So what do you think of the organization? A contextual priming explanation for recruitment Web site characteristics as antecedents of job seekers’ organizational image perceptions

Although job seekers’ organizational image perceptions can influence attraction to recruiting organizations, little is known about how these perceptions are formed or modified. To address this research gap, the authors drew from research in social cognition theory and demonstrated that recruitment W...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Organizational behavior and human decision processes 2011-03, Vol.114 (2), p.165-178
Main Authors: Jack Walker, H., Feild, Hubert S., Giles, William F., Bernerth, Jeremy B., Short, Jeremy C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Familiarity
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Internet
Job searching
Job seekers
Knowledge
Occupational psychology
Organizational culture
Organizational image
Organizational image Recruitment Web sites Priming
Orientation. Selection. Evaluation
Perception
Perceptions
Priming
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Recruitment
Social cognition
Web sites
Websites
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Summary:Although job seekers’ organizational image perceptions can influence attraction to recruiting organizations, little is known about how these perceptions are formed or modified. To address this research gap, the authors drew from research in social cognition theory and demonstrated that recruitment Web site characteristics influenced the development and modification of organizational image perceptions via a priming mechanism. Results of two studies showed that having technologically advanced Web site features and depicting racially diverse organizational members served as contextual primers and influenced participants’ organizational image perceptions. Results also revealed that participants’ familiarity with recruiting organizations moderated the effects of these Web site characteristics on several dimensions of organizational image such that effects were weaker for more familiar organizations. These findings suggest that organizations can manage job seekers’ organizational image perceptions through strategic recruitment Web site design; however, such attempts may be tempered by job seekers’ familiarity with the organization.
ISSN:0749-5978
1095-9920
DOI:10.1016/j.obhdp.2010.11.004