Self-Referent and Other-Referent Career Successes, Career Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention Among Chinese Employees: The Role of Achievement Motivation

Based on the social comparison theory, this research examined how self-referent and other-referent career successes predict career satisfaction and turnover intention among a sample of Chinese employees (N = 299). It was found that both self-referent and other-referent career successes played unique roles in predicting career satisfaction, which, in turn, predicted turnover intention. In addition, this research examined the role of achievement motivation in this process and revealed a moderated mediation model for the relations among these variables. Specifically, the indirect effect of self-referent career success on turnover intention through career satisfaction was stronger among employees with a higher level of individual-orientated achievement motivation, and the indirect effect of other-referent career success on turnover intention through career satisfaction was stronger among employees with a lower level of individual-orientated achievement motivation. These findings carry implications for research on career success and turnover intention.