The impact of teaching-research conflict on turnover intention: cross-level interaction effect of justice climate

Front Psychol. 2023 Nov 29:14:1283477. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1283477. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Introduction: Research-based on the Job Demands-Resources theory (JD-R theory) has revealed a close relationship between teaching-research conflict and job burnout. However, there needs to be more investigation into the complex relationship between teaching-research conflict and turnover intentions from the perspective of this theory. To address these gaps, this study, grounded in the JD-R theory, explores the relationships among teaching-research conflict, career adaptability, justice climate, job burnout, and turnover intention.

Methods: Data collected through an online survey involving 858 Chinese university teachers, and the analysis utilized a Multilevel Structural Equation Model (MSEM) with Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimation.

Results: The findings reveal that job burnout mediates the relationship between teaching-research conflict and turnover intention. Career adaptability plays a moderating role in the connection between job burnout and turnover intention. Furthermore, justice climate exhibits a cross-level interaction effect concerning the relationship between teaching-research conflict and turnover intention.

Discussion: These findings offer innovative strategies for mitigating and preventing faculty turnover intention.

Keywords: career adaptability; job burnout; justice climate; teaching-research conflict; turnover intention.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Localization Construction of Philosophical Practices in Educational Evaluation: A Study on Practice-oriented Education Evaluation Philosophy” (Grant Number: BAA190239) in the field of education and Guangzhou Postdoctoral Research Funding (Grant Number: 62306501).