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Numerous organizations find themselves in a “turbulent field”. The greater the complexity of their environment, the greater is their external uncertainty. It is possible to cope with these uncertainties by structuring the organization differently and bringing about a new way of thinking. Royal PTT Nederland NV (KPN) is an organization which has undergone a sweeping process of change. To be the best provider of information transport, the company had to change its internal working methods and adopt an “entrepreneurial” approach. Examines some theoretical notions of entrepreneurs and managers. Looks at two cases at PTT Telecom (one of KPN′s operating companies) in which the authors were involved. One case relates to the fundamentals of a major reorganization programme that got under way in late 1990 and will affect virtually all the company′s employees. The other case gives a detailed understanding of the introduction of a new company management style and the shared values based on it. Uses all this to draw some conclusions and to provide a platform for further discussions with regard to internal entrepreneurship.

The system of two career ladders, one for managers, the other for (top‐level) specialists or professionals, has worked satisfactorily up to a certain level. There are, however, indications that there will be a change in the “natural” career progression in the near future. Responsible for this are rising educational level of the workforce, onset of lean, knowledge‐driven companies which are competence‐based, and doubts about the effectiveness of the classical manager. Studies the concept of a “career”, and current changes in career motivations and opportunities of managers and professionals. To illustrate, describes how three large Dutch companies recruit their future top‐level managers and professionals. In particular, the career aspirations and opportunities of an important group of professionals, viz. engineers will be investigated. Finally, suggests how to align career path and motives with organizational requirements, both for managers and for professionals. Compares HRM policy with the way in which Japanese companies manage careers and transitions between managers and professionals.