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From traditional career to contemporary career conceptions
Abstract
Career is influenced by many interconnected factors. Individual and contextual factors as organisational and socioeconomic belong to the most important factors. They influence various career aspects. Consequences of global chances accompanying the transition of industrial era to postindustrialism and postmodern society have been significantly impacted also on a career issue. Constantly growing attention has been given to the career issue and its context namely from 90́s of the 20th century. Empirical data relevant to various career aspects from the last couple of years report about significant changes. Traditional career concepts and approaches were in congruence with the context of industrial era and its requirements. With contemporary transition to postindustrialism are rather in conflict. Despite the fact that to the contemporary career context are more appropriate contemporary career approaches stemming from contemporary career concepts, named also as new career, also traditional career approaches are in use. The application of the both concepts report about transitivity and variability of present times.
The intensified globalization and diversity in contemporary workplaces, along with other social and economic changes, have escalated the need for reconsidering and changing traditional approaches to career counseling. The purpose of this chapter is twofold. First, it examines common career counseling practices adopted by organizations. Second, it introduces a nontraditional approach, postmodern approach, to career counseling and explores its effectiveness in meeting changing organizational needs in the globalized world. To achieve these objectives, the chapter begins with a brief overview of career counseling in organizations. Next, current workplace career counseling practices are examined. Following that, an alternative approach by introducing the postmodern approach to career counseling is proposed and the impact of the postmodern approach on the individual, organizational levels, and future trends are discussed. The chapter concludes with implications for career counseling practices and recommendations for future research. This chapter benefits both practitioners and researchers interested in career counseling.
This article describes an urgent need for interdisciplinary careers research in the emerging global knowledge economy. It begins by identifying a range of traditions in careers research, including both occupational and organizational research traditions from professional schools of education and management. It proceeds by offering a view on contemporary careers, and examining three directions for contemporary careers research — reflecting what organizational careers scholars see, what other organizational scholars see, and what is suggested by evidence on the knowledge economy — while leaving the door open for others to join the conversation by suggesting further research directions. The article then turns to propose three topics for future interdisciplinary research collaboration: a more accessible definition of career, application of contrasting methodologies and adoption of wider research agendas. The overall message is for careers scholars to become both more collaborative and more `imaginative' in their further research endeavors.
This is a study of human resource development practices (as perceived by employees) and their association with their attitudes in the context of new career theories. It uses two heterogeneous UK samples of employees from six companies in different industries. Both regression models (from the 1997 and 2000 cohorts) support the mediating role of satisfaction with development on the relationship between perceived significance of development practices and organizational commitment. There are trends in attitudes about the significance of various development factors between cohorts of employees (with respondents in 2000 more inclined to state that self-motivation has been a significant factor in improving their Job performance, and with lateral development also reported as more significant in 2000). A shift in development practices can be observed as a progression from knowledge acquisition via formalized training courses, towards development as a participation model based on challenging work and coaching by an immediate supervisor.
Purpose
This paper aims to study careers across cultures, distinguishing among international career, cross‐cultural and globalization perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual development is based on a review of four empirical papers in this special issue with a focus on “Careers in cross‐cultural perspective” and other recent research in this area.
Findings
Work on international careers has traditionally looked at careers that cross national boundaries, such as those involving expatriate career assignments or self‐initiated international careers. Research into cross‐cultural careers reflects the primary work of this special issue's articles, primarily by looking at differences between two or more cultures. Career research into globalization is more recent and more tentative. It covers how careers interact with the economic, political, social and environmental changes commonly associated with the term globalization.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed framework is a reflection of current theoretical and empirical debates.
Originality/value
The framework offers new guidance for both interpreting existing and developing new research.
Purpose
The paper aims to explore “Portfolio work”, an emerging form of flexible self‐employment, which has been identified as significant but under‐researched. This paper also seeks to explore the challenges and benefits of portfolio work from the perspective of individuals' experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
The argument draws from a qualitative study involving 31 individuals practising portfolio work in two different occupational groups: nurses and adult educators. Participants were interviewed in semi‐structured in‐depth conversational interviews to explore their everyday experience and work history in portfolio work.
Findings
Two dimensions of portfolio work, work design and client‐relations, are found to generate experiences of both deep satisfaction and deep anxiety and stress. The paper argues that portfolio careers simultaneously embed both liberating and exploitative at dimensions for workers, which are at least partly related to their own conflicting desires for both contingency and stability. Further, portfolio work embeds labour that often remains unrecognized, even by the self‐employed individuals assuming responsibility for it.
Practical implications
Portfolio workers need to recognise and document their unpaid but necessary labour in work design and client relations that sustains their careers; portfolio workers may need to educate clients about the nature of portfolio work; and employers who contract to portfolio workers must take more responsibility for negotiating fair contracts that are sensitive to overwork and unfair time pressures, and that anticipate and compensate contractors.
Originality/value
These findings challenge existing conceptions of portfolio work as either exploitative or liberating, and expose contradictions embedded in both the conditions of the work and individuals' expectations and attitudes towards it.
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to raise awareness of the dynamic character of career and its key attributes, and the embeddedness of their definitions and meanings in national social, political and economic contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
Features of three recent distinct social, political and economic situations in Russia are used to explore the meanings of nine key career attributes introduced by the Western career literature.
Findings
It was found that in Russia each of the nine key career attributes accommodates a different meaning compared with their original Western meaning, and that these meanings are continuously changing to reflect the current social, political and economic environment. In sum, this exploration revealed a dynamic character to career attributes, and their content changed depending on the underlying context.
Research limitations/implications
Among key research implications are: a possibility of using Western career theories mainly as conceptual frameworks for studying careers in other countries; that current social, political and economic contexts need to be taken into consideration when studying careers in a particular country; and the “intelligent career” concept can be used to study careers in various cultural contexts, and to examine the interdependence between career and a national culture.
Originality/value
This paper examines the extent to which Western career concepts may be used to study careers in various countries around the globe. It notes the dynamic character of career and its related career attitudes. This paper also makes suggestions on how the “intelligent career” concept can be used for exploring career meanings in a particular national setting. Finally, this paper looks at specifics of careers in Russia, which are still underrepresented in the literature.
Within the dynamic nature of labour markets, career systems have witnessed major changes in recent decades. This paper presents several career perspectives, to manifest a trend in career systems and their meaning and implications for individuals, organizations and society. This trend may be portrayed as a transition from what may be labelled “linear career system” into a “multidirectional career system”. Possible explanations to the phenomenon are presented, with suggested ideas for analysing and learning from the trend. The last section of the paper presents the academic career model as a prospective role model for future career systems, suggested as an intriguing idea and food for thought. Such a mental exercise of examining alternative career models, different from the traditional concept of careers, may be useful for both theory development and managerial practice.
Purpose
The examination of generational differences is an important area of inquiry for management research. Firms must recognize the influence of the values and work preferences of the next generation on organizational outcomes in order both to retain staff and to groom future leaders. It is proposed to examine the theory that firms' lack of success at employee retention may be impacted by the extent to which they understand and address generational differences in values, goals, and preferences.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used survey methodology to examine generational and gender differences amongst the work environment preferences of 234 accountants in accounting firms.
Findings
The results indicated the importance of goal orientation and system work environment fit for younger generation workers on satisfaction and intention to remain; and relationship fit on the satisfaction of Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers also experienced higher levels of overall satisfaction than younger generation employees.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is limited to accountants in the USA.
Originality/value
Generational differences significantly impact employee attitudes and outcomes in the workplace. If firms are unable to modify their cultures and work environments to adequately meet the needs of their younger generation employees, they will continue to experience high levels of dissatisfaction and turnover.
This paper conceptually links hypothesized scales of the Motivation Questionnaire (SHL (1992). Motivation questionnaire: Manual and users’ guide. Thames Ditton: SHL) to the underlying dimensions of the protean (values-driven and self-directedness) and boundaryless career (physical and psychological mobility) attitudes. Results of regression-analyses (N = 13,000) confirmed most of the hypotheses in terms of the influence of gender, age, education, and managerial experience on motivators linked to the underlying dimensions. A cluster analysis that was conducted to explore how many profiles can be observed when matching work motives to the protean and boundaryless careers, resulted in four motivational groups (Protean career architects, Trapped/lost, Hired/hired hand, and Curious/wanderer). The clusters are discussed in light of the current career literature and provide empirical support for the latest theorizing about the protean and boundaryless career models. Managerial implications and directions for future research are offered.
Tracing the historical roots of career theory in management and organization studies Contemporary career theory, from within organization studies and management, is commonly traced back to the late 1970s (Arthur, Hall, & Lawrence, 1989b). These years saw not only the publication of three seminal books on career (Hall, 1976; Schein, 1978; Van Maanen, 1977) but also an abundance of discussion and collaboration among organizational scholars. A series of informal seminars and meetings—one a “Mobile Career Seminar” (in which the third author participated) organized and led by Donald E. Super in the early 1970s, others held by academics in the Boston area 1 —as well as some informal exploratory sessions at Academy of Management meetings later led to the formation of an interest group at the Academy in the late 1970s. The group became a full-fledged division in the early 1980s. However, this inaugural phase says very little about the long ...
This paper compares contemporary career theory with the theory applied in recent career success research. The research makes inconsistent use of career theory, and in particular neglects the interdependence of the objective and subjective careers, and 'boundaryless career' issues of inter-organizational mobility and extra-organizational support. The paper offers new guidelines for bringing about a rapprochement between career theory and career success research. These guidelines cover adequacy of research designs, further dimensions of career success, broader peer group comparisons, deeper investigation of the subjectively driven person, and seeing new connections between boundaryless career theory and career success research.
Within the theme of contemporary innovative work arrangements and new psychological contracts, a new buzzword has been introduced: employability. This paper offers an analytical assessment of the idea, how it came into life, and the prospects of its adoption by organizations. A critical review is followed by a field study conducted to examine reaction to the idea, based on exploratory, in-depth interviews with HR directors. Based on a theoretical and management development perspective, as well as logical analysis, the paper concludes that the idea is flawed. Views expressed were mostly negative. It is implied that, though the concept of employability is beneficial for individuals, it would be unacceptable for organizations to 'sell' it to employees as a replacement for long-term commitment or loyalty and trust-based relationships.
This paper offers an integrated formulation for the way organizations may approach planning and managing employees’ careers in a time of transition. A normative career model is developed and compared to an existing descriptive model. This normative model shows how career management practices may be integrated into a comprehensive organizational framework, and explores ways in which career systems can be transformed and aligned both internally and externally in terms of philosophy, policy and practice. The suggested formulation provides a framework from which organizations can develop strategic organizational career systems appropriate for the new millennium.
Modern global career implies not only an interaction between an organization and an individual but also – and increasingly – a mutual dependency between the two parties. Whereas the traditional career concept presupposes that the individual employee to a high extent has to adhere to the conditions and opportunities provided by the organization, organizations increasingly have to accept and match the expectations and demands of the employee. In particular, this is found in knowledge intensive organizations providing immaterial “products” like know-how, complex problem solving, consultancy service, etc. This kind of immaterial “production” not only requires highly skilled and professional employees but also means that the employees possess the core competence of the company – and can carry it out of the organization if they choose to resign. The paper analyzes the dual dependency in global careers and discusses this interdependency from the viewpoints of both individual and organization. In addition, the paper outlines the implications for practitioners and future research.
This article aims at studying the evolution of the organization of work, working practices and social and professional relationships in industry. It seeks to demonstrate that it is possible to transcend traditional analyses of factory work in terms of binary oppositions (Taylorism vs post-Taylorism or neo-Taylorism) by analysing the diversity of production models in conjunction with long-term fieldwork. In this study of the Belgian iron and steel industry, the various practices of plant actors are viewed in the light of the challenges defined by strategic choices of the company.
Recent developments in restructuring, delayering, downsizing and flexible employment strategies have cast doubt on traditional models of high-potential career development, especially high-flyer or fast-track programmes. In the career management field, the debate has focused on changes in the psychological contract, employability, and career resilience; however, a number of problems can be identified with these formulations, and proposes alternative approaches based on the resource-based view of the firm and on sustainable development in radical environmentalism. Empirical research on de-railing, expansiveness and empowerment suggests that current models of high-potential career management generate problems both for organizations and individuals, as do current attempts by organizations to unilaterally re-negotiate psychological contracts. Concludes by presenting alternative conceptions of high-potential career development that may generate greater sustainability in career management for both individuals and organizations.
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the development of a protean career orientation. In doing so, the paper also aims to assess how work experience, parents and peer networks co‐influence the development of a protean career orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses semi‐structured interviews with young adults and explores their past, present and future work and career experiences. They were also asked them to explain what career success meant to them. Interview transcripts were reviewed and coded based on two main categories representing protean orientation: self‐directed career management and the expression of personal values as a mechanism for career decisions. The paper also process mapped how a protean career orientation developed in the interviewees. Those who reported a protean career orientation were interviewed two‐and‐a‐half years later so as to further explore their career experiences and the extent to which self‐directedness and value congruence influenced career decisions.
Findings
Results suggest that some reported a protean career orientation and of those that did they reported experiencing an image violation based on their personal values. Two types of personal values appeared important to the protean group, they were, making a contribution to society and maintaining work‐life balance. Those that were categorised as having a protean orientation also engaged in critical reassessment by interrogating the basis of their career values and strategies and this distinguished them from the rest of the interviewees who exhibited a more traditional career orientation. These findings are consistent with image theory's concept of a progress decision. This concept encapsulates the idea that individuals decide whether a career plan is moving them towards achievement of a career goal and if it is not, new or modified plans need to be taken up.
Research limitations/implications
The exploratory findings have important implications for understanding the career strategies of protean careerists. Specifically, they elucidate how violations of values, goals and plans lead to career reappraisals. This paper provides important insights into reframing career choice and change in terms of image violations.
Originality/value
The paper provides a process map of the mechanisms that contribute to the development of a protean career orientation. Specifically, it focuses on image violations that appear to distinguish protean careerists from the remainder of the interviewees. Thus, the paper links protean careers with image theory as a means of understanding the underlying processes involved in early career decision making.
The career mystique is the belief that working hard and putting in long hours continuously throughout adulthood is the path to occupational success, personal fulfillment, and a secure retirement. This is a false myth, increasingly irrelevant for most contemporary Americans, given that (1) few employees today have the back up of full-time homemakers, and (2) a competitive, information economy has fostered a global labor market, destroying the implicit contract linking seniority with security. America’s 21st century workforce requires a reconfiguration of “time in” paid work, including opportunities for “time outs,” as well as for “second acts.”
Current social and economic changes have created a challenging context for career counsellors. Within this context counsellors are being asked to view their role from different perspectives. There is recognition of the importance of lifelong guidance and also the need to view guidance from a broader social context with greater emphasis on social responsibility and ethics. New forms of delivery are also emerging. These include an emphasis on client centred and holistic counselling, an affirmation of narrative methods, and a more dynamic counselling approach. Lastly, there is the development of a number of new methods of service delivery. Some examples include one stop counselling centres, virtual counselling services, mentoring, career coaching, and the inclusion of social enterprises as part of the counselling process. The implementation of these changes has implications for training, specialization and for accreditation.
Although there has been increased interest in the boundaryless career since the publication of Arthur and Rousseau’s book (1996), there is still some misunderstanding about what the concept means. This article examines the boundaryless career and presents a model that attempts to visually capture Arthur and Rousseau’s suggestion that the concept involves six underlying meanings. Rather than considering whether or not an individual has a boundaryless career, the model focuses on the degree of mobility reflected in a career along two continua: one psychological, one physical. Based on the model, we suggest five propositions and a series of directions for future research.