In this chapter, it is divided into the research framework, hypotheses, sample, data collection, reliability and validity, instrumentation, control variables, and data analysis.
Research Framework
Language anxiety was served as independent variable, while employability was dependent variable. English language proficiency was served as the moderator on the relationship between language anxiety and employability. The research framework was shown in Figure 3.1 and all the hypotheses were proposed in Table 3.1 for this study.
Figure 3.1 Research framework
Control Variable 1. Gender 3. Education 2. Age 4. Position H2
Language Anxiety
English Language Proficiency
H1 Employability
1. Internal Employability 2. External Employability
Hypotheses
Language anxiety negatively relates to employability. Specifically, individuals with higher language anxiety will have lower employability.
Language anxiety negatively relates to internal employability.
Language anxiety negatively relates to external employability Hypothesis 2.
Hypothesis 2a
Hypothesis 2b
English language proficiency positively moderates the relationship between language anxiety and employability
English language proficiency positively moderates the relationship between language anxiety and internal employability.
English language proficiency positively moderates the relationship between language anxiety and external employability.
Sample
There were three requirements for the samples in this study. Firstly, all participants in this study were workers in technology field including manufacturers of semiconductor, information technology, electronics, material suppliers, and other related industries. Workers in any levels and in any departments were all the target.
Secondly, these workers should use English on their jobs and tasks including having
ought to have taken TOEIC exam since TOEIC scores represented individuals’
English language proficiency in business and workplace contexts. Questionnaires were completed on the Internet, and there were 556 participants who answered the questionnaires. Eventually, only 249 questionnaires were valid since the other 306 participants failed to meet one the three requirements for the sample in this study.
Data Collection
The channels to conduct data collection were composed of two approaches. One relied on contacting the practitioners in Human Resource department in technology companies by the mediation of Chun Shin Limited., the ETS Taiwan representative.
Since Chun Shin Limited is in charge of holding TOEIC test in Taiwan and there is an academic partnership between this study and Chun Shin Limited. The manager of Chun Shin Limited contacted the Human Resource practitioner in technology companies at first place, and then the researcher in this study contacted Human resource practitioners for the details of distributing questionnaires. The other back-up to collect data was to adopt snowballing that asked friends, relatives, alumni who worked in technology companies.
Reliability and Validity Reliability
The study adopted maturing scales in the questionnaires to assure that all expected characteristics were measured to enhance the validity of each item in the questionnaires. Since all the original instruments in the questionnaires were designed in English and participants of the study were Taiwanese workers, the questionnaires were translated into Chinese version. Afterwards, expert reviews and peer reviews were also conducted as well to check the quality of translation work and made sure these Taiwanese participants could understand all the statements in each item. Expert review was done by thesis advisor, Dr. Lin. Peer review was done by a classmate who
majored in English in undergraduate. In this way, it aimed to reduce participants’
language boundary and misunderstanding towards the questionnaires.
In addition to ensure the validity of questionnaires, the questionnaires were designed to avoid common method variance (CMV) problem before sending out.
Therefore, first, the research purpose and variables in the study were not disclosed in the questionnaires because it may occur bias answers from participants (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Lee, & Podsakoff, 2003). Second, both 5-point and 7-point Liker scale were adopted to measure different variables in order to avert from CMV; Third, reverse items were comprised in the questionnaires to avoid participants to answer randomly.
In Table 3.2, the Cronbach’s alpha values represent the reliability of the scales adopted in this study. The Cronbach’s alpha value of employability was .85. The Cronbach’s alpha value of two dimensions in employability were .72 (internal employability) and .79 (external employability). The Cronbach’s alpha value of language anxiety was .93.
Validity
Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the validity of the study by manipulating AMOS 18.0. Varies of fit indices were adopted to examine the model fit in this study including The Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Incremental Fit Index (IFI), and Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), Normed Fit Index (NFI), and Goodness of Fix Index (GFI).
Based on previous literature, a good model fit was formed when the value of chi square dividing degree of freedom was under 3.0, RMSEA score was below .08; and score of CFI, IFI, and TLI were all over .90 (Browne & Cudeck, 1993; Byrne, 1998).
Table 4.3 shows the result of CFA in employability and language anxiety.
There were totally 11 items of employability. The chi-squre (χ2) was 76.69, and
NFI=.91, IFI=.95, TLI=.93, GFI=.95.
As for language anxiety, there were totally 17 items in this variable. The chi-squre (χ2) was 244.40, and other fit indices of employability are shown as follows:
RMSEA=.07, CFI=.95, NFI=.90, IFI=.95, TLI=.93, GFI=.90.
Table 3.2
Result of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (n=249)
Note. RMSEA = The Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, CFI = Comparative
Fit Index, IFI = Incremental Fit Index, TLI = Tucker-Lewis Index, NFI = Normed Fit index, GFI = Goodness of Fix Index.
Instrumentation Language Anxiety
Language anxiety meant individual’s incapability to express their own opinions and thoughts in the target language, which might have debilitating impacts on individual’s language learning, self-esteem, performance, adjustment and the image of themselves (Scovel, 1978; Horwitiz, Horwitz, and Cope, 1986; Horwitz, 2001; Kondo, 2010; Woodrow, 2006). The instrument of language anxiety was adopted from Yaikhong and Usaha (2012) with 17 items. Example item was “I never feel quite sure of myself while I am speaking English.” Responses were designed on a 5-Point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Not at all anxiety) to 5 (Extremely anxiety). The high score indicated that individuals had anxiety in using English in business occasions.
Employability
Employability was described as the capability or the skill individuals possess to
Index χ² df χ²/df RMSEA CFI NFI IFI TLI GFI
Employability 76.69 39 1.97 .062 .95 .91 .95 .93 .95
Language Anxiety 244.40 113 2.16 .068 .95 .90 .95 .93 .90
maintain the job individuals have or to obtain the job individuals wanted (Rothwell &
Arnold, 2007). The instrument of employability was adopted from Rothwell and Arnold (2007) with 11 items. Example item was “Even if there was downsizing in this organization I am confident that I would be retained.” Responses were designed on a 5-Point Likert scale, ranging from 1(Not at all anxiety) to 5 (Extremely anxiety). The high score indicates that individuals possess high employability.
English Language Proficiency
English language proficiency was individuals’ TOEIC test scores which ranged from 10 to 990. The TOEIC scores were divided into five colors, which were orange, brown, green, blue, and gold. The scores from 10 to 215 were classified as orange, 220 to 465 were classified as brown, 470 to 725 were classified as green, 730 to 855 were classified as blue, and scores over 860 were classified as gold. The higher TOEIC test scores individuals obtained, the better English language proficiency individuals had.
Control Variables Age
Previous research demonstrated that age was relevant to the employability since more young generation worked with temporary contracts (Forrier & Sels, 2003a;
Rothwell & Arnold, 2007).
Gender
Former studies showed that gender was essential to influence employability since more women worked with temporary contracts (Forrier & Sels, 2003a).
Education
Rothwell and Arnold (2007) pointed out that educational status might affect employability as well.
There was a correlative relationship between position in the organization and employability. People at high levels in position believed they obtained more employability than individuals at lower levels in position. On the other hand, individuals at high level within an organization they might think they were senior enough to be paid well (Rothwell & Arnold, 2007).
Data Analysis
In this study, SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 18.0 were manipulated in this study to analyze the data from questionnaires. The methods of data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis.
Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive analysis aimed to show the background information of pariticpants by percentage and numbers. The items of descriptive statistics in this study included age, tenure in the present organization, total tenure in career path, gender, education, the need of using English to communicate with foreigners from tasks, company type, position, department in the company, annual income, the department using English in the company, and the situation using English during the work.
Pearson Correlation Analysis
Pearson correlation analysis was adopted in this study to understand the correlation among control variables (age, gender, education, and position), TOEIC score (English language proficiency), employability, and language anxiety. Pearson correlation coefficient will be used to examine correlations among variables. If the correlation coefficient shows +1, it means there is a positively perfect correlation between two variables, while -1 means there is a negatively perfect correlation
between two variables. If the correlation coefficient reveals over 0.7, it represents two variables are highly correlated. The correlation coefficient within 0.4 to 0.7 reveals there is a medium correlation between two variables. Last, if the correlation coefficient shows under 0.4, it means there is a low correlation between two variables.
Hierarchical Regression Analysis
The relationships among TOEIC score (English language anxiety), employability, internal employability, external employability and language anxiety were examined by manipulating hierarchical regression analysis since all these variables were continuous variables. In the first session, the relationship between TOEIC score and employability; the relationship between TOEIC score and the sub-dimension of employability (internal employability and external employability) were examined.
In the second session, the moderating effect of language anxiety on the relationship between TOEIC score and employability was tested as well.