How Ambition and Commitment Influence the Career Withdrawal Intention of Hotel Employees: A Latent Change Score Modeling Approach

Despite the significant challenges of high turnover and labor shortages in the hospitality industry, the impact of ambition on employees’ vocational attitudes remains underexplored. Drawing on self-determination and prospect theories, this research investigated the ways that hotel employees’ ambition affected their career withdrawal intention, with career commitment acting as a mediator. Employing latent change score mediation modeling, with longitudinal data collected in four waves over nine months, it was found that changes in ambition levels correlate with changes in career commitment, subsequently affecting change in withdrawal intention. These findings advance the knowledge relating to the mechanisms of ambition, and shift the research focus from a static, between-person perspective, to one that considers the dynamic, within-person changes in vocational attitudes. From a practical perspective, the study contributes to understanding the dynamics of career development and retention strategies in the hospitality industry.