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Purpose – This special issue seeks to scope the past, present and future study of those individuals who independently journey abroad for work – the self-initiated expatriate – a topic which is now attracting increasing attention among management scholars and practitioners alike. Design/methodology/approach – This introductory paper takes the form of a brief commentary of the development of the field and a synthesis of the papers in this special edition. Findings – Beginning in the late 1990s with a slow trickle of papers exploring the experiences of individuals who had initiated their own expatriation, our understanding of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) and self-initiated expatriation (SIE) has developed exponentially. This development has given rise to a growing awareness of this form of mobility as a potentially powerful force in the increasingly varied global labour market. Yet, as this special issue will argue, there is still a range of conceptual, theoretical and empirical challenges in the study of SIEs, not least of which is a lack of clarity in how the term is used and understood. Despite the expansion of the field, it has hitherto focused primarily on the experiences of professional SIEs moving from and between developed countries. The papers in this issue therefore, address the need for both greater conceptual clarity and for greater empirical diversity. Originality/value – The papers included in this special issue each address fundamental issues in the study of the SIE population and offer perspectives that further our understanding of this group and their experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to introduce a collection of papers about careers in cross-cultural perspective, which contributes to the growing body of literature that addresses careers from different locations around the world. Design/methodology/approach - Introduces the topic, providing some background and discussion of the main concepts. Findings - Briefly introduces the papers and their main findings - differences and similarities among careers and career attributes in different cultural and national contexts. Originality/value - Contextualizes the issue and extends the overall knowledge in the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scholarly and general interest in sustainable careers is flourishing. Sustainable careers are focused on the long-term opportunities and experiences of workers across dynamic employment situations, and are characterized by flexibility, meaning and individual agency. The current paper analyzes and challenges the underlying ideological assumptions of how sustainable careers are conceptualized and advocates the inclusion of the ecological meaning of sustainability and the notion of dignity into the sustainable careers concept. Design/methodology/approach: Using Slavoj Žižek's (1989, 2001) conceptualization of ideology as fantasy-construction, the authors explore how the use of sustainable careers is influenced by fantasies about the contemporary workplace and the role of the individual in the workplace. This is a conceptual method. Findings: The authors argue that the concept of sustainable careers is grounded in the neoliberal fantasy of the individual. The paper concludes by presenting an alternative concept of sustainable careers grounded in a dignity-perspective on sustainability, which offers an alternative theoretical understanding of sustainable careers in the contemporary workplace, sharpening its contours and usefulness in theorizing careers. Originality/value: This paper is the first to systematically analyze the use and conceptualization of sustainable careers in the literate and to expose the ideological underpinnings of the concept. Propositions are developed to be explored by future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Disruptive technologies often disrupt the careers of middle-skilled workers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate career transition strategies of middle-skilled workers that partially continue or expand their careers under the condition of disruptive technologies. Design/methodology/approach: This paper established a conceptual framework of career transition strategies for middle-skilled workers by integrating the existing studies of disruptive technologies, technological trajectory transition, boundaryless and protean careers, and careers as repositories of knowledge. Findings: The authors proposed three types of career transition strategies to partially prolong middle-skilled workers' careers, namely, industry-oriented transition strategy which refers to a transfer to other occupations in the original industry, technology-oriented transition strategy which refers to a transfer to occupations with original technical skills in other industries, and comprehensive transition strategy which refers to a transfer to other occupations in the related industries. Further, this paper discusses the external conditions and individual competencies for each career transition strategy, and timing for implementing a career transition strategy from the perspective of the technology life cycle. Originality/value: This paper focused on sustainable careers of middle-skilled workers under the condition of disruptive technologies, which received very little attention from the current literature. The findings also suggested for middle-skilled workers to develop a sustainable or long-term career in the current era of many disruptive technologies. The findings may also imply on how firms and government should contribute to help workers on handling scenarios of technological disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce the papers in this special issue and some issues surrounding choosing management as a career. A jointly developed questionnaire is also presented. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is descriptive in nature. Findings - It is crucial for researchers and practitioners to expand their perspectives to include other cultures and other theoretical perspectives beyond those offered by traditional vocational choice theories. Originality/value - Understanding the antecedents, correlates and consequences of people's vocational choice to become managers will not only help researchers and practitioners and benefit managers, but will improve the understanding of career choice in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the "darker side" of what it means to engage in an international academic career. Extending beyond well-documented themes relating to the difficulties of cross-cultural adjustment and unfulfilled expectations/opportunities for promotion, this paper seeks to introduce "transience and risk" as two important dimensions of this very specific career choice. The paper draws especially on the contemporary "new" careers literature, including conceptions of career exploration as a framework to understand the research findings. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on semi-structured interviews conducted in situ with 30 expatriate academics in four different countries. Findings - Transience and risk were identified as two important dimensions of the "darker side" of pursuing an international academic career. However, these two dimensions also had further positive aspects, thus signalling the complex and often contradictory nature of this specific career form. Research limitations/implications - Introduces a more cautionary note to the contemporary literature on international careers and career exploration more generally. Practical implications - Careers that evolve across international boundaries require support that extends beyond cross-cultural training. Originality/value - The paper contends that in as much as an international academic career offers a broad range of opportunities for fulfilment it also presents significant challenges that should be acknowledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As the current "one size fits all" research approach is likely to be ineffective in identifying the conditions that promote the entrepreneurial career of the solo self-employed, this paper advances the current understanding of the heterogeneity among the solo self-employed. Design/methodology/approach: A person-centered approach is used to identify groups among the solo self-employed based on their starting motives and to examine their engagement in proactive career behaviors. Findings: Using Latent Class Analysis (LCA), six groups displaying distinct motivational profiles are identified: (1) the pushed by necessity, (2) entrepreneurs by heart, (3) control-seekers, (4) occupationally-driven, (5) challenge-seekers and (6) the family business-driven. In line with the argument that starting motives affect behavior because they reflect the future work selves that individuals aim for, results show that solo self-employed with distinct motivational profiles differ in their engagement in proactive career behaviors. For future research, it is recommended to examine the role of demographic characteristics in the engagement in proactive career behaviors. Originality/value: Although starting motives among self-employed people have been studied frequently, this research applies an innovative methodological approach by using LCA. Hereby, a potentially more advanced configuration of starting motives is explored. Additionally, this study applies a career perspective towards the domain of solo self-employment by exploring how solo self-employed with distinct motivational profiles differ in terms of managing their entrepreneurial careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how leadership aspiration mediates the effect of career self-efficacy on employees' engagement in career self-management (CSM; i.e. deployment of career advancement strategies concerning access to power, psychological boundaryless and self-promotion), whether self-efficacy directly influences CSM, and whether these relations are conditional upon nationality (which is a proxy for domestic and international careers in Kuwait). Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was completed by 615 highly educated young Kuwaitis and self-initiated expatriates (SIEs; Arab and South Asian nationals) working in Kuwait. Findings: The results demonstrate that self-efficacy, directly and indirectly (mediated by leadership aspiration), influences the three types of career advancement strategies. Moderated-mediation analyses suggest that SIEs and Kuwaitis engage in similar CSM behaviors when it is motivated by self-efficacy, which is mediated by leadership aspiration. Also, self-efficacy has greater direct effect on SIEs' CSM than Kuwaitis', but Kuwaitis have higher tendency for CSM behavior. Practical implications: Interventions aiming to improve employees' engagement in CSM may focus on enhancing their psychological capital and contexts, while minding the differential effects of nationality and self-efficacy on CSM of Kuwaitis and SIEs. Originality/value: The study provides unique information about CSM utilizing understudied populations namely, Middle-Eastern and self-initiated expatriate employees. It confirms the effects of self-efficacy and leadership aspiration on CSM and reveals different effects of nationality depending on the motivators at play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to move towards clarification of the self-initiated expatriate/expatriation construct with the aim of extending and deepening theory development in the field. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on Suddaby's think piece on construct clarity, this paper applies his proposed four elements; definitional clarity, scope conditions, relationships between constructs and coherence, in order to clarify the SIE construct. Findings – The discussion examines the "problem of definition" and its impact on SIE scholarship. The spatial, temporal and value-laden constraints that must be considered by SIE scholars are expounded, and the links between SIE research and career theory are developed. From this, potential research agendas are proposed. Research limitations/implications – This is a conceptual piece which, rather than giving precise research data, encourages further thinking in the field. Originality/value – Although the definitional difficulties of SIEs have been identified in previous literature, this is the first attempt to clarify the boundaries of SIE and its interconnectedness with other related constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The paper aims to contribute to the discussion about how SIEs articulate narratives as cognitive efforts to expand, restrict or adapt their repertoire of identities in highly regulated environments. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing from a social constructivist positioning, the paper explores situated social and relational practices using a qualitative framework that relied on primary data gathering through semi-structured interviews. Qatar is a context of particular interest for exploring identity narratives of SIEs given the highly regulated environment and the large numbers of non-nationals within the overall workforce. The study was conducted in an anonymous Qatari public shareholding company. Findings – Findings suggest that narratives of self are framed in relation to structural constraints and patterns of adaptation. These reveal the interplay between identity, careers and self-initiated expatriation at macro-country and micro-individual levels. As part of these themes, narratives of mobility and opportunity emerged in reference to career experiences and discussions about themselves (lives, identities, and expectations). Originality/value – The paper contributes to our current understanding of SIEs and encourages us to consider the importance of context in shaping the SIE experience. Similarly, the scarcity of literature about SIEs in GCC countries makes this paper a timely contribution. These contributions have significant implications not only for theoretical discussions about SIEs, but also for discussions on the interplay between migration, identity and global careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the concept of career success has been subject to reification, and identify potential implications for individuals, organizations, and societies. Design/methodology/approach - The current paper offers an in-depth analysis of the different contextual forces contributing to the reification of careers (i.e. history, culture and ideology), and how these have impacted on the social reality of career and the definitions of career success held by different relevant actors. Findings - In total, eight research propositions are identified that need to be addressed in future research in order to advance knowledge and understanding of career success in context. Social implications - One manifest outcome of career reification is the establishment of collective norms prescribing what a "normal", "successful" career is - and what is not. Consequently, all careers not conforming to these norms are devaluated, which is inappropriate given the present-day climate of workplace diversity. Originality/value - Career theory, in general, has been criticized for overemphasizing individual agency while neglecting contextual issues. Furthermore, more conceptual development is necessary in relation to the career success construct. The current paper aims to address both of these gaps by presenting in-depth analyses of the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts impacting on the meaning of career and career success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing upon the career construction theory (Savickas, 2002, 2013) and the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989, 2001), the purpose of this paper is to explore whether, how and when career adaptability influences citizenship outcomes (i.e. citizenship behavior and citizenship fatigue). Design/methodology/approach: Two-wave data were collected from 306 employees working in the operation department of an e-commerce company in Eastern China. Findings: The results showed that both affective commitment and emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between career adaptability and both citizenship behavior and citizenship fatigue, revealing a dual-process mechanism. Moreover, both the positive association between career adaptability and affective commitment and the negative association between career adaptability and emotional exhaustion were stronger among employees with a high (vs low) level of hindrance stressors. Research limitations/implications: This study sheds light on the mechanisms and boundary conditions of the career adaptabilities–citizenship outcomes relationship. Originality/value: This is one of the first studies to investigate the mechanism of the relationship between career adaptability and citizenship outcomes using multi-wave data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore what organizations can do to facilitate the retention and advancement of women professionals into top leadership positions. A social exchange framework is applied to examine ways organizations can signal support for and investment in the careers of women professionals, and ultimately the long-term work relationship. Design/methodology/approach – This paper employed a qualitative methodology; specifically, semi-structured interviews with 20 women executives, in primarily the US hospitality industry, were conducted. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed. Findings – Organizations are likely to strengthen the retention of their female professionals if they signal support through purposeful, long-term career development that provides a sightline to the top, and ultimately creates more female role models in senior-level positions. Organizations can also signal support through offering autonomy over how work is completed, and designing infrastructures of support to sustain professionals during mid-career stages. Findings are used to present a work-exchange model of career development. Research limitations/implications – This research is an exploratory study that is limited in its scope and generalizability. Practical implications – The proposed work-exchange model can be used to comprehensively structures initiatives that would signal organizational support to – and long-term investment in – female professionals and enable them to develop their career paths within their organizations. Originality/value – Through offering a work-exchange model of career development, this paper identifies components of organizational support from a careers perspective, and highlights the factors that could potentially contribute to long-term growth and retention of women professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to integrate job demands–resources theory and the episodic process model to examine the relationships between episodic cognitive mechanisms (i.e. cognitive interference and attentional pull), work engagement and performance. It is hypothesized that an episode characterized by less cognitive interference and more attentional pull (i.e. attraction toward the work activity) is associated with the highest levels of work engagement and job performance. Additionally, it is hypothesized that episodic challenge/hindrance job demands boost/diminish the positive relationship between episodic job resources and work engagement.Design/methodology/approach Using experience sampling methodology, 48 employees used their smartphones to complete surveys three times a day for one week, resulting in 266 observations.Findings Results of multilevel analyses suggest that episodic hindrance job demands (but not challenge job demands) moderate the positive relation between job resources and work engagement.Originality/value This study is unique in that it captures fluctuating cognitive processes (i.e. attentional pull and cognitive interference) that take place during work activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; This paper aims to explore the effects of two work related identification (occupational and organizational) of school teachers on intention to early retirement (withdrawal) and satisfaction with the occupation and satisfaction with the school. It also seeks the influence of perceived external prestige on withdrawal and satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; An empirical study was carried out at public schools in Canakkale, Turkey. Data collected from 238 teachers were analyzed. The correlations between identification and organizational prestige, desire for early retirement, and overall satisfaction of teachers were tested with several demographic variables such as age, gender, tenure and union membership. Ordinal logistic regression analysis (OLR) was conducted to reveal probabilistic behavior of response variables on the basis of explanatory variables. Findings |!|#8211; The results show that both categories of identification have reverse effect on intention to early retirement, and both categories have positive effect on job satisfaction. Perceived external prestige has no effect on intention to early retirement and job satisfaction, but it increases satisfaction from the school. Finally, the |!|#34;self|!|#34; and the |!|#34;occupation|!|#34; were found salient categories for teachers|!|#39; identification. Originality/value |!|#8211; Identification literature has long been concentrated on organizational level identification. This paper explores the influence of both organizational and occupational categories of identification, comparatively. Being a teacher is seen as a prestigious occupation in Turkey. Findings about identity as a teacher also confirmed that |!|#34;self|!|#34; and |!|#34;occupation|!|#34; are two main identity references in the Turkish setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine generational differences in attitudes toward careers in China. Generational differences are quite apparent in Chinese society. People who were born in the 1960s experienced the Cultural Revolution in their childhood. Those born in the 1970s witnessed the dramatic and profound social changes after China's open-door policy was enforced. The generation born in the 1980s is believed to be the spoiled generation that highly values materialism and self-realization, due to being the only child in the family as a result of the "One Child" policy. Design/methodology/approach - The authors surveyed Chinese people between 20 and 50 years old about their career attitudes to explore six hypotheses based on predicted patterns of generational change. Findings - The paper found more differences in desired attributes of their manager than in their perception of themselves. Some career attitudes and abilities vary across the three generations but, given the historical and common assumptions of generational change, extensive differences were not found. Research limitations/implications: - The authors' sample of 277 can only provide general insights into Chinese attitudes, given the size and diversity of the Chinese population. The study hopes to spur further research into generational differences in China and elsewhere. Practical implications - The paper provides insight into how the generational groups in China currently in the workforce think about their careers. Generational clashes in the workplace are also discussed. Originality/value - No previous projects directly use the studies method or concepts in China. It builds on past work examining work values and career attitudes in China to contribute insights into generational differences within China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Career success such as it is classically modelled and measured is not necessarily representative of the perceptions of blue-collar workers. Therefore, the goal of the present study is to understand what it means to succeed in blue-collar occupations. A definition and a measure are useful starting points in explaining the individual's evaluation of success and in analysing the behaviour which results from it. Design/methodology/approach - After a review of literature, in order to develop the theoretical framework for the research, 25 exploratory interviews were conducted with blue-collar workers in order to obtain their criteria for career success. The results are reported, together with the methodological decisions and a proposed explanatory model. Findings - Success is traditionally described as having an objective and a subjective part. In order to understand the perceptions of blue-collar workers, it is necessary to recognise that their perceptions are influenced by material, psychological and social aspects. Practical implications - The definitions developed in this paper could be used to develop employment programmes addressing the expectations of blue-collar workers, and to attract new employees to this kind of occupation. More generally, with the flattening of organizations, it is necessary to re-evaluate the concept of success for all workers, and to develop policies that are appropriate to changes in the labour market. Originality/value - The majority of career studies focus on "white collar" workers. Traditional career theory has developed models which consider that all the employees are guided by the same systems of values (status, power, wages, etc.). Thus, this paper fulfils a need to develop an understanding of career success from the perspective of blue-collar workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The major purpose of this paper is to examine how gender differences impact the enactment of careers. An additional goal is to examine whether, as suggested by recent conceptualizations, careers are indeed becoming more boundaryless. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on the results of two in-depth qualitative studies (n=52; n=27). Findings - Two major patterns were found that describe the careers of professionals in the contemporary workplace. One pattern is called the alpha career pattern: over the life span, people with this pattern first focus on challenge, then authenticity, and then balance. The second pattern is called the beta career pattern: over the life span, people with this pattern first focus on challenge, then balance, and then authenticity. Practical implications - This paper offers a framework that HR managers and other organizational leaders can use to increase the authenticity, balance and challenge experienced by their employees in order to enhance organizational effectiveness. Originality/value - This paper addresses the numerous calls for the development of a model to explain the complexities of women's careers as well as to recognize gender differences in career enactment. It was found that, in general, men followed the alpha career pattern while women followed the beta career pattern. However, a limited number of women had career experiences that were more consistent with the alpha career pattern more closely aligned with men while some younger men consciously developed more family-driven beta patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare the importance currently placed on meaningful work (MFW), and determine the frequency by which it is experienced in blue-, pink-, and white-collar occupations.Design/methodology/approachs Using the comprehensive meaningful work scale (Lips-Wiersma and Wright, 2012) with 1,683 workers across two studies, ANOVAs were conducted to examine differences in dimensions of MFW.Findings While unity with others and developing the inner self were regarded as equally important for white-, blue-, and pink-collar workers, the authors data suggest that white-collar workers placed more importance on expressing full potential and serving others than blue-collar workers. The frequency of experiencing MFW differed across the three groups with white-collar workers experiencing higher levels of unity with others, expressing full potential, and serving others; however no mean differences were found for developing the inner self.Originality/value This study is the first to empirically investigate an oft-discussed but previously untested question: does the experience of MFW differ across white-, blue-, and pink-collar jobs? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Utilising the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the purpose of this paper is to examine how aspects of the psychosocial work environment (namely, job demands and resources) are associated with presenteeism, and in particular, whether they are indirectly related via burnout and work engagement.Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey of 980 working Australians measured the relationships between job demands (i.e. workplace bullying, time pressure and work-family conflict), resources (i.e. leadership and social support), burnout, work engagement and presenteeism. Path analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses whilst controlling for participant demographics (i.e. sex, age, work level, duration and education).Findings Higher job demands (workplace bullying, time pressure, and work-family conflict) and lower job resources (leadership only) were found to be indirectly related to presenteeism via increased burnout. While increased job resources (leadership and social support) were indirectly related to presenteeism via improved work engagement.Practical implications The findings are consistent with the JD-R model, and suggest that presenteeism may arise from the strain and burnout associated with overcoming excessive job demands as well as the reduced work engagement and higher burnout provoked by a lack of resources in the workplace. Intervention programmes could therefore focus on teaching employees how to better manage job demands as well as promoting the resources available at work as an innovative way to address the issue of rising presenteeism.Originality/value This study is important as it is one of the first to examine the theoretical underpinnings of the relationship between presenteeism and its antecedents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to distinguish knowledge gained vs skills learned as two learning-related training criteria; and to then test the impact of two career motivation variables, home care intent and stepping stone, for explaining these training criteria beyond controlled-for variables. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a sample of 720 personal/home care aides (P/HCAs) who filled out pre-training and post-training surveys. Training consisted of 25 modules, lasting approximately 100 hours on various P/HCA knowledge bases, with training sessions generally five to six hours/day, four to five days/week over a three to four week period. Factor analyses, correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Results showed that these two learning outcomes, knowledge gained vs skills learned, could be differentiated and reliably measured. Subsequent hierarchical regression analyses showed additional discriminant validity for these two learning outcomes. For the two measured career motivation variables, home care intent and stepping stone, home care intent was positively related to both learning outcomes but stepping stone only had a significant positive impact on skills learned. Training delivery was significantly related only to knowledge gained, while instructor rating was significantly related only to skills learned. Originality/value – A unique sample of P/HCA trainees was utilized to test for this previously untested learning outcome distinction. As the population ages and demand increases for P/HCAs, additional training and studies evaluating such training will be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to integrate leadership into the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. Based on self-determination theory, it was argued that engaging leaders who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers would reduce employee’s levels of burnout and increase their levels of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was conducted among a representative sample of the Dutch workforce (n=1,213) and the research model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – It appeared that leadership only had an indirect effect on burnout and engagement – via job demands and job resources – but not a direct effect. Moreover, leadership also had a direct relationship with organizational outcomes such as employability, performance, and commitment. Research limitations/implications – The study used a cross-sectional design and all variables were based on self-reports. Hence, results should be replicated in a longitudinal study and using more objective measures (e.g. for work performance). Practical implications – Since engaged leaders, who inspire, strengthen, and connect their followers, provide a work context in which employees thrive, organizations are well advised to promote engaging leadership. Social implications – Leadership seems to be a crucial factor which has an indirect impact – via job demands and job resources – on employee well-being. Originality/value – The study demonstrates that engaging leadership can be integrated into the JD-R framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive account for careers within the Greek academic system. Historical, cultural and geographical features of the country have created a unique context that has shaped the way academic careers evolve. Design/methodology/approach – The primary methods of data collection were retrospective participant observation and discussions in interview form with individuals who have had various types of experience with the Greek Higher Education system. Findings – The major factor that shapes careers in Greek academia is social capital or know-whom that operates within a broader cultural environment where institutional collectivism is extremely low, the in-group – out-group distinction is a major element, and political party affiliation plays a key role in everyday affairs. As a result academic careers in Greece are almost exclusively determined by membership, a priory or earned, to an “in-group” that is linked via blood, family friendship, business and political party ties. This “in-group” uses its social capital to control academic careers across all stages for the benefit of its members. Research limitations/implications – There are method limitations, but relevant concerns were largely alleviated by precautionary measures and the way data were utilized. Ethnography may be the most appropriate method to disentangle the way networks and social capital impact careers. Practical implications – Achieving substantive change, such as increasing meritocracy, within a sector may be impossible without considering the broader cultural context that encapsulates it. Originality/value – The study is among the very first to unveil the “dark side” of social capital, and show how social capital may benefit the interests of in-groups at the expense of the collective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Drawing on career and self-initiated expatriation/repatriation literatures, this paper aims to examine the career experiences of Chinese self-initiated repatriates after their return to China. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted an exploratory, qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 20 Chinese individuals who returned to China after spending at least three years living, studying and/or working in a range of "host" countries. Findings – This study shows that the career agency of Chinese returnees reflects both independent and interdependent factors. It provides specific empirical support for Tams and Arthur's argument that career agency is impacted by both individual and contextual factors. Research limitations/implications – The findings indicate the central role played by individual proactivity and contextual influences during self-initiated repatriation. The small sample size allows for rich data, but limits the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications – Managerial practices that address the unique career values and expectations of self-initiated repatriates can facilitate the application of skills and knowledge acquired abroad to the local context. Policy makers should provide more institutional support to encourage and facilitate the return of overseas Chinese. Originality/value – This study is among only a small number to explore the experiences of self-initiated repatriates in developing countries. Recent research has addressed the importance of recognizing and identifying the boundaries that constrain and enable global careers. This study identifies a number of such boundaries and also adds to the understanding of the challenges and difficulties of repatriation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and generate initial evidence on the psychometric properties of a re-conceptualized organizational career system (OCS). Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from head of HR/head of business units on the career system variables. Reliability and exploratory factor analysis using SPSS and confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS helped the authors to test the theoretically derived factor structure. The psychometric properties of the three-factor instrument were examined and provided initial evidence of the reliability and validity of OCS. Findings – The model fit indices confirm the three-dimensional factor structure of organizational career systems. The three dimensions pertain to labor market orientation, employee advancement orientation and employee lateral movement. Originality/value – In proposing this conceptual model, the authors draw insights from a number of distinct literature streams. The further development of an instrument to evaluate perceptions of career systems should encourage researchers and practitioners to use the instrument for empirical and diagnostic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a comprehensive model of personal and institutional input variables, composed of elements describing status-based antecedents, job/organizational context antecedents, and individual level antecedents, which may contribute to the production of significant (top-tier) research outputs in the management discipline. Design/methodology/approach - The development and empirical examination of this model were done with two main goals in mind. First, the nature and degree to which certain factors lead to the production of top-tier research productivity in the management discipline were explored. Second, it is hoped that information about these relationships could then be used by institutions and individuals so that they could better understand what it takes to adequately prepare faculty members to achieve increased productivity or, alternatively, to decide whether the goal of top-tier research production is consistent with individual and institutional resources. As such, the results of this investigation should have interesting and potentially important implications for both academic status attainment and career success. Findings - Hierarchical moderated regression analyses of 440 faculty records revealed that the status of current affiliation of the faculty member, editorial board membership, faculty rank, and the availability of doctoral students were related to top-tier research productivity. Research limitations/implications - The findings from this study have important implications for the careers of management faculty at AACSB-accredited business schools. Faculty at higher status institutions appear to enjoy a number of cumulative advantages due to increased social, human and cultural capital that support the production of top-tier research. Additionally, faculty with doctoral student support and those with memberships on editorial boards seem to possess the resources and connections necessary to produce top-tier research on a consistent basis. Future research should investigate institution-specific inducements to research productivity (e.g. research support and remuneration) and the exact causal nature of the editorial board/productivity relationship. Originality/value - Prior research has investigated status effects using broad categories as predictors, whereas this research uses interval values representing research-based assessments of institution status rankings. Additionally, this research creates and tests a comprehensive causal model of research productivity antecedents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to provide an overview of the recently introduced concept of work engagement. Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative and quantitative studies on work engagement are reviewed to uncover the manifestation of engagement, and reveal its antecedents and consequences. Findings - Work engagement can be defined as a state including vigor, dedication, and absorption. Job and personal resources are the main predictors of engagement; these resources gain their salience in the context of high job demands. Engaged workers are more creative, more productive, and more willing to go the extra mile. Originality/value - The findings of previous studies are integrated in an overall model that can be used to develop work engagement and advance career development in today's workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to review gender differences in career goals and career tactics of men and women in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Design/methodology/approach - Survey results were used to identify empirical differences in career beliefs of 233 managers employed in 16 organizations in the PRC. Findings - Women and men were equally likely to value achievement, contributing to the family, and collectivism as career goals and to use loyalty to superiors, and networking as career tactics. Women were more likely than men to try to learn more and to want to get more education as career tactics. Research limitations/implications - The non-random sample that does not include every province in the PRC and the low scale internal consistency limit these findings. Practical implications - Gender discrimination based on beliefs that women will be less loyal or ambitious are not justified by these results. Originality/value - These results challenge stereotypes about Chinese women and provide information rarely examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from 37 interviews carried out with female architects in Britain, this paper examines how they have constructed their careers in a male-dominated profession. The findings indicate that there is a significant rejection of the "traditional" career within an organisation; instead there is diversity in the forms of work organisation adopted especially with regard to the desire for control over career and working life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on research which reflects on the value of the Master in Business Administration (MBA). The research is based on surveys on managers in Great Britain and human resource managers of leading firms of the U.S. It states that MBA can be quite beneficial for the career of graduates, their employing organizations and also contributes in raising human capital. It also states that MBA leads to positive outcomes, good management and offers high potential for return on investment.

Purpose - To introduce the concept of diverse career cultures in the education system and to consider how these impact on individual career investment and attempts to modernise the teaching profession internationally. Design/methodology/approach - A life history approach was used to determine the career environment of teachers, setting career theories and career policy against the lived experiences of a group of educationalists. The interaction of the structural, cultural and individual dimensions of career has been analysed using grounded theory to determine the emerging cultural themes. Findings - Two distinct career cultures have emerged over time influencing how teachers perceive their work. Each career culture determines the career investment pattern of individuals regardless of the structural career promoted. For most teachers, a secure career culture is the dominant influence on career decision-making despite the existence of a subordinate investment culture, more common to careers outside the education field. Research limitations/implications - The concept of career culture should be explored with larger groups of teachers internationally and compared against other major occupational groups. Practical implications - An investment career culture should be encouraged by re-defining the modern career, the motivations of its members and the career sites open to them to promote diverse models of career investment. Originality/value - This paper challenges the assumptions in current education policy that current structural changes will modernise the teaching career by looking at the subjective dimension of careers with potential recruits, existing educationalists and policy-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Career research has been synonymous with paid work. The ensuing result is a picture of women's careers framed by men's experiences. In this paper career development theory is briefly traced to provide a context for a proposed model of women's careers. This broad, non-linear model aims to be inclusive of a diverse range of experiences without being deterministic. Internal and external influences in the developmental processes of women are taken into account. The model is built around four facets: explore; focus; rebalance; and revive, each of which is separated by a reflective period of reassessment. Explanation of the model is extended through the use of illustrative cases drawn from previous research. This proposed model of women's careers is aimed to stimulate and extend discussion and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mainstream work on careers tends to be situated within an individualistic paradigm and against a North American/Western European context (although frequently unacknowledged). This paper throws new conceptual and contextual insights on the career concept through its exploration of careers in the Middle East. It draws on articles included in two special issues on career development in the Middle East published in Career Development International, and demonstrates how careers are intertwined with history, politics, organisational practices and structures as well as the individual self. Importantly it identifies the interconnectedness of the Middle East with the rest of the world and how this impacts on individual careers. Through this regional lens, the complexity and diversity of the career concept is brought into sharp focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Although reputation is important to career success, little is known about how individuals develop their personal reputation at work. This study seeks to investigate the role of work relationship quality and citizenship behavior as partial mediators of the political skill-personal reputation relationship. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 145 triads from a manufacturer in the Midwestern USA provided data for the study. Employees rated their political skill and citizenship behavior, supervisors rated their relationship quality, and coworkers rated the employees' personal reputation. Based on the complementary theories of signaling and social exchange, the relationships between the constructs were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Findings – Political skill demonstrated both direct and indirect effects on the development of personal reputation. In particular, work relationship quality and citizenship behavior partially mediated the relationship between political skill and personal reputation. Research limitations/implications – Personal reputation was evaluated by a randomly selected coworker, but a collection of perceptions would be helpful. Practical implications – Political skill training and/or mentoring relationships may help individuals manage their personal reputation at work, thus benefiting their careers. Social implications – This study focused on personal reputation in a work environment. However, the results also may be useful to individuals in different types of organizations. Originality/value – This is one of the first studies to investigate how individuals develop their personal reputation at work. Unlike previous research that used self-evaluations of personal reputation, this study used peer evaluations, which is more appropriate for the construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; This study aims to compare the career patterns of Matures, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers and Millennials over the various stages of their careers to determine whether there have been notable shifts away from the |!|#34;traditional|!|#34; career model characterized by long-term linear, upward career movement, toward a |!|#34;modern|!|#34; career model characterized by increased job mobility, organizational mobility and multi-directional career movement. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The retrospective career accounts of 105 Canadians were gathered through review of r|!|#233;sum|!|#233; information and semi-structured interviews. The job changes and organizational changes experienced by each respondent in each five-year career period (e.g. age 20-24, 25-29) and the direction of job changes (i.e. upward, downward, lateral or change of career track) were recorded. The generations were compared statistically on each of these measures through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Findings |!|#8211; Significant inter-generational differences were observed on all variables of interest, but the differences were largely restricted to the age 20-24 and 30-34 career stages. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; The study relied on a small sample because of the qualitative nature of the data collection. The sample was also exclusively Canadian. The results should therefore be interpreted with care and the research should be replicated with different types of respondents and in different cultural contexts. Practical implications |!|#8211; The research demonstrates to employers that the younger generations change jobs and employers at a greater rate than previous generations and that they are more willing to accept non-upward career moves. Recruiting and retaining young employees will therefore require a different approach than was used for previous generations. Originality/value |!|#8211; The use of retrospective accounts allowed for the comparison of generations within various career stages. This overcomes a significant limitation of cross-sectional studies of generational phenomena by simultaneously considering life-cycle and generational cohort effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The use of women's networks is emerging as one method of advancing women's careers within organizations. However, the value of these networks has been questioned. The purpose of this study is to examine how potential differences in the perceptions of network members and the firm's executive leadership about the purposes and anticipated outcomes of a women's network may impact women's career advancement. Design/methodology/approach – The authors interviewed 21 members of an intra-firm women's network and six members of the executive leadership team of a global organization. To examine the qualitative data, they used a process of thematic analysis to discover prevalent themes in the transcribed interviews. Findings – Both members of the women's network and the executive leadership team placed responsibility for women's career advancement upon the individual; the firm's male-dominated culture and organizational constraints were not emphasized. While members of the women's network recognized how the network could be used to contribute to the firm's strategic goals, the executive leadership team did not recognize the network's possible effect on the firm's bottom line. Originality/value – Examines how potential differences in the perceptions of network members and the firm's executive leadership about the purposes and anticipated outcomes of a women's network may impact women's career advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a study on the relationship between job demands and resources and employees' evaluations of organizational change. It informs that in the study 818 faculty members of a Dutch university participated and the data obtained was analyzed using multilevel analyses. It was found in the study that emotional demands are negatively related to evaluations of organizational change. It was also found in the study that factors such as support from the supervisor, job control, and opportunity of professional development are related to favorable evaluations of organizational change. Also presented are the limitations and the implications of the study.

The article discusses a study which examined the differences between members of Baby Boom generation and Generation X in their needs for authenticity, balance, and challenge using the Kaleidoscope Career Model. The study surveyed 982 professionals located across the U.S. and tested the model with correlations, t-tests, and multiple regressions. The study found that need for authenticity and balance was higher in members of Generation X than in Boomers and found no significant generational differences regarding the need for challenge.

The article focuses on a study which explores individual approaches to career and employability conducted by a private outplacement firm in Australia. As per the study, the data were collected through interviewing several people who undergoes career transition program. The study used a qualitative approach for coding and analysis of the data by using NVivo, a software program. The study concludes that career patterns shift from traditional careers. The study further suggests that organizations and persons need to developed attitudes and behaviors which support employment.

The article focuses on a study related to the effect of social comparison on managerial career. As per the study, the data were collected from 392 managers including the lower and middle level organizations. The study informs that organizations should encourage managers to participate in career strategies. The study discusses the positive and negative impacts of upward and downward comparison on managerial careers.The study further concludes that turnover intentions and job satisfaction of managers are not only predicted by salary and job tenure but also by their relative standards.

The article focuses on a study which investigates the relationships between job demands, presenteeism and burnout among hospital nurses. As per the study, the data were collected from 258 staff nurses from general hospital in the Netherlands. The study mentions that participants have to fill a questionnaires and data testing analysis was performed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) by using Mplus, a software program. The study concludes that job demands caused more presenteeism while depersonalization results in absenteeism. The study further suggests that presenteeism should be prevented at workplace.

Purpose - This study aims to explore the reasons why women are leaving the workplace. Are they opting out of the workforce to stay at home with their children as current media reports suggest, or are the reasons more complex as the Kaleidoscope Career Model (KCM) suggests? A second objective is to examine whether or not women's primary career motives change over time as predicted by the KCM. Lastly, the potential barriers or boundaries faced by women pursuing boundaryless careers will be identified. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was sent to 2,000 randomly selected women graduates of an international business school located in the USA. The response rate was 25 percent, or 497 women. Findings - The results revealed that 47 percent of the women surveyed had stopped working at some point in their career. Numerous reasons were cited for leaving. Only 35 percent of the women who stopped working cited rearing children as their sole reason for opting out. Sixty-two percent of the women reported that their career focus had changed. In line with the KCM predictions, mid-career women were most interested in finding balance in their lives and the desire for authenticity increased across the lifespan. Finally, 70 percent of the women who left eventually returned to work, debunking the myth that women opt out and do not return to the workforce. Our findings show that there are barriers that make it difficult to move across organizations, especially if time is taken off between jobs. Research limitations/implications - All of the respondents in this study have a graduate degree in international business; thus, the results may have limited generalizability to other populations. Nonetheless, this study provides valuable data that helps us to better understand the complexities of women's career paths. Originality/value - This study makes contributions to two different areas of career theory. First, it provides one of the first empirical tests of the KCM. In addition to showing that women are leaving companies for more complex reasons than for family reasons alone, it also shows that women's primary career motives shift over time in the manner predicted by the KCM. Second, the study contributes to the literature on boundaryless careers by showing that there are in fact barriers or boundaries faced by women attempting to pursue careers across organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Recent research has shed light on career trajectories outside enclosed organizations and linked individual careers to career fields. This article seeks to explore how individuals' trajectories are affected by structural changes in career fields. Design/methodology/approach - By exploring several jazz musicians' biographies, a typical trajectory is built. In contrast with this typical trajectory, alternative successful trajectories are investigated. Findings - The typical trajectory entails a successful introduction of a musician into a field, followed by increasing recognition among peers at jam sessions, stream of engagements and among critics. Consecration of one's public persona occurs in tandem with the institutionalization of one's personal style. These higher levels of "symbolic capital" grant continuous streams of engagements, which in turn are translated into higher levels of economic capital. As a musician achieves a dominant position in a field, inertial forces typecast him, impeding innovation, which leaves room for upcoming younger artists. This model is contrasted with deviant careers that proved to be successful due to structural changes in the field. As the legitimacy sources were no longer tightly coupled, musicians were able to undertake choices not prescribed by successful predecessors. The way individuals behave when facing field uncertainty reveals the enduring values underlying the employment and conversion of resources. Research limitations/implications - This research is based on qualitative research on jazz musicians' bios. Future research might further explore interpretative schemata applied by musicians facing career choices. Practical implications - Practitioners might find controversial and conflictive sources of legitimacy opportunities for taking up alternative career paths. Conversely, structural changes might help analysts to assess endurable patterns of individual strategic choices. Originality/value - The logics of jazz musicians' trajectories are assumed to be analogous to other industry careers. This analogy adds value to the study of careers in two ways: first, it contributes to understanding career patterns outside formal organizations; and second, it permits a multi-level analysis, where both individual trajectories and the field dynamics are interwoven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores worker choices to become self-employed contractors. Adopts a qualitative method and uses data from in-depth interviews with workers from two contrasting occupational groups. Reveals five sets of factors which appear to be central to worker decision making. Contrasts the perspectives of the workers and draws conclusions relating to the impact of skill and labor market power on the choice of employed/self-employed status, and subsequent career prospects. Suggests that recent views of "boundaryless careers" are more relevant to highly-skilled groups of workers, and discusses the tensions between structural forces that constrain individuals' career autonomy and the desire of many workers to be proactive agents in the construction of their own careers. The findings suggest that a balanced examination of "new careers" should account for the complexity of a new world of work that advantages only some. Argues for greater understanding of the choice between different modes of employment rather than just occupational choice. Finally, suggests that researchers and career practitioners need to be able to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different modes of employment from a sound knowledge base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, examines women's career types and their effects on women's satisfaction with their career success and their attributions of the sources of this career success. The study proposes a typology of four career types that are determined by the manifestation of a woman's career pattern and career locus. It finds empirical evidence of three distinct career types for women: achievers, navigators and accommodators. Women having accommodator career types are significantly less satisfied with their career success than women having navigator career types and achiever career types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]