Macro Factors and Career Success: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda

Abstract

While many review and meta-analysis studies have integrated the micro factors and organisational factors associated with career succss, studies investigating the role of macro factors in career success are yet to be reviewed. This paper presents a systematic review of fifty-eight studies that examine the links between macro factors and career success published from 1970 to 2021. Our review presents seven macro factors associated with career success; these are national culture, region, national economy, national labour market, national education system, national welfare regime, and historical events. Furthermore, adopting a career ecosystem theoretical framework, we develop an integrative model that identifies three pathways – predicting, moderating, and shaping – underlying the relationship between macro factors and career success. On the basis of these findings, our review offers implications for policymakers, multinational companies, and general career actors. We also propose a future research agenda.