Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of growth orientation on life satisfaction through subjective career success. Specifically, first, the relationship between growth orientation, subjective career success, and life satisfaction was examined. Second, the mediating effect of subjective career success on the effect of growth orientation on life satisfaction was confirmed. Third, the moderating effect of positive leadership was verified on the relationship between growth orientation and subjective career success. Finally, the moderated mediating effect of positive leadership was verified in the process of growth orientation affecting life satisfaction. To this end, an online survey was conducted on 255 office workers in their 20s and 60s (124 males, 131 females) asking about their growth orientation, life satisfaction, subjective career success, and the degree of positive leadership. Analysis was performed with SPSS 23.0, PROCESS macro v3.0, and AMOS 23.0. The analysis results are as follows. First, subjective career success was found to mediate the relationship between growth orientation and life satisfaction. Second, it was found that the positive leadership of superiors significantly modulated the relationship between growth orientation and subjective career success. Third, the higher the positive leadership of the superior, the stronger the positive relationship of growth orientation on life satisfaction through subjective career success, and thus the moderated mediating effect was verified to be significant. Based on these research results, the significance and limitations of the study, practical implications, limitations, and future research were suggested.