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1 – 10 of over 31000Frieda Reitman and Joy A. Schneer
The career path once promised to good managers was an uninterrupted, upward climb on a corporate ladder. When environmental forces caused organizations to downsize and…
Abstract
The career path once promised to good managers was an uninterrupted, upward climb on a corporate ladder. When environmental forces caused organizations to downsize and restructure, the promise was broken. A protean path emerged, one that was self‐directed rather than company‐directed, and involved changes in employment. The study assesses whether managers have achieved the promised path and whether demographic and career factors differ for those on promised versus protean paths. Longitudinal data from MBAs surveyed three times over a 13‐year period demonstrated that the promised career path still exists for one‐third of the MBAs. Managers on promised paths were somewhat older and worked in larger companies. However, they did not have greater income, managerial level, career satisfaction, company loyalty, or job security than those on protean paths. Women followed both paths but career advancement was more accessible on protean paths. This study makes a unique contribution as the longitudinal data, controlled educational background, and controlled time period enhance understanding of managerial career paths.
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Paul F. Skilton and Jesus Bravo
The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which project preferences and social capital constrain mobility in project‐based careers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which project preferences and social capital constrain mobility in project‐based careers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyzes the careers of 352 individuals who entered the motion picture industry between 1988 and 1990. It uses motion picture credit histories to generate role sequence paths. The paper quantifies differences between paths using optimal matching techniques and cluster analysis to classify paths into clusters. It validates the classification by testing hypotheses about differences between path clusters.
Findings
In addition to a large group of individuals who exit the industry after the initial credit, the paper identifies three distinct clusters of career paths that exhibit differences in the sex of individuals on them, in the persistence of relationships with employers, in employer characteristics, and in the nature of subsequent projects.
Research limitations/implications
Because the paper is exploratory, general hypotheses are tested. Motion picture production may be an extreme example of project‐based production, which would limit generalizability.
Practical implications
Managers, individuals and career experts should recognize that mobility can be constrained and channeled by preferences in project type and by social capital. Employer celebrity appears to play no role in the careers of assistants, but control over many projects plays a significant role.
Originality/value
The paper demonstrates non‐organizational constraints on mobility in project‐based, apparently boundaryless, self‐managed careers.
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This paper aims to explain and resolve the paradoxical situation in China regarding how it is difficult to get an offer of employment in China while people are unwilling to pursue…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explain and resolve the paradoxical situation in China regarding how it is difficult to get an offer of employment in China while people are unwilling to pursue or embark on a career in the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry. Therefore, the MICE industry career path should be carefully explored.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used semi-structured interviews with more than 30 representative managers from key MICE companies, a social community perspective and conceptions of the social world combined with the traditional career-ladder model.
Findings
The study’s key findings are: a general career path exists in the MICE industry in China; there are three main types of career paths and two different kinds of promotion mechanisms, which vary according to the type of ownership, scale or other characteristics of companies; and a feedback mechanism, linking social-world events and social community characteristics, affects individual employees and their career paths in the MICE industry, leading to promotion in or retreat from the industry. Typically, the mechanism fits high-level employees better than the freshmen, which leads to high turnover in the MICE labor market.
Practical implications
This paper provides a better understanding of MICE industry and facilitates people’s employment choices.
Originality/value
This paper provide a new social community perspective for exploring the MICE career path; there are also significant practical implications for MICE elites, which present a new framework for future research and industry applications.
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Yen-Hong Ng, Sue-Pei Lai, Zhi-Peng Su, Jing-Yi Yap, Hui-Qi Teoh and Han Lee
The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that influence accounting students’ preference toward career paths. Career path refers to the choices of jobs and occupational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that influence accounting students’ preference toward career paths. Career path refers to the choices of jobs and occupational positions an individual may choose to hold. Accounting students may choose to advance their career into one of the following areas: financial accounting, management accounting, taxation, auditing, finance, etc. According to past literature, choices of career path are influenced by intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, third parties, and career exposure.
Design/methodology/approach
A self-administered survey was used to collect data from students in a reputable private university in Malaysia. This university recruits a huge number of accounting students annually for its accounting program. A total of 306 questionnaires were collected for data analysis using statistical analysis system.
Findings
The findings of the study suggest that undergraduate accounting students are more influenced by intrinsic motivation and career exposure in selecting their career paths, whereas third parties and extrinsic motivation are less likely to influence undergraduate accounting students’ career choices.
Research limitations/implications
The results, however, could not be generalized to all accounting students in Malaysia since the study was collected from only one private university in Malaysia and non-probability sampling technique was applied. The theoretical contribution of this study is the inclusion of new variables in the model.
Practical implications
Professional accounting bodies may benefit from the findings of this study as it may provide a basis in designing member recruitment strategies.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study how shortage of certain career path for accounting students could be resolved.
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Guorong Zhu, Lan Wang and Douglas T. Hall
This paper employs human resources (HR) analytics to investigate the pathways through which high-potential managers ascend to C-suite positions, and how different developmental…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper employs human resources (HR) analytics to investigate the pathways through which high-potential managers ascend to C-suite positions, and how different developmental paths influence turnover among executives.
Design/methodology/approach
By combining job analysis and competency assessment with sequence analysis, the authors utilize HR analytics to analyze the work experiences of 53 general managers spanning 57 years (n = 2,742), encompassing various roles, job requirements, and 20 executive competencies attached to over 1,000 positions.
Findings
This study's findings reveal three distinct developmental paths that lead to the C-suite, characterized by differences in the content, context, timing, and complexity of work experience. Furthermore, the authors identify that a more complex developmental path tends to reinforce executives' competency in self-awareness while inhibiting their development of technical competency, ultimately resulting in reduced executive turnover.
Originality/value
By employing HR analytics to analyze empirical data embedded in job and organizational contexts, this study sheds light on the critical role of timing and complexity of work experiences in executive development. It also offers practical implications for firms seeking to optimize their leadership pipeline and reduce executive turnover by leveraging HR analytics effectively.
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Dimitris Manolopoulos, Pavlos Dimitratos and Emmanouil Sofikitis
The purpose of this research is to find out the influence of the roles of Research and Development (R&D) laboratories of Multinational Corporations (MNCs); and of employee‐related…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to find out the influence of the roles of Research and Development (R&D) laboratories of Multinational Corporations (MNCs); and of employee‐related characteristics on future career preferences of knowledge professionals in these laboratories. Career preferences include managerial, technical, project‐based and entrepreneurial paths.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on a large scale study of 921 professionals employed in 70 R&D units of MNC subsidiaries operating in Greece. Four ordered probit regression models were run with employee career preferences forming the dependent variables.
Findings
Two R&D laboratory roles (Support Laboratory and Locally Independent Laboratory); and age and education of the employee stand out as predictors of career preferences of examined professionals.
Research limitations/implications
Notwithstanding that this is a study that took place in a country with an advancing economy, it is seemingly the first that incorporates the roles of R&D laboratories as potential predictors of career paths. Moreover, the idiosyncrasies of the Greek national context are provided as possible explanations that justify why some hypotheses based on prior literature were not supported.
Practical implications
MNC knowledge professionals employed in R&D units are a special group of employees whose career paths may be different from those of other groups. Thus, MNC management should tailor‐make career preferences for them.
Originality/value
This research is one of the few empirical studies providing evidence on career paths of employees in MNC R&D units; and suggests possible predictors that have not been put forward hitherto.
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Adeola Samuel Adebusuyi, Samson Olowo Kolawole, Hassan Salawu Abu, Olubusayo Foluso Adebusuyi and Adesina Adewale Ajulo
This study aims to investigate how new graduates in Nigeria can simultaneously pursue entrepreneurial and professional careers. Specifically, this study tested the contextual…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how new graduates in Nigeria can simultaneously pursue entrepreneurial and professional careers. Specifically, this study tested the contextual (socioeconomic status [SES]), person-based (an open personality) and cognitive-person (self-efficacy and outcome expectations) predictors of entrepreneurship, professionalism and leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
The study design is cross-sectional. Data were collected from 363 new graduates from Nigerian tertiary institutions. Hypotheses were generated from social cognitive career self-management (CSM) variables. Research instruments were also revalidated for the Nigerian context, and regression path analysis was used to analyze the data.
Findings
This study’s key findings showed that SES and an open personality are predictors of entrepreneurship, professionalism and leadership (EPL) self-efficacy and intentions, entrepreneurial and job outcome expectations. Second, EPL self-efficacy predicted both entrepreneurial and job outcome expectations and served as a mediating variable for SES and an open personality. Third, entrepreneurial outcome expectations related to EPL intentions, whereas job outcome expectations did not. These results suggest that SES and openness personality trait are crucial for developing a versatile career mindset.
Research limitations/implications
This study demonstrated that individuals’ characteristics (i.e. cognitive and personality) and economic resources are crucial determinants of CSM. As this study is cross-sectional, future research could use a longitudinal approach to determine the cause-effect relationship.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first research to examine how new graduates can simultaneously explore entrepreneurial and professional careers in a developing country like Nigeria using the CSM theory.
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Chia Yu Hung, Eddie Jeng and Li Chen Cheng
This study explores the career trajectories of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to uncover unique characteristics that contribute to their success. By utilizing web scraping and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the career trajectories of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to uncover unique characteristics that contribute to their success. By utilizing web scraping and machine learning techniques, over two thousand CEO profiles from LinkedIn are analyzed to understand patterns in their career paths. This study offers an alternative approach compared to the predominantly qualitative research methods employed in previous research.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a framework for analyzing CEO career patterns. Job titles and company information are encoded using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) scheme. The study employs the Needleman-Wunsch optimal matching algorithm and an agglomerative approach to construct distance matrices and cluster CEO career paths.
Findings
This study gathered data on the career transition processes of graduates from several renowned public and private universities in the United States via LinkedIn. Employing machine learning techniques, the analysis revealed diverse career trajectories. The findings offer career guidance for individuals from various academic backgrounds aspiring to become CEOs.
Research limitations/implications
The building of a career sequence that takes into account the number of years requires integers. Numbers that are not integers have been rounded up to facilitate the optimal matching process but this approach prevents a perfectly accurate representation of time worked.
Practical implications
This study makes an original contribution to the field of career pattern analysis by disclosing the distinct career path groups of CEOs using the rich LinkedIn online dataset. Note that our CEO profiles are not restricted in any industry or specific career paths followed to becoming CEOs. In light of the fact that individuals who hold CEO positions are usually perceived by society as successful, we are interested in finding the characteristics behind their success and whether either the title held or the company they remain at show patterns in making them who they are today.
Originality/value
As a matter of fact, nearly all CEOs had previous experience working for a non-Fortune organization before joining a Fortune company. Of those who have worked for Fortune firms, the number of CEOs with experience in Fortune 500 forms exceeded those with experience in Fortune 1,000 firms.
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Tiina A. Tuononen, Anna Liisa Suominen and Johanna Lammintakanen
The purpose of this paper was to study the career paths of leaders with a career background as a dentist from basic degree to chief or executive leadership positions and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to study the career paths of leaders with a career background as a dentist from basic degree to chief or executive leadership positions and individual factors that influenced their decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interview and a questionnaire were used to study 13 leaders using the structure of Edgar Schein’s career anchor interview and career orientation inventory questionnaire. Theory-driven content analysis was used to analyze the data according to themes which included career paths, factors associated with job and career changes and thoughts about future careers.
Findings
Three different career path types were identified: Progressives (Type A), By chance (Type B), and Enthusiasts (Type C). The main motives were: the Progressives’ goal orientation to proceed to higher leadership positions, the By chance group’s job and even career changing by taking a chance on an interesting possibility that comes their way and the Enthusiasts’ willingness to make a difference and search for possibilities to change things. The most important career anchor was “pure challenge” among the Progressives and By chance groups and “general managerial competence” among the Enthusiasts.
Originality/value
Studies on personal factors associating with career paths in health care are scarce and similarly leaders with a dentist background are less studied, even though leadership could be an excellent career choice for a dentist. Different individuals can have varied motives and career paths toward executive positions. Because of the multi-professional functions in health care, organizations could benefit from having leaders with different expertise backgrounds.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine how entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and self-perceived employability (SPE) affect students' choice of an entrepreneurial career path.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and self-perceived employability (SPE) affect students' choice of an entrepreneurial career path.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey approach was used to gather data from 274 final year undergraduate students at a South African university. The study made use of partial least squares (PLS) structural equation model (SEM) analyses to test the hypothesized associations.
Findings
ESE was positively associated with the intention to engage in both a full-time and a hybrid entrepreneurial career path. Also, SPE was positively associated with the intention to engage in hybrid entrepreneurship but negatively associated with engaging in full-time entrepreneurship. Additionally, the effect of ESE on the intention to engage in hybrid entrepreneurship was significantly moderated by SPE, such that the effect was more pronounced for students with a high SPE.
Research limitations/implications
Data were gathered only from one South African university and as such there is a need for similar studies to improve the generalizability of the findings. Also, the measures for ESE and SPE used in the present study are not the only ones available. Thus, future studies are encouraged to use alternative measures to further assess the robustness of the proposed associations.
Originality/value
The arguments and the subsequent findings of this study indicate a new line of convergence for the popular but disjointed literature on ESE and SPE.
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