Organizational career management in a protean and boundaryless world: A mixed-methods study

This chapter defines organizational career management (OCM) systems, and analyzes the theoretical roots of OCM. It looks at OCM practices, and shows the link between human resource management (HRM) and career management and illustrates important insights with practical examples from the world of organizations. Career studies tend to be interdisciplinary and the same can be said about the theoretical roots of OCM. In the career literature, theoretical roots for OCM can be traced in the tension between individual agency and social determinism: Running through the entire literature on career is the tension between individual agency, the notion that we are what we make of ourselves, and social determinism. OCM practices are ‘activities undertaken by the organization in order to plan and manage the careers of its employees’. The strategic HRM literature demonstrated an interest in studying the effects of HRM practices on organizational and individual performance.

Underpinned by Social Cognitive Theory, this study explores how organizational career management (OCM) practices and proactive personality interact to influence organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among civil servants in the Malaysian Public Service. By examining both formal and informal OCM practices, the study aims to enhance understanding of the differential impacts these practices have on OCB directed towards the organization (OCBO) and individuals (OCBI). Data were collected from 603 civil servants in Malaysia using a purposive sampling technique and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results indicate that both formal and informal OCM practices positively affect OCBO. Notably, a proactive personality was found to weaken the positive relationship between formal OCM practices and OCBO, while strengthening the relationship between informal OCM practices and both OCBO and OCBI. This study supports Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), highlighting the importance of organizational and individual factors in eliciting OCB. The findings suggest that less proactive civil service officers benefit more from formal career support, whereas highly proactive individuals respond better to informal career support. Specifically, formal OCM practices should be emphasized for employees with low proactive personalities but informal practices for highly proactive personalities.

PurposeThe contemporary career development models argued more for self-management of careers, yet few researchers emphasized importance of organizational career management. The purpose of this paper is to check association between perceived organizational career management practices, trust in management and turnover intentions.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, authors proposed a model based on social exchange theory. Data for this study were collected from 405 IT professionals employed in India. The proposed model was tested using structural equation modelling.FindingsResults showed significant direct and indirect negative effect of perceived informal organizational career management on turnover intention. In case of perceived formal organizational career management only indirect effect was significant. Trust in management mediated relationship between both types of organizational career management and turnover intentions.Originality/valueFirst, this study delineated effect of formal and informal perceived organizational career management practices on turnover intentions. Second, this study introduced trust in management as mediator to explain relationship between organizational career management practice and outcome.

This study developed a scale of perceived salient organizational career management practices based on a survey of 420 social workers from social work organizations in Guangdong province, China. A two-factor structure OCM scale was constructed using items reflecting the components of organizational career management (OCM) practices. The scale showed sufficient reliability and validity. The results demonstrated the necessity of designing promotion ladders, relevant training, career counseling and other OCM measures to assist social workers in their career progression.

Despite the widely recognized change of career management in the new career era, little is known about whether the organizational career management practices are different from previous ones and their both possible beneficial and detrimental effects. In this paper, we developed a scale of organizational career management that reflected some features of the new career era based on an open questionnaire and literature review. Two independent studies were conducted (N=320; N=216) to examine the reliability and validity of the scale. The final OCM scale includes four dimensions: boundaryless and autonomy work, diversification, training and development, work-family balance. Further, we tested the effectiveness of the perceived organizational career management based on 179 employees over two months interval. We found both the possible benefits (i.e., higher organizational commitment and less turnover intention) and risks of perceived organizational career management (higher career competency and more likely to leave organizations). The contributions, practical complications, and future research suggestions are discussed.

PurposeOrganizations profoundly create development paths of individual’s careers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to gain understanding about how organizational context (shaped by the complex relationship between trade union strength and HRM strength) influences the application of organizational career management (OCM) practices seen through the lens of the theory of cooperation and competition (Deutsch, 1949; Tjosvold, 1984).Design/methodology/approachInferential statistical analyses (Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests) were applied to test the CRANET survey data collected from 92 large-sized private-sector organizations within an EU country characterized by a medium to high-trade union density.FindingsResults offered consistent empirical evidence that a comprehensive set of OCM practices are applied differently across four distinctive modalities of the union-HRM relationship. Specifically, the “union-HRM synergy” relationship (high-HRM/high-unionization) has been recognized as the most promising for adopting such developmental practices, providing an evidence of complementarities between trade unions and HRM professionalism.Practical implicationsThe research suggests that synergistic collaboration between trade unions and HRM might provide employees with even more career development opportunities than when organizations pursue the asynchronous single-sided “Total HRM strategy.”Originality/valueThis study rejuvenate a traditional career management research agenda by introducing a new theoretical lens for studying the interplay between trade unions and HRM and have put an emphasis on how their strength is related to the incidence of OCM practices.

BackgroundCareer management responsibilities are shifting from employers to employees in the new career era. However, the complex relationship between organizational career management and individual career management and their joint effects on career growth remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of basic psychological needs and individual career management in the relationship between organizational career management and career growth among nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted. A total of 1866 nurses were recruited from 8 tertiary hospitals and 7 secondary hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, between January 6 and 20, 2021. The Organizational Career Management Questionnaire, Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, Individual Career Management Questionnaire, and Career Growth Scale for Nurses were used to collect data. Structural equation modeling with the bootstrapping method was used to examine the hypothesized model.ResultsSerial multiple mediation analysis revealed that the relationship between organizational career management and career growth was mediated by basic psychological needs (standardized estimate = 0.245, 95% CI [0.228, 0.305]) and individual career management (standardized estimate = 0.238, 95% CI [0.196, 0.331]). The total mediation effect accounted for 68.5% of the pathway from organizational career management to career growth.ConclusionIn addition to organizational career management, basic psychological needs and individual career management deserve more attention to foster nurses’ career growth.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore professional employees' career move preferences and the impact of both individual and organizational career management. Departing from theoretical work on the “new career”, different types of career moves employees can make on the internal labor market are discussed and related to the literature on both organizational and individual career management.Design/methodology/approachTo test the hypotheses, a cross‐sectional survey of 472 professional employees from one company is presented.FindingsThe preferences for both vertical career moves and moves relating to job enrichment and temporary moves are significantly affected by individual career management, but not by organizational career management practices. The preference for making lateral moves could not be explained by our antecedent variables.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should involve a larger sample of organizations in order to collect empirical data about the extent to which OCM practices impact career preferences. Our results provide evidence for the relationship between individual career management and career move preferences and thereby adds to the literature on the “new career”.Practical implicationsThis study has a number of practical implications that relate to the ways in which organizations can stimulate different career moves among their employees through the enhancement of personal career initiatives.Originality/valueThe value of this paper is the contribution it makes to the career literature by relating to different streams of research, about career mobility on the one hand and individual and organizational career management on the other.

Are skilled contingent workers neglected? Evidence from a cross-sector multiple case study on organizational career management practices

Purpose– This paper aims to understand employees’ perceptions of human resources management functions and how these affect brand performance, and the indirect influence of human resources management functions when mediated by job satisfaction in branded hotels in China. Hotel human resources functions, specifically organizational career management, and internal branding in hotels in mainland China were examined. The mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between organizational career management and internal branding on brand performance was also examined.Design/methodology/approach– A survey of hotel supervisors and middle managers in mainland China yielded 510 valid questionnaires for data analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to empirically test the relationships between human resources management functions (organizational career management, internal branding and job satisfaction) and brand performance in four- and five-star hotels in China.Findings– The structural equation modeling results showed strong support for the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationships between organizational career management, internal branding and brand performance. Interestingly, although internal branding significantly affected brand performance, organizational career management alone did not.Research limitations/implications– The main limitation was the use of a convenience sampling method, which means respondents may not represent a sufficiently broad sample of hotel employees. Future studies are encouraged to explore internal branding and hotel career management using a probability sampling method.Practical implications– The findings offer new insights and directions for hotel human resources managers to improve brand performance, either through promoting internal branding itself, or by enhancing organizational career management, internal branding and employees’ job satisfaction to achieve brand performance.Originality/value– This is the first empirical study to analyze hotel management employees’ perceptions of the relationships between hotel human resources management, employees’ job satisfaction and hotel brand performance in China. The findings demonstrate the usefulness of applying human resources management functions to hotel branding.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to review the research about organizational career management (OCM) and provide an integrated understanding of OCM research.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors systematically review 85 OCM-related papers published in highly influential journals over the past four decades (1978–2021). This paper reviews the definitions, measurements, antecedents, outcomes, mediators and moderators of OCM.FindingsDiverse definitions of OCM exist, with three key common factors: what should be included in OCM, who is responsible for OCM and the goal of OCM. Scholars use different OCM measures, which might be due to different nations, industries, groups and scale development methods. More than 20 papers demonstrated the positive influences of OCM, providing convincing evidence of the necessity of OCM. About 90% of the current papers we reviewed (27 out of 30 papers) dominantly examined the influence of OCM on individuals’ attitudes or work behavior. The influence of OCM on organizational outcomes was less addressed.Originality/valueFirst, the authors review the existing OCM measurements and distinguish two ways of measuring OCM: OCMP (organizational level, rated by HR managers or HR vice president or CEO, capturing the real practices) and POCM (Perceived OCM, individual level, rated by employees, capturing subjective perception of practices). This distinction reduces the ambiguity in existing measurements. Second, we summarize the empirical findings of OCM, including the antecedents, outcomes, mediators and moderators. These findings uncover the benefits/risks of OCM and the factors that may influence its effectiveness. Third, the review provides several practical implications as the findings can help managers improve their career development programs.

The increasing rate of turnover that occurs is caused by several factors, among others are job satisfaction and work engagement. Factor affecting these two variables is organizational career management. Another factor that influence these two variables is support from leaders. A company must provide good career management for its employees to increase job satisfaction and work engagement which in turn reduce employee turnover intention. Most of research focus on how job satisfaction and work engagement influence on turn over but not much on how organizational career management influences turn over. Several studies had been done about turn over in Indonesia mentioned that the highest turnover rate in Indonesia occured ini banking industry. This study aims to determine the effect of organizational career management on turnover intention. The research model is considering job satisfaction and work engagement as a mediating factor and leadership career support as a moderating variable. The data collection method used is survey with structured questionaire. As many as 161 respondens were involved in this study. The respondens are permanent bank employees in Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Indonesia and its surrounding cities) who had worked for at least one year. Data collected was analysed by method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results showed that organizational career management has no direct effect on turnover intention but job satisfaction and work engagement were proven to fully mediate the relationship between organizational career management and turnover intention. On the other hand, leadership career support is not proven to moderate the relationship between organizational career management and job satisfaction also turnover intention.

Organizational career management practices and objective career success: A systematic review and framework

It is necessary on building talents' comprehensive career management and mentoring system in multinational companies in China. However, the consideration for organizational career management (OCM) and individual career management (ICM) relate to career advancement opportunities of talents is unclear. This study examines the role of mentoring in the relationships among OCM, ICM and career advancement from the social cognitive career theory and mentoring theory. Data were collected from 225 multinational companies' talents (middle-level managers) and their supervisors (225) in China by questionnaire. Results showed that OCM and ICM are positively related to career advancement, in turn, mentoring plays a mediating role between OCM and career advancement. The pre-positive establishment of OCM programs plays critical roles in encouraging mentoring, and finally enhances the employees' career advancement. Mentoring also plays a moderating role between ICM and career advancement. Individuals who receive mentoring support will perceive more opportunities for career advancement. Finally, this study discusses managerial implications and highlights future research suggestions.

Despite the widely recognized change of career management in the new career era, little is known about whether current organizational career management practices differ from previous ones. Using an open‐ended survey and literature review, this study develops a scale of organizational career management that shows some features of the new career era (e.g. boundaryless career, protean career, kaleidoscope career, etc.) in China. We conducted two independent studies (N = 320; N = 216) to examine the reliability and validity of the scale. The final organizational career management scale includes four dimensions: boundaryless work, work‐life balance policies, training and development and diversification. Further, we tested both the possible bright side and dark side of organizational career management in contemporary organizations using 179 employees over a two‐month interval. We found that both a bright side (i.e. higher organizational commitment and less turnover intention) and a dark side (i.e. higher career competency and more likely to leave organizations) exist. This article discusses the contributions, practical complications, limitations and future research directions.