Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped global work patterns, making flexible employment a critical issue. This study investigates how self-determination efficacy influences university students’ willingness to pursue flexible jobs in China. Using data from 1270 survey responses, we applied Parti...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Nature
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05117-y |
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| _version_ | 1849691405001162752 |
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| author | Quanling Cai Weidong Chen Mingxing Wang Kaisheng Di |
| author_facet | Quanling Cai Weidong Chen Mingxing Wang Kaisheng Di |
| author_sort | Quanling Cai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped global work patterns, making flexible employment a critical issue. This study investigates how self-determination efficacy influences university students’ willingness to pursue flexible jobs in China. Using data from 1270 survey responses, we applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The results show that self-determination efficacy positively affects students’ willingness to pursue flexible employment directly and indirectly through mediating factors like work-life balance, job satisfaction, and perceived self-development. The ANN model reveals complex nonlinear relationships, indicating that the impact of self-determination efficacy on employment intention is not linear. Furthermore, fsQCA identifies multiple pathways under different conditions, highlighting the importance of self-determination efficacy in specific contexts. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and higher education institutions on promoting flexible employment among students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a0a2a313fcc24b149cc3289e5f225006 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-a0a2a313fcc24b149cc3289e5f2250062025-08-20T03:21:02ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-06-0112111810.1057/s41599-025-05117-yPost-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCAQuanling Cai0Weidong Chen1Mingxing Wang2Kaisheng Di3Tianjin UniversityTianjin UniversityQinghai UniversityTianjin UniversityAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped global work patterns, making flexible employment a critical issue. This study investigates how self-determination efficacy influences university students’ willingness to pursue flexible jobs in China. Using data from 1270 survey responses, we applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). The results show that self-determination efficacy positively affects students’ willingness to pursue flexible employment directly and indirectly through mediating factors like work-life balance, job satisfaction, and perceived self-development. The ANN model reveals complex nonlinear relationships, indicating that the impact of self-determination efficacy on employment intention is not linear. Furthermore, fsQCA identifies multiple pathways under different conditions, highlighting the importance of self-determination efficacy in specific contexts. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and higher education institutions on promoting flexible employment among students.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05117-y |
| spellingShingle | Quanling Cai Weidong Chen Mingxing Wang Kaisheng Di Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA |
| title_full | Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA |
| title_fullStr | Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA |
| title_short | Post-pandemic job market: an analysis of factors influencing university students’ willingness for flexible employment based on SEM-ANN-fsQCA |
| title_sort | post pandemic job market an analysis of factors influencing university students willingness for flexible employment based on sem ann fsqca |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05117-y |
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