Fundamental and Applied Management Journal
Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): September

The Influence of Career Development and Career Adaptability on Internship Performance: The Mediating Role of Work Readiness among Generation Z Students

Saad Prasetia (Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia)
Muhammad Husain (Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
15 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study examines the associations of career development and career adaptability with internship performance and assesses whether work readiness functions as an intervening mechanism among Generation Z university students in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative cross-sectional survey was administered online, and the submitted manuscript reports 257 responses analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. Because the original respondent table contains inconsistent status coding, all inferential results should be treated as provisional until the raw sample is re-verified and the model is rerun. Findings – The supplied structural output reports positive direct coefficients for career adaptability to internship performance (β = 0.279), career adaptability to work readiness (β = 0.200), career development to internship performance (β = 0.166), career development to work readiness (β = 0.262), and work readiness to internship performance (β = 0.184). The reported indirect coefficients are β = 0.037 for career adaptability through work readiness and β = 0.048 for career development through work readiness. Exact bootstrap 95% confidence intervals were not included in the supplied output and must be verified before final mediation decisions are stated. Conclusion – The current estimates suggest that career development and career adaptability are related to internship performance both directly and through work readiness, although causal claims are not warranted by the cross-sectional design. Contribution – The study’s contribution lies not merely in positioning work readiness as a mediator, but in distinguishing career development activities from career adaptability as separate career resources and examining how each may be converted into internship performance through work readiness.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

FAMJ

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance Social Sciences

Description

Strategic and Operations Management, addressing strategic decision-making, operational excellence, supply chain, process improvement, and performance management. Business and International Management, covering global strategy, cross-border operations, internationalization, and comparative management ...