The management paradox

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate associations between self‐rated employability (SRE) and affective organizational commitment and performance to probe the so‐called management paradox, namely the idea that SRE relates to performance, but also to reduced commitment. SRE concerns the workers' perception about all available (quantitative SRE) or instead better (qualitative SRE) job opportunities on the internal (internal SRE) and/or the external (external SRE) labour market. This leads to four types of SRE: internal quantitative SRE; internal qualitative SRE; external quantitative SRE; and external qualitative SRE. Design/methodology/approach – Analyses were based on a sample of 551 workers from nine organizations: a large Belgian organization providing human resource services, and eight schools. Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling, accounting also for sector differences. Findings – Internal quantitative SRE associated positively with affective organizational commitment – directly as well as indirectly – through internal qualitative SRE. External quantitative SRE associated negatively with affective organizational commitment through external qualitative SRE. However, a direct and positive relationship was established between external quantitative SRE and affective organizational commitment. Finally, affective organizational commitment associated positively with performance. Originality/value – This study is among the first to empirically test and prove false the management paradox. Another strength is that this study advanced SRE as a multi‐dimensional construct.