A Personal Value-Based Model of College Students' Attitudes and Expected Choice Behavior Regarding Retailing Careers

• Published in: Family and consumer sciences research journal Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 28 - 51
• Main Authors: Shim, Soyeon, Warrington, Patti, Goldsberry, Ellen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.1999
• Subjects: Attitudes; Career Choice; Careers; Choice models; College Students; Retailing; Student Attitudes; Undergraduate students; USA; Value based
• ISSN: 1077-727X; 1552-3934
• DOI: 10.1177/1077727X99281003

This study was to develop a value‐based model of career attitude and expected choice behavior in the context of retail management. A total of 754 college students nationwide returned a mailed survey. A structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicate that personal values had an influence on all three aspects of retail career attitude, which in turn had a direct influence on the expected choice behavior. The examination of the total effects indicates that the extent to which self‐actualizing values and social affiliation values influence expected retail career choice indirectly through retail career attitudes was similar, although their roles were somewhat different in terms of their path of influence. The intrinsic aspect of retail career attitude had the greatest effect on expected retail career choice, followed by the extrinsic and lifestyle flexibility aspects of retail career attitude. Theoretical and educational implications are presented.