Career Dynamics in the Baby Boom and Baby Bust Era

Abstract

The expansion of the US economy during the 1950s and 1960s, combined with a relatively small baby boom, created unparalleled opportunities for upward movement in organisations. The 1990s, however, with a baby bust aftermath and adverse economic trends, are turning career opportunities upside down. Organisational growth has been slowed down, and many middle and upper management jobs have been eliminated. However the baby‐boomers are now looking for such positions, with meagre prospects, whilst the baby‐boomers of the 1960s and 1970s can scarcely match up to the demand for low‐level entrants to industry. To combat this uneven situation, the established concepts and cultures of careers must be totally revised. The alternative, linear, steady state, spiral and transitory career views are all examined and their interchangeability, where possible, is discussed. It is concluded that fundamental changes must be made in the ways in which careers are structured and managed in organisations, resulting in balancing productivity and morale against the distribution of money, power and prestige.

Citation

Brousseau, K.R. (1990), "Career Dynamics in the Baby Boom and Baby Bust Era", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 46-58. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000001189