The Effect of Organizational Inclusive Cues and Inclusive Cues Incongruence on Application Intentions Mediated by Perceived Organizational Hypocrisy among Generation Z Students of the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE), Universitas Islam Indonesia (U
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55681/economina.v5i7.2952Keywords:
Organizational Inclusive Cues, Inclusive Cues Incongruence, Application Intentions, Perceived Organizational HypocrisyAbstract
In the digital era, Generation Z tends to use job search platforms to research companies before applying. During this information gathering process, discrepancies are often found between statements of inclusivity and online reviews of employee experiences on these job search platforms. This study aims to analyze how organizational inclusive cues and incongruence of inclusive cues influence the application intentions of Generation Z alumni and students at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FBE) UII, mediated by perceptions of organizational hypocrisy. This study used a purposive sampling method with 250 respondents consisting of Generation Z alumni and final-year students at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FBE) UII who are currently or have used job search platforms. Data collection was conducted by distributing questionnaires. The results of this study indicate that organizational inclusive cues have a significant positive effect on application intentions, while incongruence of inclusive cues has a significant negative effect on application intentions. This study found that strongly communicated inclusive cues can increase skepticism and perceptions of organizational hypocrisy, which in turn reduces application intentions. Conversely, incongruence of inclusive cues was found to weaken application intentions by increasing perceptions of organizational hypocrisy. Thus, this study confirms that consistency in inclusive communication and implementation plays a crucial role in preventing 'inclusivity washing'.
Downloads
References
Adityara, S., & Rakhman, R. T. (2019, September). Karakteristik Generasi Z dalam perkembangan diri anak. Seminar Nasional Seni dan Desain 2019 (pp. 401-406). State University of Surabaya. Retrieved from [Visual]. Accessed on August 22, 2024.
Adams, S., & De Kock, F. (2015). The role of salient beliefs in graduates’ intention to apply. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 41(1), 11 pages. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v41i1.1223
Aiman-Smith, L., Bauer, T. N., & Cable, D. M. (2001). Are You Attracted? Do You Intend to Pursue? A Recruiting Policy-Capturing Study. Journal of Business and Psychology, 16(2), 219–237. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011157116322
Alahakoon, T., Beatson, A., Keating, B., Mathmann, F., Mortimer, G., & Worsteling, A. (2024). Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statements in Recruitment Materials: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda. Australasian Marketing Journal, 32(3), 263–274. https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582241255680
Avery, D. R., & McKAY, P. F. (2006). Target Practice: an Organizational Impression Management Approacg to Attracting Minority and Female Job Applicants. Personnel Psychology, 59(1), 157–187. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2006.00807.x
Barber, A. (1998). Recruiting Employees: Individual and Organizational Perspectives. SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452243351
Barber, A. E., & Roehling, M. V. (1993). Job postings and the decision to interview: A verbal protocol analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(5), 845–856. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.78.5.845
Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Boğan, E., Dedeoğlu, B. B., Çalışkan, C., & Cheema, S. (2024). Employee negative reactions to CSR: Corporate hypocrisy and symbolic CSR attributions as serial mediators. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 120, 103786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103786
Brouer, R., Badawy, R., & Stefanone, M. (2022). Social media and recruitment: Examining (counter) productive diversity messages. Organization Management Journal, 19(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1108/OMJ-09-2020-1029
Connelly, B. L., Certo, S. T., Ireland, R. D., & Reutzel, C. R. (2011). Signaling Theory: A Review and Assessment. Journal of Management, 37(1), 39–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310388419
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4. ed). SAGE.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (Fourth edition). SAGE.
De Cock, V., Celik, P., & Toma, C. (2025). The Proof is in the Pudding: Workers Care About Evidence‐Based Diversity Cues. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 55(1), 52–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13076
De Saint Priest, O., Krings, F., & Toma, C. (2024). Too old to be included: Age diversity statements foster diversity yet fall short on inclusion. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1303224. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1303224
Donia, M. B. L., Ronen, S., Tetrault Sirsly, C.-A., & Bonaccio, S. (2019). CSR by Any Other Name? The Differential Impact of Substantive and Symbolic CSR Attributions on Employee Outcomes. Journal of Business Ethics, 157(2), 503–523. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3673-5
Dutta, D., & Naveen, P. M. (2026). Transforming Recruitment and Selection Practices in Organizations Through Discriminative and Generative AI Adoption: A Structuration Lens. Human Resource Management, 65(1), 77–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.70018
Ekhsan, M., & Fitri, N. (2021). Pengaruh Employer Branding Terhadap Minat Melamar Pekerjaan Dengan Reputasi Perusahaan Sebagai Variabel Mediasi. Jurnal Ekonomi Bisnis, Manajemen Dan Akuntansi (JEBMA), 1(2), 97–107. https://doi.org/10.47709/jebma.v1i2.992
Gajjar, T., & Okumus, F. (2018). Diversity management: What are the leading hospitality and tourism companies reporting? Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 27(8), 905–925. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2018.1465505
Gazi, Md. A. I., Sumaya, S., Masud, A. A., Abir, T. M., Amin, M. B., Mohammad, R. A., Lipy, N. S., & Fenyves, V. (2026). Enhancing Employer Attractiveness: The impact of inclusive leadership on prospective employees’ intention to apply. Cogent Business & Management, 13(1), 2650836. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2026.2650836
Ghasemaghaei, M. (2026). When Talk and Walk Diverge: How Organizational-AI Misalignment Erodes Integrity-Based Trust and Reliance on AI. Journal of Management Information Systems, 43(1), 38–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2025.2602397
Gomes, D., & Neves, J. (2011). Organizational attractiveness and prospective applicants’ intentions to apply. Personnel Review, 40(6), 684–699. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483481111169634
Goswami, S. (2022). A bigger challenge: Types of perceived corporate hypocrisy in employees and their resulting attitudes and turnover intentions. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 9(3), 471–488. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOEPP-07-2021-0186
Goswami, S., Ha-Brookshire, J., & Bonifay, W. (2018). Measuring Perceived Corporate Hypocrisy: Scale Development in the Context of U.S. Retail Employees. Sustainability, 10(12), 4756. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124756
Gupta, S., & Saini, G. K. (2020). Information Source Credibility and Job Seekers’ Intention to Apply: The Mediating Role of Brands. Global Business Review, 21(3), 743–762. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150918778910
Guzzo, R. F., Wang, X., Madera, J. M., & Abbott, J. (2021). Organizational trust in times of COVID-19: Hospitality employees’ affective responses to managers’ communication. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 93, 102778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102778
Hadi, F. S. (2026). From branding to behavior: Investigating the impact of employer branding and organizational reputation on application intentions through person-organizational fit (POF). Southeast Asian Journal of Service Management, 3(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.24123/seajsm.v310
Hair, J. F. (Ed.). (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (Second edition). Sage.
Hansari, H. (2025). Mengenal Gen Z, Generasi Rawan Depresi hingga Si Paling Self Reward. https://kotabarukab.bps.go.id/en/news/2025/05/19/345/mengenal-gen-z-generasi-rawan-depresi-hingga-si-paling-self-reward.html
Higgins, C., Tang, S., & Stubbs, W. (2020). On managing hypocrisy: The transparency of sustainability reports. Journal of Business Research, 114, 395–407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.08.041
Highhouse, S., Lievens, F., & Sinar, E. F. (2003). Measuring Attraction to Organizations. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 63(6), 986–1001. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164403258403
Joshi, A., Sekar, S., & Das, S. (2024). Decoding employee experiences during pandemic through online employee reviews: Insights to organizations. Personnel Review, 53(1), 288–313. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-07-2022-0478
Kim, H., Hur, W.-M., & Yeo, J. (2015). Corporate Brand Trust as a Mediator in the Relationship between Consumer Perception of CSR, Corporate Hypocrisy, and Corporate Reputation. Sustainability, 7(4), 3683–3694. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7043683
Lee, L., & Hur, W.-M. (2024a). How does corporate hypocrisy undermine corporate reputation? The roles of corporate trust, affective commitment and CSR perception. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 33(6), 654–667. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-07-2023-4605
Lee, L., & Hur, W.-M. (2024b). How does corporate hypocrisy undermine corporate reputation? The roles of corporate trust, affective commitment and CSR perception. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 33(6), 654–667. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-07-2023-4605
Lewin, L. D., & Warren, D. E. (2025). Hypocrites! Social Media Reactions and Stakeholder Backlash to Conflicting CSR Information. Journal of Business Ethics, 196(2), 419–437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-024-05700-4
Li, H., Duan, X., & Fu, Q. (2025). Enhancing organizational attractiveness through CSR consistency: Examining the impact of corporate hypocrisy, conceptual fluency, and proactive communication in HR recruitment. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 32(1), 253–268. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2946
Madera, J. M. (2013). Best Practices in Diversity Management in Customer Service Organizations: An Investigation of Top Companies Cited by Diversity Inc. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 54(2), 124–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965513475526
Majeed, S., & Kim, W. G. (2023). A reflection of greenwashing practices in the hospitality industry: A scoping review. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(3), 1125–1146. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-04-2022-0495
Manoharan, A., & Singal, M. (2017). A systematic literature review of research on diversity and diversity management in the hospitality literature. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 66, 77–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2017.07.002
Marques, C., Da Silva, R. V., Davcik, N. S., & Faria, R. T. (2020). The role of brand equity in a new rebranding strategy of a private label brand. Journal of Business Research, 117, 497–507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.06.022
Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995a). An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709. https://doi.org/10.2307/258792
Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (1995b). An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 709. https://doi.org/10.2307/258792
Miao, Q., & Zhou, J. (2020). Corporate Hypocrisy and Counterproductive Work Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model of Organizational Identification and Perceived Importance of CSR. Sustainability, 12(5), 1847. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051847
Nawaz, A., Soomro, S. A., & Talpur, Q. (2026). Environmental Actions and Leadership Integrity: Unpacking Symbolic and Substantive Pro‐Environmental Behavior Impact on Organizational Perception. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 35(1), 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12777
Pernkopf, K., Latzke, M., & Mayrhofer, W. (2021). Effects of mixed signals on employer attractiveness: A mixed‐method study based on signalling and convention theory. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(2), 392–413. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12313
Ponting, S. S.-A., & Dillette, A. (2023). Diversity, equity, and inclusion practices: A Delphi study to build a consensus in hospitality and tourism organizations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(11), 3764–3786. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-11-2022-1503
Purdie-Vaughns, V., Steele, C. M., Davies, P. G., Ditlmann, R., & Crosby, J. R. (2008). Social identity contingencies: How diversity cues signal threat or safety for African Americans in mainstream institutions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(4), 615–630. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.94.4.615
Radlovacki, S. (2025, September 10). More Than Half of Gen Z Check Employer Social Media Before Applying. https://cxm.world/employee-experience/more-than-half-of-gen-z-check-employer-social-media-before-applying/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Rahmawati, Se. Mm., Dr. R., & Ratnasari, Se. Mm., Dr. S. D. (2021). Pengaruh online recruitment dan persepsi pencari kerja terhadap niat melamar pekerjaan (studi pada mahasiswa semester akhir di kota malang. EKONIKA Jurnal Ekonomi Universitas Kadiri, 6(2), 266. https://doi.org/10.30737/ekonika.v6i2.1500
Roberson, Q. M. (2006). Disentangling the Meanings of Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations. Group & Organization Management, 31(2), 212–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601104273064
Robertson, J. L., Karamally, T., Simpson, B., & Montgomery, A. W. (2025a). Understanding the Effects of Corporate Environmental Communication on Jobseekers. Business Strategy and the Environment, 34(8), 9844–9862. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70094
Robertson, J. L., Karamally, T., Simpson, B., & Montgomery, A. W. (2025b). Understanding the Effects of Corporate Environmental Communication on Jobseekers. Business Strategy and the Environment, 34(8), 9844–9862. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70094
Ross, R. L., Traylor, H. D., & Ruggs, E. N. (2025). Attributions of diversity, equity, and inclusion signals in organizations: An integrative conceptual review, theoretical extension, and future research agenda. Journal of Applied Psychology, 110(12), 1574–1593. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001289
Shore, L. M., Randel, A. E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M. A., Holcombe Ehrhart, K., & Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and Diversity in Work Groups: A Review and Model for Future Research. Journal of Management, 37(4), 1262–1289. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310385943
Soeling, P. D., Ajeng Arsanti, S. D., & Indriati, F. (2022). Organizational reputation: Does it mediate the effect of employer brand attractiveness on intention to apply in Indonesia? Heliyon, 8(4), e09208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09208
Speckemeier, L., & Tsivrikos, D. (2022). Evidence of Greenwashing in Talent Attraction: Is Deceptive Marketing an Effective Recruiting Strategy? European Journal of Business and Management Research, 7(3), 14–25. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2022.7.3.1406
Spence, M. (1973a). Job Market Signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
Spence, M. (1973b). Job Market Signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
Spence, M. (1973c). Job Market Signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
Sultana, N. (2017). Analyzing the Effectiveness of Online Recruitment: A Case Study on Recruiters of Bangladesh. Asian Business Review, 7(2), 79–84. https://doi.org/10.18034/abr.v7i2.14
Sun, Q., Jiang, J., Wang, Z., & Liao, B. (2023). Research on enterprise digital transformation disclosure based on hypocrisy theory. Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 44(5), 8119–8132. https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-224092
Wagner, T., Lutz, R. J., & Weitz, B. A. (2009). Corporate Hypocrisy: Overcoming the Threat of Inconsistent Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions. Journal of Marketing, 73(6), 77–91. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.73.6.77
Walker, H. J., Feild, H. S., Bernerth, J. B., & Becton, J. B. (2012). Diversity cues on recruitment websites: Investigating the effects on job seekers’ information processing. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(1), 214–224. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025847
Wijaya, C. N., Mustika, M. D., Bulut, S., & Bukhori, B. (2023). The power of e-recruitment and employer branding on Indonesian millennials’ intention to apply for a job. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1062525. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1062525
Williamson, I. O., Slay, H. S., Shapiro, D. L., & Shivers‐Blackwell, S. L. (2008). The effect of explanations on prospective applicants reactions to firm diversity practices. Human Resource Management, 47(2), 311–330. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20214
Zeb, F., Wang, Q., & Shahjehan, A. (2023). Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue: Dynamics of perceived organization hypocrisy and job embeddedness in the hospitality industry. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1036320. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1036320
Zhang, Y. C., Shum, C., & Manoharan, A. (2026). Woke washing won’t work: The effects of inclusive cues on online employee review sites on job seekers’ application intentions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 133, 104414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2025.104414
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 JURNAL ECONOMINA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.








