Career growth and organizational commitment among young academicians in Chinese private universities: Implications for human capital development

Abstract

This study examines the role of career growth in strengthening organizational commitment among young academicians in Chinese private universities,while highlighting its practical implications for human capital development.Grounded in Social Exchange Theory, the study investigates the effects of four dimensions of career growth-career goal advancement, skill development, professional advancement opportunities,and Remuneration Growth-on organizational commitment. Data were collected through a survey involving 105 young academicians from 25 private universities in Shandong Province,China.Multiple regression analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 29 to assess the relationships between career growth dimensions and organizational commitment.The results indicate that all four dimensions significantly and positively influence organizational commitment. Among them, Remuneration Growth emerged as the strongest predictor (β=0.294,p<0.001),followed by professional advancement opportunities (β = 0.238, p <0.01), career goal advancement (β = 0.235, p <0.01), and skill development (β = 0.180, p <0.05).The regression model explained 41.3% of the variance in organizational commitment (F(4,100) =17.606, p<0.001). The findings highlight the pivotal role of career growth in fostering organizational commitment among young academicians and emphasize the importance of providing developmental opportunities, institutional resources, and career advancement pathways. The study contributes to the growing literature on career development and organizational behavior in higher education and offers practical implications for human capital development strategies in Chinese private universities.