The Mediation of Perceived External Marketability between Self- Direction and Intention to Quit Among Teachers

To study the effect of protean careers orientation on teachers’ intention to quit, this study investigated the mediating effect of perceived external marketability between self-direction and intention to quit. The framework of this study was under the spectrum of stimulusorganism-response theory. The sample of 274 private primary school teachers of Karachi, the data was gathered using a questionnaire-based survey method and analysed using SPSS 22 and Smart PLS3.2 with structural equation modelling technique. The self-direction was found widespread among young teachers. We found that highly protean teachers had a higher intention to quit when they perceived higher external marketability. The results complement the current knowledge of protean careers orientation in the Pakistani education sector and provide a clear conceptualisation of perceived external marketability. It is also helpful for policymakers to better understand the subjective reasons such as selfdirection and perceived marketability among the teachers, which may affect the career decisions of teachers and may lead to quitting behaviour.