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1 – 10 of over 44000Olusegun Babalola and Nealia Sue Bruning
Contemporary careers research suggests that individuals are more likely to be proactive about their careers when they possess an internal, rather than an external locus of control…
Abstract
Purpose
Contemporary careers research suggests that individuals are more likely to be proactive about their careers when they possess an internal, rather than an external locus of control (LOC). The purpose of this paper is to adopt the view that individuals can be both external and proactive depending on whether or not they possess an incremental implicit theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Self-administered surveys were completed by 127 employed individuals in Nigeria. These surveys were used to gather information on individuals’ external LOC, protean and boundaryless career orientations and implicit theory beliefs.
Findings
Results indicated partial support for positive relationships between external LOC and contemporary career orientations and that an incremental implicit theory can have a positive moderating effect on the relationship between an external LOC belief in chance and the values-driven protean career orientation.
Research limitations/implications
The study was based on a cross-sectional study in one time period and all information was self-report.
Practical implications
The results suggest that HR managers that operate in global environments should consider the importance of individual implicit theory and on career orientations and take a broader view of the role of internal and external LOC.
Social implications
The study questions whether predominant perspectives of the relationship between proactive career orientations and internal LOC applies to contexts where external LOC predominate.
Originality/value
This study is unique in the examination of positive relationships between implicit theory, external LOC and contemporary career orientations. Furthermore, the study examines these relationships in an unstable and unpredictable work environment context, Nigeria, where such positive relationships are highly necessary to improve the career self-management of individuals.
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Elza Fátima Rosa Veloso, Leonardo Nelmi Trevisan, Rodrigo Cunha da Silva and Joel Souza Dutra
The purpose of this paper is to, which involved 123 students in their last year of an administration course at a private university in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, evaluate the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to, which involved 123 students in their last year of an administration course at a private university in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, evaluate the importance of analyzing the pressure from new technologies on the careers of young university students from a career theory perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
From the perspective of traditional theories, the authors used “career anchors,” and from the perspective of non-traditional theories, “intelligent careers,” in which people develop three competency groups that are transferable between organizations: knowing why; knowing how; and knowing whom. The hypotheses the authors raised were analyzed using statistical techniques and the following results were obtained: young people do not see new technologies as a threat to their current job; people who see the “Knowing How” competence as being more developed feel less pressure from new technologies; non-traditional theories show a greater potential to analyze technological pressure than traditional theories; and, finally, the nature of people’s jobs produces different impacts on the pressure of new technologies on their careers, since people who occupy positions involving more human interaction with internal or external clients feel less threatened.
Findings
It was found that the lowest mean among the constructs analyzed was the pressure from technology on career. The correlations between the competencies of intelligent careers and the perception of the pressure from technology on career were weak, but significant, whereas the “Knowing How” competency was negatively correlated with the pressure caused by technology. There was no significant influence of the anchors on the pressure from technology on career. However, incorporating the competencies of intelligent careers improved the statistical model’s fit. In associating job positions with the pressure from technology on career, administrative and operational positions showed higher averages than sales associate and management positions.
Originality/value
Broadly speaking, it can be noted that traditional career theories, especially the vocational counseling approach, are not sufficient to explain the impact of new technologies on careers. At the same time, one way of coping with the pressure brought about by technological advances may be in using technology itself to develop “useful professional skills,” in a manner consistent with “intelligent careers.”
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The purpose of this study is to explore ways to establish an effective coordinative mechanism to ensure the effective practice of career coaching in innovativeness and creativity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore ways to establish an effective coordinative mechanism to ensure the effective practice of career coaching in innovativeness and creativity training programs in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
This study aims to explore a successful case – that of Wenzhou University College – to elucidate how to establish an effective coordinative mechanism. The Delphi method is an interview approach for obtaining and analyzing case data.
Findings
According to research results, first, the causes of conflict were found and an attempt was made to solve these by using a personal system and training program structure revision; the main reasons for the conflicts are an overemphasis on “experts’ experience leading” and a “cognitive gap” between experts as coaches and teaching faculties; second, to decrease conflict, a revision of the training program structure will aid the improvement in the specialization for experts and teaching faculties; and third, revision of one’s personal system requires the teaching faculties to be from within the industries or companies facilitating the process of these faculties gaining practical experience; moreover, it will be easier if experts are the ones who are communicating how to re-design training programs and cooperative modes.
Originality/value
This study provides a coordinative mechanism for the effective practice of innovativeness and creativity training in higher education institutions. On the basis of research results, higher education institutions can effectively develop a training program of innovativeness and creativity based on the concept of career coaching.
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Gerry Segal, Dan Borgia and Jerry Schoenfeld
Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, and Hackett 1994, 1996) proposes that career interests, goals, and choices are related to self-efficacy beliefs and outcome…
Abstract
Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Lent, Brown, and Hackett 1994, 1996) proposes that career interests, goals, and choices are related to self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations. It suggests that peopleʼs self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations with regard to self-employment would predict their goals to become selfemployed. This study explores the ability of SCCT to predict goals for self-employment in a sample of 115 undergraduate business students. Results indicated that students with higher entrepreneurial self-efficacy and higher self-employment outcome expectations had higher intentions to become self-employed. These findings imply that educators and policy-makers may boost student entrepreneurial intentions by (1) enhancing studentsʼ confidence to succeed in an entrepreneurial career and (2) enhancing studentsʼ expectations of strong positive outcomes resulting from an entrepreneurial career
Halil Ali Uskuri and Harun Sesen
The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of getting a higher education degree in a developed country on entrepreneurial intentions of individuals in developing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of getting a higher education degree in a developed country on entrepreneurial intentions of individuals in developing countries by using the social cognitive career choice theory.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative methodology was utilised through the application of a questionnaire in a sample located in Northern Cyprus.
Findings
This research found that for the students who study abroad, the effects of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, outcome expectations and entrepreneurial interest on entrepreneurial career choices are different than for students who study in their homeland. This finding indicates that the location of the university differentiates the antecedents of entrepreneurial career choice of university students.
Research limitations/implications
This research has similar limitations to any cross-sectional research. Conversion of these intentions to behaviour should be explored further. Moreover, different models, such as the theory of planned behaviour, should be incorporated to determine if there are significant, meaningful differences between both groups.
Originality/value
The authors did not come across any other research combining the social cognitive career theory and the study abroad subject relating to entrepreneurial career choice. Thus, this research makes a unique contribution to the entrepreneurial career choice theory by showing the moderating role of studying abroad.
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Jiahong Zhang, Mantak Yuen and Gaowei Chen
The purpose of this paper is to review identified key features of teacher support and its influence on students’ career decision making and development. It also examines the types…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review identified key features of teacher support and its influence on students’ career decision making and development. It also examines the types of research approaches to data collection and analysis in order to provide a more in-depth evaluation of this field of study.
Design/methodology/approach
The review examined 18 studies, the majority being quantitative in design. Cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of teacher support were investigated, and differences in teacher support relative to grade level and gender were considered.
Findings
Results indicated that since 2000, there has been an increase in the number of empirical studies of teacher support in the career development field, the majority involving middle and high school students. The most commonly cited frameworks that underpin the studies are the social cognitive career theory, the career construction theory and Super’s career development theory. The most frequently used instrument for data collection was the teacher support scale (Metheny et al., 2008).
Originality/value
The review will be beneficial to researchers, teachers and policy makers seeking to optimize support systems for students’ career development. The findings contribute to further theory development and have practical implications for the career guidance field. Recommendations for future research and practice are suggested.
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This study aims to understand employee career retention in the hospitality industry. Building on the socially embedded model of thriving, signaling theory and social cognitive…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand employee career retention in the hospitality industry. Building on the socially embedded model of thriving, signaling theory and social cognitive career theory (SCCT), the study examines a structural model of psychological contract fulfillment (PCF), perceived organizational support (POS), thriving, career satisfaction and career turnover intention.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed research model was tested using structural equation modeling with responses from 300 US hospitality employees. Data were collected using an online survey available through a panel service at Qualtrics.
Findings
Empirical results supported all proposed hypotheses and confirmed the critical mediation role of thriving for workplace contextual factors and employee career retention. As predicted, both PCF and POS positively influenced employee thriving, which positively influenced career satisfaction and negatively influenced career turnover intention.
Practical implications
Findings of this study yielded several recommendations for hospitality managers, including using the concept of thriving as an indicator and a remedy for employee career development and retention.
Originality/value
Given the increased need for qualified talent and reduced career satisfaction, this study sheds light on the further understanding of sustainable employment in the hospitality industry. Using signaling theory and SCCT as an overarching framework, this study extends the socially embedded model of thriving as well as SCCT and supports combining psychological contract theory and organizational support theory to better understand hospitality career retention.
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Ali Dehghanpour Farashah and Tomas Blomquist
Qualified immigrants (QIs) and their work experiences have been studied using a wide variety of theoretical approaches with divergent characteristics. This paper reviews…
Abstract
Purpose
Qualified immigrants (QIs) and their work experiences have been studied using a wide variety of theoretical approaches with divergent characteristics. This paper reviews theoretical progress and proposes directions for future research and practice.
Design/methodology/approach
Using relevant keywords, articles indexed by Web of Science in management, business, industrial relations and applied psychology were systematically searched for and analysed. In total, 60 theoretical articles published during 2008–2018 were included. The theoretical progress and future theoretical and practical challenges were organised based on the notions of equality, diversity and inclusion.
Findings
Eight theoretical approaches utilised to study QIs' work experiences were recognised: (1) human capital theory, (2) career capital theory, (3) theory of practice, (4) intersectionality, (5) social identity theory, (6) sensemaking, (7) cultural identity transition and (8) the career-centred approach. The contributions and limitations of each theoretical lens were then scrutinised. Overall, research on QIs still lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework. As a step towards that, the paper proposes considering the role of organisations and labour market intermediaries, strategic view over the immigrant workforce, agency–institution play, identity–capital play and host–immigrant play.
Research limitations/implications
The focus is on theory development and empirical papers with no clear theoretical foundation are excluded.
Originality/value
This review is the first attempt to summarise and direct the divergent research on the topic. The main contribution is setting an agenda for future research, particularly by proposing the elements of a comprehensive theoretical framework for studying QIs in the workplace.
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Yuhee Jung and Norihiko Takeuchi
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it attempts to examine how employees’ career planning (CP) interacts with the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) to explain…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it attempts to examine how employees’ career planning (CP) interacts with the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX) to explain subjective career success. Second, the authors investigate how the pattern of such interactions differs between male and female employees.
Design/methodology/approach
To increase the generalizability, the study tested hypotheses in two studies whose data were collected in different national settings. Study 1 was designed to analyze 144 Korean employees and Study 2 investigated 140 Japanese employees. Both groups of employees worked for privately owned firms.
Findings
The authors found a three-way interaction effect between gender, CP, and LMX quality in predicting subjective career success. As hypothesized, the positive relationship between quality of LMX and subjective career success was stronger for males with high CP, whereas for females such a stronger relationship was found for women with low CP.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it extends career research by considering the interactive effects of individual and interpersonal factors on employees’ subjective career success. Second, it combines the research streams of social exchange theory (LMX), career theory (the boundaryless career), and gender theory (agentic and communal personality traits). This suggests that the ideas of the three theories could serve together as a useful framework for explaining gender differences in subjective career success through setting career goals and building relationships with supervisors.
Practical implications
The findings have important practical implications for managers and leaders, who generally seek to motivate their employees toward career achievement.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first to provide a new perspective for understanding the process by which men and women perceive their subjective career success differently with regard to social exchange relations with their supervisors and CP.
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Rebecca Hudson Breen and Aegean Leung
To date, research on women’s entrepreneurship has largely been focused on how gender roles may constrain the venture process, or cause role conflicts for women pursuing an…
Abstract
Purpose
To date, research on women’s entrepreneurship has largely been focused on how gender roles may constrain the venture process, or cause role conflicts for women pursuing an entrepreneurial career. While acknowledging the validity of such perspectives, the purpose of this paper is to apply a broader perspective of career-life development, answering the call for a more nuanced and embedded understanding of an entrepreneurial career.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a constructionist, relational analysis of the experiences of 13 Canadian women who started their business following the life transition to motherhood. Interview data were coded using grounded theory methods.
Findings
The conceptual model captures the influence of the mothering role in shaping the transition into entrepreneurship, illuminating the reciprocal relational processes of context, choice and outcomes in the career-life development of mother entrepreneurs.
Research limitations/implications
While this is a small sample, and findings are not generalizable, application of relational theory of career-life offers implications for supporting women’s transition to, and continued success in, entrepreneurship.
Practical implications
Career theory offers practical application to the management of mother entrepreneurs’ career-life development.
Originality/value
To date, there has been limited application of career theory to entrepreneurship, particularly to understanding the gendered, relational career-life experiences of mother entrepreneurs.
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