Research on determinants of career adaptability of Chinese graduates through the ability-motivation-opportunity framework and social relationship theory

Abstract

With the development of globalization and knowledge economy, Chinese graduates in universities are facing increasing employment challenges, especially in the field of cross disciplinary employment. The purpose of this study is to explore the cross disciplinary employment Career Adaptability of Chinese graduates, with a focus on analyzing how Knowledge Transfer Ability, Knowledge Transfer Willingness, Knowledge Transfer Opportunity, and Social Relationship affect their career adaptation. By integrating the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity model and Social Relationship theory, this study provides an innovative theoretical framework to explore the dynamic interactions between these variables. This study used quantitative research methods and collected data on cross disciplinary Chinese graduates from six top comprehensive universities through a questionnaire survey. This study validated the direct and indirect effects of Knowledge Transfer Ability, Knowledge Transfer Willingness, and Knowledge Transfer Opportunity on Career Adaptability, as well as the regulatory effect of Social Relationship. The research results show that Knowledge Transfer Ability, Knowledge Transfer Willingness, and Knowledge Transfer Opportunity all have a significant positive impact on Career Adaptability, and Knowledge Transfer Opportunity and Knowledge Transfer Willingness play a chain mediated role in the relationship between Knowledge Transfer Ability and Career Adaptability, while the presence of Social Relationship significantly enhances the positive effects of these relationships. These findings not only validate the applicability of the AMO model and Social Relationship theory in the context of cross disciplinary employment, but also emphasize the importance of social support in promoting career adaptation. The contribution of this study lies in revealing the impact mechanism of Chinese graduates Career Adaptability in cross disciplinary employment, and expanding the application of AMO model and Social Relationship theory in cross disciplinary employment research. These findings will provide valuable reference and inspiration for future research and practice on the career development of Chinese graduates in universities. Meanwhile, the findings of this study provide valuable suggestions for higher education institutions and policy makers to design more effective career development support strategies to enhance the cross disciplinary employment adaptability of graduates. These findings also provide new perspectives for future research, particularly in the impact of cross disciplinary competence and social capital on career development.