Ghosting in Business Contexts: An Approach to Operationalization

Absztrakt

Ghosting, originally known as an interpersonal phenomenon, has spread to professional contexts, particularly in recruitment processes. Companies are faced with the challenge of candidate ghosting, where applicants break off contact without prior indication or explanation of reasons. While the phenomenon is present in the public debate, there is a lack of scientific research from the perspective of companies. This review takes a systematic approach to operationalising candidate ghosting in recruitment processes in order to analyse existing methodological concepts and develop a suitable research design. Using a literature review and a fourstage assessment approach, existing studies are analysed in terms of their generalisability, their focus on company processes and their ability to identify candidates’ ghosting tendencies. The results show that previous research is often focused on candidate perspectives and rarely provides company-relevant recommendations for action. Based on the identified research gaps, an optimal methodological design is proposed that utilises quantitative approaches and relies on company accessible data. This review contributes to better prediction and prevention of candidate ghosting in recruitment processes and supports companies in developing targeted recruitment strategies.

JEL-codes: D81, M50, M51