Self-development as a career management strategy

Abstract

This research investigated the extent to which employees' willingness to engage in self-development as a career management strategy can be accounted for by their self-reported skill deficiencies, perceived promotion opportunity, organizational commitment, or age. Data from 98 ethnically heterogeneous employees occupying low level administrative or high level clerical and technical positions indicated that younger employees and those who expressed a high level of organizational commitment were more willing to engage in self-development in order to prepare themselves for higher levels of organizational responsibility than were other employees with equivalent managerial career aspirations.