Originality/value
The authors propose a novel adaptation to the conventional ASA framework to include organizing as a phase in gig worker employment. This research defines gig attraction and attrition at the individual-level, selection at the individual- and task-levels based in person-job (PJ)-fit and the various aspects of gig organizing as encompassing fit with one's job, organization, and environmental (i.e., PJ-, PO-, PE-fit) at the individual-, task-, and network-levels.
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Matthew Aplin-Houtz, Emily Lane, April Rowsey, Gordon Schmidt and Bahar Javadizadeh
This study explores working mothers’ perceptions of fairness in work and home environments through real-world social media discussions. It examines how these perceptions shifted…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores working mothers’ perceptions of fairness in work and home environments through real-world social media discussions. It examines how these perceptions shifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a naturalistic approach, we analyzed 13,560 comments from 4,076 unique users on Reddit to convert qualitative data into quantitative variables. A nonparametric factorial ANOVA was employed to assess the relationship between fairness perceptions and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these perceptions in both work and home settings.
Findings
The analysis revealed that working mothers predominantly express negative perceptions of fairness in both environments. Contrary to initial expectations, the pandemic did not exacerbate these perceptions. However, conversations involving both work and home contexts showed a more positive tone, suggesting the benefits of remote work scenarios introduced by the pandemic.
Originality/value
This study uniquely applies sentiment analysis to naturalistic social media data, offering real-time insights into how working mothers discuss fairness. Unlike traditional survey methods, this approach captures daily lived experiences, particularly in a crisis context, revealing new aspects of the work–family conflict.