Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2023

Abstract

This study draws from the instrumental-symbolic framework to analyze the employer image of public hospitals among final-year students and employed doctors. We examine the relative importance of perceived instrumental and symbolic employer image attributes in public hospitals in China among two groups of individuals (211 final-year students and 200 currently employed doctors). Both instrumental and symbolic attributes are significantly related to hospitals' attractiveness as an employer. Symbolic trait inferences explain incremental variance in employer attraction beyond instrumental attributes. Although both attributes explain similar portions of the variance in the two groups, the attributes that emerge as significantly related to hospitals' attractiveness are different. Finally, potential applicants have more favorable perceptions of both instrumental and symbolic attributes than employed doctors. Practical and theoretical implications deal with how hospitals should audit their employer image and manage their employer branding practices.

Keywords

China, Employee retention, Employer branding, Employer image, Instrumental-symbolic framework, Public hospitals, Recruitment

Discipline

Asian Studies | Human Resources Management | Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Journal of Chinese Human Resource Management

Volume

14

Issue

2

First Page

23

Last Page

37

ISSN

2040-8005

Identifier

10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800502.20231402

Copyright Owner and License

Authors-CC-BY

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800502.20231402

Download

Share

COinS