Facilitating Life-Enhancing Career in the Context of Significant Social Challenges and Changes: The Perspective of Goal-Directed Action

Abstract

The problems and challenges people in both Eastern and Western societies face regarding life work and career are complex and in flux. These issues range from a neoliberal socio-economic climate to the increasing prevalence of the gig economy and part-time work. These problems, compounded by racism and social injustice, threaten the existential and moral commitment required not only for sustained work involvement but also for constructing a meaningful life. The neoliberal agenda appears to give pre-eminence to individual agency. However, at the same time, it challenges the joint collaborative and cooperative requirements needed to construct meaningful long-term carreers. These challenges to long-term career are elaborated. In this article, we address this problem by examining the conceptual link between short-term, goal-directed actions, mid-term projects and long-term career, in an approach known as contextual action theory. Essentially, this framework suggests that long-term career is constructed through in-the-moment goal-directed actions and mid-term projects, both of which require significant components to contribute to a meaningful and motivated career. This article provides the opportunity to examine the characteristics of contextual action theory that contribute to addressing the challenges to long term career, including goals as explanatory, relation to the other, the process of change, culture, and social justice. These characteristics are illustrated by referring to current research and practice that have emerged from contextual action theory.