Green Career Choices: The Influence of Ecological Stance on Recruiting Author(s): Talya N. Bauer and Lynda Aiman-Smith Source: Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 10, No. 4, Corporate Consciousness (Jun., 1996), pp. 445-458 Published by: Springer Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25092522 Accessed: 29/07/2009 12:30 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=springer. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

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JOURNAL OF BUSINESS Volume

10, No.

4, Summer

AND PSYCHOLOGY 1996

GREEN CAREER CHOICES: THE INFLUENCE OF ECOLOGICAL

STANCEON RECRUITING Talya N. Bauer Portland

State

University

Lynda Aiman-Smith Purdue

University

ABSTRACT: Ecological issues have become a growing concern to businesses. stance on This experimental study examined the effect of a pro-environmental the recruiting efforts of a fictitious firm. Results supported the idea that a proac tive company stance on the environment would be positively related to perceived intentions to pursue employment with that company, company attractiveness, and acceptance of a job offer (ti=303). Further, personal environmental stance influenced only the intent to pursue employment. This suggests that a positive stance articulated environmental in a recruitment brochure could positively af see herself or fect potential recruits, even when a recruit does not personally himself as being particularly pro-environmental. Mitchell in the 1960s and American businesses (1989) characterized 1970s as having severe "encountered of their the most questioning since the era* His of the power Progressive analysis (p. 144). political of common showed that the most power changing corporations corporate

The authors would like to thank Margaret L.Williams for helping with the generation of the recruitment

brochures and Chris J. Berger for his support In of this research project. are thanked David K. Palmer and Frances L. Dobbs for help with data collection. are given thanks to Chris J. Berger, David K. Palmer, G. Green, and Stephen L. Williams an earlier for reviewing draft of this article. Margaret This article was at the 1993 Industrial and Organizational presented Organizational Behavior student conference in Chicago, the Wherry it won award. graduate IL, where it was presented at the 1995 meeting of the Society of Industrial and Organiza Therefore, tional Psychologists in Orlando, FL. The materials for this study were when and the ink on the recruit recycled possible ment brochures is environmentally soy ink. friendly Address to Talya N. Bauer, of Business, School Portland State Univer correspondence addition, Additional

sity, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97207-075L E-mail: [email protected] 445

6 1996 Human Sciences Press, Inc.

JOURNAL OF BUSINESSANDPSYCHOLOGY

446

to public policy change was to adopt a more response socially responsi stance. Companies that mirror ble and proactive enact policies typically In the United States, public opinion. public opinion has become popular of Fourteen the American solidly pro-environmental. percent population is actively involved with and overall public opin *green* organizations, concerns to sympathize ion seems in some part with these activists'

(Millston & Watts, icans

say

that

protecting

field, 1991; Hardy, take

they

1992). Depending upon the poll, 75% to 80% of Amer the environment

is important

to them

(Gut

1991). More importantly, people are reporting that

environmental

concerns

into account

in their

daily

activities

(Bucholz, 1991). has not gone unnoticed revolution The present environmental by that environmental Some writers indicated have present day industry. concerns have since in consumer behavior the biggest change 'triggered & Ratnayaka, of the early seventies" the oil price explosion (Peattie on a marketing research 1992, p. 103). The Wall Street Journal reported

firm that segmented the buying public and identified 28% of Americans as being "premium green," that is, reasonably attention affluent, paying in lives in their to make to environmental and concerns, changes willing an to As indicator the environment order to protect 1993). (Fergusen, some products have begun displaying the "Green Seal" or the consumer, raw mate "Green Cross," indicating they are made from non-polluting aware consumer rials and can be recycled. Another indicator of growing the is ness and corporate to environmental popu response responsibility a on to how businesses books of strategy green develop larity advising to the market it successfully and then communicate (e.g., Callenbach, 1993). Lutz, & Marburg, Capra, Goldman, environ internal have championed In addition, many corporations once seen as one of the Dow Chemical, For example, efforts. mental a pro worst it came to harming the environment, offenders when began

gram called Waste Reduction Always Pays (WRAP) in 1986 that has led one of the lowest in its industry toxic polluters to become (Rice, an advisory of outside council Dow has organized In addition, 1993). to help set environmental environmentalists policy. One of the council an officer of Dow*s board (Rice, 1993). Another members has been made uses only Miller, company with a strong environmental policy, Herman In forests. from sustainable woods addition, they well-managed, tropical materials to their from old furniture scrap production recycle everything sources of information 1993). Other regarding 1992; Rice, (Anderson, to surface are have which begun responsible ecologically companies a and now conscience are with 1991). acting companies (Basta, Many Dow

making money doing it (e.g., Russo & Fouts, 1993). events such as internal recy support everyday organizations double-sided and than rather e-mail memos, making paper using

Other cling,

447

TAL?A N. BAUER AND LYNDA AIMAN-SMITH

see are established? executives these programs corporate copies. Once Andrew action. of supporting environmental outcomes many positive resources for T. Rowe vice president and director of human Goresh, one our reasons the "I Price Associates, of think Inc., shares his views: us know tuned we're for is feel good about working that they employees rate that into important and I would such as the environment, concerns, as more standard as being as important relations such issues, employee as benefits, so and on" pay (Laabs, 1992, p. 62). are "going green," it the evidence While that corporations indicates on has if these of is unknown influence any, programs what, knowledge are using envi of potential the attraction While companies employees. no has ronmental to to looked sell study try products, accomplishments on the com serve to sell recruits at how those accomplishments might pany. uating

eval Since the job choice process begins with potential applicants the information (Gatewood, Gowan, they gather about companies

& Lautenschlager, stage is considered sen for this study.

1993; Schwab, Rynes, & Aldag, vital

to the job choice

process

1987), this initial

and was

therefore

cho

RECRUITMENT LITERATURE Some companies have been using their environmentally proactive stance in their marketing to consumers 1993). Companies, (Fergusen, have not looked at how their ecological influence efforts may however, one With efforts. & (Strand, Levine, recruiting exception Montgomery, the im 1981), no recruitment study could be found that has addressed a on of firm's environmental In attraction. pact applicant responsibility the recruiting literature has focused (1991) noted that while fact, Rynes on three main issues of recruiting realistic (the recruiter, job previews, and recruitment other important have not been ad sources), questions dressed. One of the issues she raised is directly to this study. applicable are always She noted that companies to ways looking for cost-effective attract an have not offered many qualified workers, yet researchers swers regarding how companies may do this. One inexpensive cruitment brochure. cle for transmitting

re to attract recruits may be the company way vehi Recruitment brochures may be an important of corporate environmental sensi positive aspects and Past in the recruitment literature research has tivity responsibility. a recruit's job pursuit can influence revealed that recruitment brochures on information intentions on how much a firm based in work variety offers (Herriot & Rothwell, a how much values company 1981), diversity (Williams & Bauer, 1994), as well as a firm's employment-at-will policy a brochure may have & Rosen, limited (Schwoerer 1989). While impact

446

JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND PSYCHOLOGY

over time, to evalu it is part of the information used by job candidates to ate what in the have offer recruitment process. companies early of the signals be important These brochures because may they send about the company early on. are made infor of imperfect Because conditions choices under job as serve unobservable recruitment of may mation, experiences signals characteristics & Schwab, 1980; Rynes organizational (Rynes, Heneman, in their qualitative & Lawler, 1983). For example, study of recruiting, with and Gerhart (1991) found that, consistent Bretz, signaling Rynes, a of recruiting recruits wide 1973), variety theory (Spence, interpreted of interview the sex composition competence, experiences (e.g., recruiter as char of broader recruitment delays) organizational symbolic panels, see recruits It may be that in the face of limited acteristics. information, as signals of larger, unknown brochures recruitment organizational these sig In the early stages of the job choice process, characteristics. can be lost if they perceive because nals are important good candidates about the company 1991). (Rynes, Bretz, & Gerhart, negative signals are often in environmentally that operate Firms ways responsible how recruits unclear press but it remains by the popular recognized an in to attract to this information would react firms using attempt a to recruit the to make contribution of is this study them. The objective an tool. address We at recruiting untapped ing literature by looking sound have not offered companies (1991) point that researchers Rynes' a firm's If it turns out that sharing recruitment. advice on cost-effective is helpful in attracting stance companies applicants, pro-environmental that are engaging in these types of activities who could communicate re other and to recruits via brochures, information interviews, videos,

cruiting techniques. This study is designed to test the benefits that may their ecological from potential companies agenda with sharing recruits. about environmental This gives recruits type of disclosure policies into an organi more information which should allow them to self-select seen as have been Values their personal values. that matches zation fit. of applicant and organizational of assessments aspects important its of to be important because Good fit has the potential relationship outcomes such as effective with socialization, organiza organizational and turnover. tional commitment, job performance, accrue

HYPOTHESES are has shown that attractiveness literature ratings recruiting stu which for can of the be best because jobs predictor they important to & Sorensen, 1975). In addition dents apply Rhode, (Lawler, Kuleck, The

TALYAN. BAUER AND LYNDA AIMAN-SMITH

449

have been shown to exert clear influence attractiveness, job attributes on the perceived of 1983; Taylor & jobs (e.g., Rynes & Miller, desirability 1987). In a study that looked at a firm's social responsibility Bergmann, on applicant and three other factors and attraction, Strand, Levine,

Montgomery

(1981) found that college seniors ranked the four job attri

in their study. Individual was the most to important development the attribute them, then pay, followed by environmental responsibility; that was ranked fourth was fair employment. et al. Strand Therefore, found was that the environment to college students, (1981) important as individual or pay. The question but not as important development are asking today, however, that many recruiters is what they can do to attract more or them without money top applicants redesigning offering butes

their jobs (Rynes, 1991). Judge and Bretz (1992) discovered that while

and the type of work employees would pay, promotional opportunities, be doing were predictors were of job choice intentions, less they impor tant than general work values. are paying atten Since more Americans tion to and valuing our study is designed environmental responsibility, to test whether all other things being equal, a firm that is environmen is attractive to today's recruits. tally responsible HI:

Recruits attractive

will

rate an ecologically concerned a firm offering no ecological

than

company statement.

as more

are considered Job pursuit an important intentions part of the job search process. Gatewood, and Lauteschlager (1993) found that Gowan, and recruitment of students' corporate image were significant predictors initial decisions about pursuing future contact with organizations. They concluded that perceptions of corporate to the related image were highly information to applicants, available and that the kind of information that recruits were to could influence their desire to pursue exposed job This a tests whether openings. study company's image of being environ concerned affects job pursuit intentions. mentally H2:

Recruits will be more likely to pursue an ecologically nities with concerned firm offering no ecological statement.

opportu employment a than with company

and Bretz (1992) found beyond Moving job pursuit desires, Judge that work values were predictive of students' job choice deci reported sions as well. They used the work values concern of achievement, for and fairness as in the workplace. These values emerged others, honesty, four of the most an values in earlier study of work important people held

values (Ravlin & Meglino, 1987). Judge and Bretz (1992) noted that re cruits

cannot

be

influenced

by an

organization's

value

system

if that

450

JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND PSYCHOLOGY

system value,

H3:

is unknown. environmental

Recruits logically statement.

This

study responsibility,

tests of another work the influence on applicants' job choice decisions.

be more likely concerned company

will

to accept a job offer from an eco than a firm offering no ecological

that students In his classic study of job choice, Vroom (1966) showed as to the outcomes choose jobs which they desire. leading they perceive was and Bretz found offer also that (1992) highest acceptance job Judge a match when and the values presented existed between subjects' values but hon in the job choice scenarios. This relationship held for all values of environmental that the These for indicate present study esty. findings to the company react differently recruits may values, responsibility on their own environmental to note It is important based orientations. ori of people who report being that while the percentage ecologically

ented is large (80%, Gutfield, 1991), this still leaves 20% who are neu a For those people, oriented. tral, or who feel they are not ecologically in a on factor stance not be the should environment deciding company's between It is predicted that the relationships their job choice decision. and job stance and ratings of attractiveness, desire, company job pursuit the beliefs. choice will be enhanced recruits' by ecological H4:

re will be positively Positive orientation individual ecological of the company, lated to the perceived attractiveness pur job suit intentions, and reported job offer acceptance.

METHOD Sample from a large Mid students business A total of 161 undergraduate a Coast university West 142 and from students western large university States areas of the United Since in this different study. participated with concomitant and environmental have differing standards, policies action the importance towards of environmental (Lester, public opinion

1994), data were gathered from diverse parts of the United

States

in

was important to results. The West Coast university case this geography was located in a state ranked high on environmental policy, the Midwest on a environmental in state low ranked (Hall & Kerr, policy university re on the dependent variables these two groups between 1991). T-tests

TALYAN. BAUER AND LYNDA AIMAN-SMITH

451

no significant the two samples were com differences. Therefore, a show Participant sample that is 50% female, 60% demographics 22% Asian, and an average 22 (SD = 3.19). The sample of white, age 1 year and 4 months This sample of full-time work experience. averaged is representative of the sample of students that many companies spend in their recruiting efforts of time and money large amounts targeting 1986). (Rynes & Boudreau, vealed bined.

Design

and Procedure

an experimental two conditions: design with were to either the experimental Subjects randomly assigned or The ex control condition (151 (152 subjects). experimental subjects) a was received conducted time. Each class periment during participant a written the of recruitment brochure instructions, packet containing a fictitious and The bro company, post-manipulation questionnaire. chure was representative of several brochures at college job distributed looked exactly there were two fairs, and all brochures alike; however, forms of the brochure. Half of the packets held the control brochure, were asked to take while half held an experimental brochure. Subjects was out their instructions and brochure both instructed, only. Everyone This

study

employed and control.

orally and in writing, to take time to read the brochure until they felt with comfortable its contents. The experimental group read a brochure with four lines describing com the environmental stance of the fictitious in the middle of the brochure. These lines read: pany embedded CaryCorp is also dedicated to the protection of the environment. We are a leader in our field when it comes to environmental con sciousness. We value environmentally friendly programs from office In recycling to innovation in the reduction and disposal of wastes. involvement at all addition, we encourage and reward employee levels of environmental responsibility. When

were reading, participants that assessed the attractiveness

done

to complete the instructed their in of the questionnaire company, tentions to pursue with the and company, employment opportunities whether one from the company. In they would accept a job if offered was collected information for later use as control addition, demographic variables. After the questionnaire, instructed completing subjects were to replace all the materials into the packet Then all partici envelope. a second questionnaire their per that assessed pants were distributed sonal environmental a stance. In the West Coast portion of the sample, measure to was social in also dis questionnaire desirability responding tributed and completed.

OF BUSINESSAND PSYCHOLOGY JOURNAL

452

Measures were to measure and dependent created the independent Scales were All measures variables. factor compo using analyzed principal a were nents determined with varimax rotation. Factors using analysis scree the of decision than combination rules: eigenvalues one, greater above rationale (Ford, Mac .40, and theoretical plot, factor loadings

Callam, & Tait, 1986). When all of the items for the job pursuit and job as two scales were factor analyzed attractiveness they emerged together near .80 the All scales recommended scales. had (Nun separate alphas in Table 1. for The correlation matrix all variables 1978). appears nally, that in the experimental read a brochure Those condition Condition. mid the lines in in four information environmental contained company identi The brochure dle of the brochure. read by the control group was no environ it of cal to the experimental with the one, having exception looked exactly about tibe company. Both brochures mental information coded. The experi alike to a casual observer. The condition was dummy mental condition was coded "F and the control condition was coded a0" Company tiveness.

attrac Attractiveness. Six items were used to assess company and were Schwoerer items modeled after those used by These

Rosen (1989) and Williams and Bauer (1994). Participants responded to to which statements the attractiveness they agreed by rating the degree a Likert-like scale that ranged with each of the statements 7-point using items included: to aT strongly from "1* strongly disagree agree. Sample "I find this a very attractive The standardized alpha for this company." for this scale was 4.73 (SD = .89). scale was .88. The mean

Correlations

Table 1 for All Variables

3124

Variable 1. Age

-.10

2. Gender

00

3. GPA work

4. Full-time 5. Co.

attractiveness

6. Job pursuit 7. Job choice stance

8. Ecological

9. Condition Note.

*denotesp

<

.04 .04

81***

-.04

00

-.10

-.13*

-.08

,04

-.07

-.07

-.09

04

-.12*

-.16**

-.11

21***

-.14*

10

-.08

.05; **denotesp

.10 -.05 <

.69*** .74***

.17** -.09

.01; ***denotesp

.61***

.08

.13*

.09

.33***

.26***

.32***

<

.001

-.04

TALYAN. BAUER AND LYNDA AIMAN-SMITH

453

inten to Pursue Employment, Intentions Four items were used to assess to statements to tions pursue by responded employment. Participants

rating the degree towhich they agreed with each of the statements with to aT Likert-like from "1" strongly disagree scale that ranged an in to A "I item includes: would agree. gain attempt sample strongly was scale this terview, with this company." The standardized for alpha for this scale was 5.53 (SD = .93). .77. The mean a 7-point

Acceptance of Job Offer. One item was used to assess job offer accep tance. Feldman Bretz and Arnold and and (1992) have suc (1978) Judge a measure one Par offer item to used acceptance. cessfully capture job a to offer the statement "I would by this ticipants accept responded job to statement the with the which company* by rating they agreed degree to via a 7-point likert-like scale that ranged from "1" strongly disagree "7* strongly agree. The mean for this item was 4.61 (SD = 1.26). of has highlighted the importance research = = and 1 0 (coded male), female; gender grade point & Gerhart, 1991). average Bretz, (e.g., Judge & Bretz, 1992; Rynes, in addition these variables, to age, were collected from partic Therefore, for all analyses. ipants to serve as control variables

Control Variables. work experience,

Prior

Personal

Environmental literatures Stance. Our review of several (e.g., and the social policy, management, sociology, psychology, marketing, measure of personal environmen popular press) revealed no established tal stance. Therefore, of personal environmen the independent variable tal stance was assessed 10 items created for this study. Partici using using pants rated the degree to which they agreed with each statement a 7-point Likert-like to a7" scale that ranged from al" strongly disagree items include: "I really care about the environ strongly agree. Example ment." "I have been known to take steps to help preserve the environ a difference" ment." "One person can't really make (reverse scored). The environment is very important to me." The standardized alpha for this scale was .91. The mean for this scale was 5.25 (SD-.99). Social Desirability. The issue of "political could arguably correctness* manner. a to influence Tb ad in desirable participants respond socially dress this issue, 19 items from the Paulhaus (1988) Impression Manage ment Scale were to the West Coast administered SD=2.63) (M=5.89, of the (n=142). portion sample

RESULTS was used to test the proposed be regression Multiple relationships tween variables. our power Tb maximize for multivariate hypothesis

JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND PSYCHOLOGY

454

for all mea data was conducted of missing testing, mean replacement as sures. Mean a been conservative has replacement approach suggested to dealing with missing data and is a more desirable than approach data that results of cases (Tabachnick & in the deletion leaving missing a data set where all 1989). As a conservative Fidell, check, we developed cases with missing data were There and reran the analysis. deleted, were no changes in in significance differences levels, and no significant the standardized

coefficients. regression 1 states that recruits will rate an ecologically Hypothesis as more attractive than a firm offering no ecological company

concerned statement

Table 2 contains the results of the test of this hypothesis. Those recruits a statement of the firm's positive that contained as more attractive the company than those in the ecological control group who did not receive any information about the firm's eco In addition, full coefficient =.32, p<.001). (standardized logical stance a was attractive time work experience of company significant predictor ness ratings. Hypothesis 1 is supported. em 2 states that recruits will be more likely to pursue Hypothesis an than with concerned company opportunities ployment ecologically a firm offering no ecological statement. read with subjects who Again, re stance of the statement the brochure ecological containing positive

who

the brochure stance rated

read

intentions ported more job pursuit dardized coefficient?.26,p<.001). 2 is supported. Hypothesis

than those in the control group (stan were significant No control variables

Table 2 Regression and

Results Control

from Variables

Condition, Ecological Regressing Job on Company Attractiveness,

and Job Choice

Orientation, Pursuit,

Intentions Job Pursuit

Company

Reported Job

Intentions

Attractiveness

Choice

Predictor .18

Ecology

.08

rating

-.18*

-.15

-.21*

work

.14*

.09 .31** .26**

Condition.32**

5.37**8.92**

lvalue8.44**

Note. **denotesp

.13

I?2

Adjusted Cell <

entries = .001; n

represent 303.

.11

-.04.12*

-.09 GPA Full-time

.08 -.08 -.02

-.06 Gender

.08

standardized

.14 regression

coefficients.

*denotes

p

<

.05;

455

TALYAN. BAUER AND LYNDA AIMAN-SMITH

3 states that recruits will be more Hypothesis likely to accept a job no a firm offering offer from an ecologically than concerned company the statement. with read the who brochure ecological ecological Subjects statement than those who did not gave more positive job choice ratings see that brochure Grade (standardized coefficient=.31, point p<.001). were also significant of and full-time work experience average predictors 3 is supported. job choice ratings. Hypothesis orientation 4 states that individual Hypothesis ecological positive will moderate stance and the relationship between company ecological and re attractiveness of the company, intentions, perceived job pursuit No support was found for the idea that the ported job offer acceptance. an individual's he or she attractive the more higher rating, ecological a an rate would company. Nor did individ job with ecologically-oriented ual ecological predict job choice. It did, however, rating predict reported intentions coefficient =. 14, p<.05). (standardized job pursuit The data from the Impression Scale was used as a Management to test for social desirability predictor contaminating this scale as a predictor that social desirability revealed variables. cantly predict any of the dependent

the study. Using did not signifi

DISCUSSION can influence for the idea that a firm's ecological stance Support recruits' initial reactions toward a company was found in this potential a description who read the brochure of a study. Individuals containing firm's positive In stance attractive. rated the firm as more ecological to pursue job opportunities with addition, they were more likely to want the company and to accept a job if offered one from the company. The condition variables, example, tiveness

of environmental stance predicted all three of these dependent no other predictor while all three. For consistently predicted of full-time work experience attrac company ratings predicted and reported job choice but not job pursuit GPA only intentions. orien reported job choice. And finally, ecological participants'

predicted tation ratings

positively

predicted

job pursuit

intentions

with

"greener"

companies.

These results have practical who recruit for companies implications on college campuses. In lean economic times perhaps there is an over that there are indications supply of talent into the job market. However, small and mid-size firms experience po filling some important difficulty sitions of the small to the dilemma (Ehrbar, 1993; Selz, 1993). Consider mid-size is competing with corporate giants for talented company which new college graduates 1994). For such an environmentally (Blumenthal, conscious

company,

a recruiting

strategy

emphasizing

its

"greenness"

456

JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND PSYCHOLOGY

in could be the competitive that are proactive advantage. Companies the environment benefits and protecting may reap positive preserving in the re to potential recruits from those values early communicating or have positive arti that receive awards process. cruiting Companies about them could publicize cles written those events during recruiting. a positive For that cannot boast honestly ecological companies stance this study also has implications. Those consider companies might if recruits them as uncar the negative effects that may accrue perceive the effect of this study did not address While ing about the environment. a negative be that re it may from companies, environmental message a or react negatively to lack of informa to such information cruits would information tion. Of course, a baseline is that all recruiting assumption environmen must and accurate. be honest The finding that a proactive as a global to recruits tal stance should not be construed is attractive

suggestion that firms include such a policy if they truly do not practice re cannot be ethically they may condoned; practices deceptive and short-term from recruits in "moral outrage* any (Bies, 1987), costs. be overshadowed benefits would by long-term is relatively As noted previously, the recruitment brochure inexpen cost: is the start-up sive. The largest expense with brochures associated ac a in the and master When volume, creating designing plate. printed to the costs of running cost a fraction tual brochures of a cent. Compared are very low-cost. Recruitment be brochures media may ads, brochures an important, of for transmitting cost-effective vehicle aspects positive re to potential environmental and responsibility sensitivity corporate it. Such

sult

cruits.

This study is not without

limitations. One potential

limitation is

These advanced that this study did not assess "real" jobs or job seekers. soon. Still, while the pur students be on the job market will, however, that an effect for a firm's ecological pose of this study was to establish it is not representative of the job choice stance exists, of the complexity one of social desir is issue that remains and recruiting process. Another our were of "ecologi issue the in and used Data study self-report ability. in a to cal correctness" could arguably influence respond participants manner. at the for West least The that, finding "socially appropriate* social desirability did not serve as a significant Coast predictor sample, answer were not simply our confidence that our respondents increases took the respondents desirable ways. Instead, we believe ing in socially their task seriously and answered the questions about their job choices and preferences truthfully.

Future research should incorporate the findings of this study into larger studies of recruiting. Tb some degree, this study held all other variables perimental

no specific to either the ex information constant by providing were or control group. Since individuals randomly assigned

TALYAN. BAUER AND LYNDA AIMAN-SMITH

to one of the two conditions, extraneous individual been There lessened. is no way to know, however,

457

factors should have re how individuals

acted to this lack of information. One potentially

fruitful approach

a policy-capturing 1992; design (e.g., Judge & Bretz, & Heneman, a how firm's Schwab, 1983) to assess Rynes, important stance is relative to other job attributes and such as salary ecological

would

be

to use

the job itself. Would individuals be willing to take a job with a lower

if the company was proactive If so, the environment? salary regarding how much to give up? Future research salary would they be willing should address these issues further.

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