THE INFLUENCE OF MEANING ON CAREER COMPETENCY AMONG AIRCRAFT LINE MECHANICS IN JAPANESE LCCS: MEDIATING ROLE OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Abstract

The Japanese aircraft industry faces serious issues with competent aircraft mechanics due to business changes, reduced tacit knowledge learning, increased aircraft reliability, diversity of work values, and an unstructured development system. Therefore, this study examines the influence of meaning on career competency among the aircraft line mechanics in Japanese Low-Cost-Carriers (LCCs), using experiential learning as a mediator. Based on the expertisation and adult learning theories, this study attempts to test 12 hypotheses concerning the relationships of meaning, experiential learning, and career competency, emphasising the mediating effects of experiential learning. Data were collected using an online survey of 284 respondents, and 220 usable responses were obtained (77%). In this regard, validity, reliability, and empirical accuracy were assessed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). eight hypotheses out of 12 were supported. The test result showed that meaning positively influence on experiential learning, some dimensions of experiential learning positively influence on career competency, and some dimensions of experiential learning mediate between meaning and career competency. The findings of this study have significant implications across methodology, theoretical, and practical implications. However, several limitations should be acknowledged, and these form the basis for future research directions.