Modeling social capital, training transfer, and occupational commitment: moderation of learning value of the job

Training significantly provides a valuable avenue for career development, influencing employees’ occupational commitment. This study delves into the influence of social capital on occupational commitment indirectly through training transfer, considering the moderating role of the learning value of the job (LVJ). Empirical findings derived from a field survey of high-tech professionals indicate that social interaction, trust, and shared vision indirectly affect occupational commitment through the mediation of training transfer. Additionally, the relationship between shared vision and training transfer is moderated by LVJ. The paper discusses on-the-job training and education implications for research and practices based on these empirical insights.

occupation (Yousaf et al., 2015).For that reason, scholars (e.g.Johnson, 1996;Meyer & Allen, 1997) have discovered a potential shift in employee commitment from the organization to one's occupation.When employees perceive a misalignment between their occupation and the organization, their commitment to the occupation tends to surpass their commitment to the organization (Paul & Barbee, 2020).For example, previous research has found that accountants' affective commitment to their occupation negatively influences turnover intention (Ciftcioglu et al., 2011).Although employees lacking sufficient occupational commitment might sometimes contemplate changing their profession within the same organization rather than leaving entirely (e.g.Joseph et al., 2015), we posit that this issue warrants exploration under a separate theoretical framework, distinct from the focus of this study.
Whereas the direct drivers of occupational commitment have been extensively investigated from diverse perspectives, including work stress (Liao et al., 2022), coping selfefficacy (Blaique & Pinnington, 2022), social interaction (Lin et al., 2022), job characteristics (Young et al., 2023), and leadership (Irfan & Islam, 2021), no prior efforts have delved into exploring the role of training transfer as a crucial motivator directly influencing occupational commitment.Training transfer is defined as the degree to which knowledge and skills acquired through on-the-job training are applied to enhance job-related development (Laker & Powell, 2011).In the absence of effective training transfer, employees often struggle to comprehend and interpret their profession and its relevant context, subsequently diminishing their occupational commitment.Nevertheless, the impact of training transfer on occupational commitment has not been investigated, leading to the first research gap addressed in this study.
Continuing the exploration of the first research gap, this study addresses the second research gap concerning the moderating mechanism through which the formation of training transfer is interfered.The objective is to bridge the identified the research gaps by investigating two key questions: (1) What factors influence training transfer, subsequently impacting occupational commitment? and (2) Through what moderating mechanism is the formation of training transfer influenced?Without unraveling the intricacies of these questions, our comprehension of training transfer remains significantly constrained.Besides, on-the-job training and education initiatives managed at boosting occupational commitment will remain unjustifiable based on biased faith or unrealistic imagination.
To address the first research question, this study employs social capital theory as a theoretical foundation to elucidate training transfer and occupational commitment.Given that on-the-job training entails numerous social relationship and encounters, the efficacy of training transfer is likely shaped by interpersonal relationships, reciprocity, and collective beliefs (Bock et al., 2005), integral components of social capital theory.This theory proves crucial in comprehending the enhanced likelihood of training transfer due to the role of social capital in augmenting individuals' professional knowledge and experiences, facilitating practical applications in the workplace.
In response to the second research question, this study introduces the learning value of the job (LVJ) as a pivotal moderator in the relationship between social capital and training transfer.LVJ is defined as the degree to which occupational knowledge and skills acquired by employees serve as valuable assets for their ongoing career development (Van Der Heijden et al., 2009).Jobs that allow employees to demonstrate and expand the value of their skills and knowledge act as a moderating resource that aids in facilitating training transfer (Janssen et al., 2021).That is, LVJ inspires employees to make good use of social capital to exert the necessary knowledge and skills, consequently leveraging training transfer to further enhance occupational commitment.
All in all, this study contributes to the literature by proposing a model of occupational commitment from a social capital lens with training transfer as a key mediator and LVJ as a moderator.The findings of this study can provide new insights for scholars and practitioners in the area of workplace training and education to delineate effective blueprints that eventually foster employees' strong occupational commitment.

Development of research hypotheses
This study presents a research model (see Figure 1) elucidating the formation of occupational commitment through the lens of social capital theory.Social capital is defined as the aggregate of valuable resources inherent in, accessible through, and obtained from the social connections held by an individual or a group (Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998).It encompasses the characteristics of social organizations, including social interaction, trust, and shared vision (Lin & Huang, 2023).These aspects collectively play a pivotal role in facilitating employees' training transfer (e.g.Han et al., 2019), thereby bolstering their occupational commitment.Simultaneously, LVJ is posited to act as a moderator in the relationships between the three elements of social capital and training transfer.The theoretical justifications for these hypotheses are discussed in the following sections.
Occupational commitment is defined as the motivational strength of employees' identification with and willingness to persist in their profession (Lin et al., 2022).This commitment is likely to be augmented when training transfer is facilitated, allowing employees to apply their newly acquired skills and foster prosperous career development.Consequently, positive influences on occupational commitment stem from effective training transfer.Conversely, when employees lack a clear understanding of how to apply the knowledge or skills acquired in training to real-world scenarios (i.e.experiencing low training transfer), doubts may surface regarding their competence to excel at work or effectively navigate demanding occupational conditions in the long term.Consequently, such perceptions lead to a reduction in their occupational commitment.
Defined as both informal and formal encounters among employees (Lin et al., 2022), social interaction plays a significant role in enhancing training transfer.According to social capital theory, individuals who actively participate in various social interactions to acquire socially supportive resources (Gabbay & Leenders, 1999) are likely to exert training Total Quality Management & Business Excellence 1169 transfer to a large extent.Considering that social interaction reflects the pattern of structural connections or links among employees in the workplace (Tsai et al., 2014), individuals with heightened levels of social interaction can often increase training transfer through the exchange of tips, knowledge, and experiences with their peers (Cai et al., 2020;Robert et al., 2008), ultimately improving occupational commitment.In summary, social interaction is hypothesized to have an indirect effect on occupational commitment through training transfer, and the hypothesis is further elaborated below.
H1: Social interaction is positively related to occupational commitment via the mediation of training transfer.
A shared vision encompasses a collective set of assumptions and beliefs widely embraced by employees regarding workplace goals and processes (Tsai et al., 2014).This shared vision stands as a crucial element in the establishment of learning organizations (Senge, 1990) and plays a pivotal role in facilitating training transfer rooted in learning performance.By fostering employees' openness to consider and integrate diverse perspectives (Chen, 2015), the shared vision enhances the practical application of knowledge and skills acquired through workplace training (i.e.training transfer) (Jackson et al., 2019).Specifically, aligned with a shared understanding of purpose, values, and a sense of the future (i.e.shared vision), employees are more likely to collaborate in sharing and integrating organizational resources, effectively applying their trained skills and knowledge to navigate professional challenges (Cao et al., 2016).In essence, shared vision enhances the probability of employees' training transfer through experiential learning gained from each other, enabling them to grasp the essence of applying newly acquired knowledge and skills (Noorizan et al., 2016;Velada et al., 2007), thereby reinforcing occupational commitment.The second hypothesis is presented below.
H2: Shared vision is positively related to occupational commitment via the mediation of training transfer.
Scholars in the social capital field underscore the crucial role of trust in facilitating employees' skill acquisition and knowledge transfer during workplace training (Bakker et al., 2006;Lefebvre et al., 2016).Trust is defined as employees' willingness to depend on each other in workplace activities (Baruch & Lin, 2012).In an environment where trust is robust, there is an increased fostering of opportunities for the exchange of personal know-how and expertise among employees during or after training courses.Consequently, the establishment of a trusting space with enduring social and affective resources emerges (Chou & Pearson, 2012;Jahanshahi et al., 2020), facilitating mutual learning among employees in the application of learned knowledge and skills to actual practices (i.e.training transfer), ultimately nurturing their occupational commitment.Based on the aforementioned rationale, the hypothesized relationship between trust and occupational commitment is derived as follows.
H3: Trust is positively related to occupational commitment via the mediation of training transfer.
When employees perceive high LVJ, they are more inclined to actively engage in social interactions contributing to their understanding that the acquired knowledge from training can be effectively applied on the job (i.e.training transfer).Conversely, when employees perceive no value in the learning derived from on-the-job training activities (i.e.low LVJ), they are less likely to harness the positive effect of social interaction, choosing to disregard it and thereby diminishing opportunities for learning and understanding how to apply the acquired skills to actual occupational practices.Consequently, low LVJ weakens the positive influence of social interaction on training transfer, forming the basis for the hypothesis outlined below.

H4:
The positive relationship between social interaction and training transfer is positively moderated by LVJ, such that the relationship is stronger when LVJ is higher.
The connection between shared vision and training transfer is strengthened by the presence of high LVJ, as LVJ increases employees' awareness of the shared vision, providing a framework for discussions on professional development among employees.To put it differently, with a stronger emphasis on LVJ, employees become more attuned to the extent to which they share a clear and mutually agreed-upon vision of their collective purpose and future direction (i.e.shared vision), thereby significantly facilitating training transfer.In a context characterized by robust emphasis on LVJ, employees who prioritize a shared vision to advance the achievement of common goals (e.g.Tsai et al., 2014) are more likely to effectively apply the insights acquired from training to practical use in their occupational development.Consequently, the impact of shared vision on training transfer is anticipated to be more pronounced in situations with stronger LVJ than in those with lower LVJ, leading to the formulation of the following hypothesis.

H5:
The positive relationship between shared vision and shared vision is positively moderated by LVJ, such that the relationship is stronger when LVJ is higher.
LVJ denotes the degree to which tasks and job responsibilities empower employees to expand upon their existing repertoire of occupational knowledge and skills (Van der Heijden & Bakker, 2011).In the presence of stronger perceived LVJ, employees are more inclined to embrace vulnerability to the actions of their colleagues (i.e.trust for mutual learning) to comprehend the applicability of their trained skills and knowledge (Santoso et al., 2023).This inclination improves the effectiveness of application strategies and solutions through the utilization of trained skills and knowledge (i.e.training transfer).Conversely, employees with perceived low LVJ tend to isolate themselves from their peers, opting for self-learning in training activities without addressing trust issues.Consequently, the impact of trust on training transfer weakens in the context of lower LVJ, leading to the hypothesis outlined below.
H6: The positive relationship between trust and training transfer is positively moderated by LVJ, such that the relationship is stronger when LVJ is higher.

Participants and procedure
This study conducted an empirical examination of its research hypotheses through a crosssectional survey involving project-related employees at a leading high-tech company specializing in computer engineering and communication technologies in Taiwan.The survey questionnaire was exclusively distributed by the Human Resource Management (HRM) department to employees participating in an on-the-job training program within a threemonth period.In the high-tech industry, training is regularly carried out to ensure that employees stay updated on the latest advancements, methodologies, and tools.This helps them remain competitive, adaptable, and proficient in their roles, ultimately driving innovation and success within their organizations.
These employees were selected as research participants because of their involvement in training programs designed to enhance their engineering knowledge and technical skills for practical application in their roles.The programs encompass a diverse range of topics, including but not limited to learning new software development Total Quality Management & Business Excellence 1171 strategies, understanding emerging technology tools (e.g.AI-based tools), effectively utilizing these tools (e.g.formulating AI prompts), and so on.These engineers, spanning software, hardware, and system disciplines, collaborate closely as a team on various projects.Their roles evolve continuously, shaped by emerging development methodologies like hardware-software codesign and innovative management approaches.During these programs, employees were expected to engage in interactions, foster trusting relationships, and potentially develop shared values, enhancing the efficiency of their learning experiences.Collectively, this study aims to control and mitigate the likelihood of selecting unsuitable research participants by carefully choosing individuals who have a thorough understanding, relevant experiences, and valuable insights into the training program and its processes.
The study initially distributed 250 questionnaires, ultimately receiving 202 usable responses, resulting in a response rate of 80.8%.Among the survey respondents, 69.3% were male, 67.8% held a bachelor's degree or higher, 59.4% were married, 39.1% were aged 50 or above, 24.3% had a job tenure of 10 years or more within the current organization, and 84.2% had accumulated 10 or more years of total working experience in their careers.

Measures
Empirical data for this study were collected through a questionnaire with five-point Likert scales.Measurement items were developed based on pre-validated scales and subsequently modified to align with the specific context of workplace training.A preliminary pilot survey was conducted with 60 full-time employees possessing project management experience.It is noteworthy that participants from the pilot survey were excluded from the subsequent actual survey.During the pilot study, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed to assess the pilot survey data, focusing on potential issues such as serious cross-loading or poor loading.The constructs and measurement items utilized in the actual survey are comprehensively detailed in Appendix A.

Analytical approaches and results
The hypotheses underwent statistical analyses using various methods, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM), bootstrapping analyses, moderated regression analyses, and the method of Unmeasured Latent Method Construct (ULMC) (Williams et al., 1989).The initial step involved performing CFA.Table 1 presents the goodness-of-fit indices for the measurement model in CFA.Notably, the normalized chi-square (i.e.χ^2/df = 1.72) was less than 2.0, RMR was below 0.05, RMSEA was under 0.08, RMR remained under 0.05, and both CFI and NNFI exceeded 0.9, while NFI approached 0.9.In summary, these indices collectively indicate that the empirical data align well with the proposed measurement model in this study.
Convergent validity was demonstrated by three key indicators: (1) statistically significant t-values for all standardized factor loadings, (2) Cronbach's alpha values surpassing 0.70, and (3) Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values equaling or exceeding 0.5 (refer to Table 1).Discriminant validity was rigorously examined through AVE tests, as detailed in Table 2.The square root of AVE for each construct surpassed the correlations between the respective constructs, providing robust evidence that all constructs were statistically distinct.Consequently, these results reinforce the discriminant validity of the study's measures.
This study employed SEM to assess H1-H3, investigating both direct and indirect relationships within the proposed model (refer to Table 3).The analytical results indicated that all model paths based on the proposed framework were statistically significant, providing support for H1-H3.Simultaneously, an alternative model, incorporating direct effects  To cross-validate the mediating effect of training transfer, bootstrapping analyses were executed to confirm the significance of the mediation effects (refer to Table 4).Within Table 4, all three model paths featuring training transfer as a mediator were deemed significant, as evidenced by confidence intervals that did not encompass zero.The significance of these mediating effects aligns with the empirical findings derived from the earlier structural equation modeling analysis.This cross-validation enhances the analytical robustness of the study.
This study conducted moderated regression analyses to test H1-H6 (see Table 5).In Model 1, training transfer significantly related to occupational commitment with the coefficient of 0.76 (p < .01).In Model 2, three predictors (i.e.social interaction, trust, and shared vision) all significantly related to training transfer directly with the coefficients of 0.20 (p < .01),0.24 (p < .01),0.22 (p < .01)respectively.In Model 3, the three predictors and the mediator (i.e.training transfer) were all included to explain occupational commitment.The result showed the only significant relationship between training transfer and occupational commitment with the coefficient of 0.58 (p < .01),which also indicated no direct relationship between the three predictors and occupational commitment (thus H1-H3 were supported).These results altogether were consistent with the preceding test results of SEM, further cross-validating H1-H3.In Model 4, three interaction terms of LVJ were included for testing the moderating effects of LVJ.The test result revealed the only significant interaction between shared vision and LVJ with the coefficient of 0.23 (p < .01),simultaneously indicating unsupported H4-5 and supported H6.Finally, this study employed the ULMC technique (Williams et al., 1989) to examine the potential threat of common method bias (CMB) (refer to Table 6).Despite a significant chi-square difference observed between Model T (the trait model) and Model M (the method model), indicating a potential common method variance, the lack of significance in the chi-square difference between Model M (the method model) and Model R (the restricted trait model) suggests the absence of common method bias (CMB) in our empirical results.In summary, the findings of this study are statistically unbiased.

Discussion
This study enriches the current body of social capital research by establishing links between social capital factors and occupational commitment.This relationship is explored through the mediating influence of training transfer and the moderating impact of LVJ.The empirical analyses conducted in this study contribute original insights to the literature, offering valuable perspectives from both theoretical and practical standpoints.The following summarizes these noteworthy contributions.

Theoretical implications
This study marks a notable advancement in addressing research gaps by exploring the intricate dynamics of the training transfer process, particularly influenced by LVJ.The findings of this study yield two key implications for research.Firstly, the identification of the mediating role of training transfer complements theoretical perspectives of training motivation, such as human capital theory and conservation of resource theory, which delve into the direction, intensity, and persistence of learning orientation in workplace training contexts (Chung et al., 2022).While prior research (Colquitt et al., 2000) has predominantly applied training motivation theory to explain trainees' motivation to learn new knowledge and skills for actual applications (i.e.training transfer), our study takes a step further by elucidating how social capital serves as a reinforcing factor in this motivation.In essence, our findings demonstrate that social capital acts as a dynamo for training transfer, subsequently enhancing occupational commitment.This augments existing research, which has linked training motivation (or transfer) to technology-based methods, voluntary learning opportunities provided by organizations (Dachner et al., 2019), individual differences (e.g.personality), and/or situational characteristics (e.g.procedural justice) (Chung et al., 2022).All in all, this study recognizes social capital as a critical supplement to training motivation theory.
Secondly, the moderating role of LVJ in shaping the development of training transfer in this study complements previous research findings that highlight LVJ as a moderator in the relationship between subjective career success and career crafting.Given that career success is unlikely to be achieved without occupational commitment (Pu et al., 2021), our study underscores the importance of incorporating LVJ as a crucial moderator in future research endeavors that seek to elucidate the connections among occupational commitment, career success, and their determinants.While career-related literature has explored various moderators such as career-enhancing strategies (Ekmekcioglu et al., 2020), leadership role models (Son & Kim, 2021), and meaningfulness (Sawhney et al., 2020), this study recognizes LVJ as a noteworthy addition to the literature, providing a more nuanced understanding of career-related issues.

Practical implications
The empirical findings of this study provide practical implications for implementation in professional settings.The research examines the importance of social interaction, shared vision, and trust as drivers for occupational commitment, mediated by training transfer.This extends the existing body of research, which predominantly concentrates on instrumental factors like incentives, rewards, promotions, and prizes (e.g.Ahmed et al., 2016).Unlike human capital, which is viewed as an extrinsic and instrumental asset for organizations, social capital represents an intrinsic aspect of socially sustainable exchanges among individuals or groups.
Trainers or mentors overseeing employee training should leverage social capital to maximize training transfer and reinforce occupational commitment.To begin with, to cultivate robust social capital and enhance training transfer, employees need to invest time and effort in engaging in workplace activities and fostering reciprocal interactions.Trainers play a crucial role in encouraging employees with lower levels of social interaction to proactively connect with others or seek guidance for improving their interpersonal communication skills and coordination abilities.Besides, building social capital grounded in mutual trust is likely to contribute significantly to the enduring effectiveness of training transfer.Enhancing the transparency and justifiability of workplace policies that may occasionally conflict with individual interests increases the likelihood of employees perceiving fairness in the workplace.This in turn helps foster mutual trust among employees.Additionally, assigning employees tasks that require high interdependence can promote a willingness to rely on the actions of others over the long term (e.g.De Jong et al., 2021).Finally, employees must be encouraged to engage in open dialogue through reflective processes and feedback mechanisms, facilitating the gradual formation of shared value.
To effectively leverage the influence of LVJ on the relationship between shared vision and training transfer, it is crucial for trainers or supervisors to consistently evaluate employees' perceived levels of LVJ.This assessment is essential for maximizing the benefits derived from shared vision in the context of training transfer.Trainers or supervisors should participate in leadership training programs that specifically target skills essential for instilling positive LVJ in the workplace environment.These skills include delivering motivational talks, mastering effective inspirational communication, honing persuasive abilities, and cultivating authentic dialogues.Simultaneously, employees should have access to mentoring and counseling resources to address any gaps in their understanding of how their job can actually provide valuable nutrients for their prosperous career development.Job descriptions should undergo continuous refinement to clearly demonstrate how their job supports the realization of individuals' potential and provides opportunities for making objective social impacts through their job.In summary, a welldefined picture of LVJ needs to be communicated to employees, ensuring that the effectiveness of training transfer is easily augmented through a shared vision.

Limitations and future research directions
This study is subject to limitations concerning both research investigation and interpretation.First, the investigation of this study was carried out in the high-tech industry setting, and thus the generalizability of inferences derived from this study might be somewhat limited.To further increase the degree of generalizability, future research across a wide variety of industries can be useful for complementing the findings of this study.Second, while occupational commitment measured in this study was delimited to individuals' recognition of the value of their job, future research may conduct longitudinal investigation regarding the amount of time they actually spend in their occupation to capture behavior-based occupational commitment precisely.Third, this study focused on training transfer based on social capital theory and might overlook how training transfer was also influenced by organizational factors, such as training need analysis, workplace transfer climate, HRM practices, organizational justice, etc. Fourth, while the cross-sectional survey is appropriate for this study, as the moderating effects under examination are unlikely to be deliberately incorporated into the cognitive maps of survey participants (Lin et al., 2020), it is crucial to acknowledge that the cross-sectional nature of the survey restricts its capacity to draw causal inferences.In other words, this study serves as a preliminary step, laying the groundwork for future multi-wave research endeavors.Future research could enhance this study by delving deeper into human capital or organizationlevel perspectives using longitudinal data collection methods.Such an approach has the potential to make a more substantial contribution to the existing literature.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Table 1 .
Results of confirmatory factor analysis.

Table 2 .
AVE tests for confirming discriminate validity.Total Quality Management & Business Excellence 1173 of three antecedents (i.e.social capital factors) on the outcome (i.e.occupational commitment), demonstrated no direct linkages between social capital and occupational commitment.This finding reinforces our proposed model, positing that the relationship between the three social capital factors and occupational commitment occurs indirectly through the mediation of training transfer.
** p < .05.Note: The diagonal numbers are the square root of AVE (averaged variance extracted) and the off-diagonal numbers are pair-wise correlations.

Table 3 .
Test results of SEM.Note: Learning value of the job was controlled in the model.

Table 4 .
The results of the mediation using bootstrapping.

Table 5 .
Test results of moderated regression analysis

Table 6 .
Tests for detecting CMB.