Intelligent Career Research Articles

The Interplay of Motivation, Skills, and Promotions: A Bootstrapped Analysis of MBA Graduates through the Lens of Intelligent Career Theory

This tracer study investigates the relationship between the reasons for enrolling in an MBA program (Know-Why), competencies learned during the program (Know-How), and subsequent career promotions (Know-Who) among MBA graduates, guided by the Intelligent Career Theory Framework. The data the respondents furnished is bootstrapped, and the Phi coefficient revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between motivation to enroll and reported acquisition of relevant competencies (Φ = 0.620), supporting the ICTF motion that clear career goals (Knowing-Why) lead to a more strategic approach to learning (Knowing-How) within the MBA program. However, the link between competencies and promotion after graduation (Φ = 0.451) was weaker and not definitively significant. This conveys that while skills gained through the MBA are valuable (Knowing-How), promotions likely depend on a broader range of factors potentially encompassed by the “Knowing-Whom” aspect of ICTF, such as networking and relationships. These findings highlight the importance of motivation and skill development for MBA graduates while acknowledging the complex interplay of factors influencing career advancement. Recommendations are offered to enhance career development outcomes and inform future research.

Knowing How, Knowing Why, Knowing Whom: Examining the Alignment of the MBA Programs with the Intelligent Career Theory Framework (ICTF)

This study explored the relationship between the Intelligent Career Theory framework (ICTF) and the MBA’s Program Educational Objectives (PEO). Employing a self-reported questionnaire survey with 11 MBA graduates from the past five years, the research examined graduates’ perceptions of the program’s effectiveness in fostering skills and knowledge aligned with the core ICTF components: Knowing Why (Intrinsic motivation and career goals), Knowing How (Knowledge & skills), and Knowing Whom (professional networks & mentors). Pearson’s correlation coefficients were utilized to analyze the relationship between these ICTF components and the program’s PEOs. The Permutations were employed to deal with the limitations of a small sample. The significant correlation between the ICTF components and PEOs with the relative strength of know-why and weakness of know-whom provide insight into the program’s alignment with career intelligence development. Recommendations for curriculum improvement and ongoing program evaluation based on the ICTF framework are presented. This study highlights the value of ICTF as a tool for enhancing MBA programs and empowering graduates for successful careers.

Exploring the career expectations of domestic and international students in an emerging country context

ABSTRACT International students are a valuable resource for their home countries, bringing with them new skills, knowledge, and perspectives. However, meeting their career-related needs is important to ensure that they are able to contribute to the economy and society. This study, which was motivated by the premises of career construction theory and intelligent career framework, compared the career expectations and desired work outcomes of international students from various origins with domestic students in Turkey. Data were collected from 660 students, 95 of whom were international students. Results indicated that while international and domestic students shared similar career expectations in terms of working in a healthy workplace, working with good people, and having opportunities for advancement, there were also marked differences across various metrics. Domestic students may be more focused on making a good impression on other people, while international students may be more reliant on role models for counseling, support, and guidance. The study offers several practical and theoretical recommendations.

Effect of Parents’ Socio-Economic Background on Secondary School Students Career Choice in Kebbi State, Nigeria

Careers are the reality of life that needs to be considered important in today’s modern societies. Choosing a career is a complex decision-making process that coincides with so many environmental, cultural, social and economic variables, which creates psycho-social stress for students especially those in secondary school. The study adopted a mixed-method approach. A sample of 250 senior secondary two (SS2) students was purposively drawn from 130 senior secondary schools in Kebbi State. A standardised Family Influence Scale (FIS) was adopted for this study. The scale was modified to have two sub scales: parents’ occupation and family income. The face and content validity of FIS was carried out using experts in the field of guidance and counselling from Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu. FIS was further subjected to pilot testing, and a reliability coefficient of 0.82 was obtained using the Cronbach Alpha formula. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while inferential statistics of t-test were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The outcome of this study revealed the grand mean scores of 2.8 and 2.7 which are greater than the decision mean score of 2.5 to imply that parents’ occupational backgrounds and income levels from secondary school students’ career choice significantly. Equally, significant differences were found (t= .19, df= 248, p-value =0.03) regarding the influence of parents’ gender on the career choices of male and female students in secondary schools in Kebbi State. Considering the influence of parents on the career choice of their children, it was recommended that parents should seek the help of professional career counsellors to guide their children in making intelligent career decisions.

Intelligent careers and human resource management practices: qualitative insights from the public sector in a clientelistic culture

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically test the intelligent career framework in a public sector setting in a country with a clientelistic culture to inform human resource management strategies.Design/methodology/approachBased on a qualitative methodology and an interpretivist paradigm, 33 in-depth interviews were conducted with Greek civil servants before the COVID-19 pandemic. The interview recordings were subsequently transcribed and coded via a blend of inductive and deductive approaches.FindingsOutcomes of the study indicate that in a public sector setting in a country with a clientelistic culture, the three dimensions of knowing-whom, knowing-how and knowing-why are less balanced than those reported by findings from private sector settings in countries with an individualistic culture. Instead, knowing-whom is a critical dimension and a necessary condition for career development that affects knowing-how and knowing-why.Originality/valueThe theoretical contribution comes from providing evidence of the dark side of careers and how imbalances between the three dimensions of the intelligent career framework reduce work satisfaction, hinder career success and affect organisational performance. The practical contribution offers recommendations for human resource management practices in the public sector, including training, mentoring, transparency in performance evaluations and fostering trust.

Career competencies: an integrated review of the literature

PurposeA boundaryless career perspective suggests that career competencies are essential for employees who wish to advance their careers in high uncertainty. This study aims to propose an integrated conceptual model for career competencies to provide insights for employees and organizations by identifying what and how one can prepare and provide support for career development in an uncertain and complex work environment.Design/methodology/approachThe integrated literature reviewed was adapted to provide a conceptual model for career competencies. All 77 studies were reviewed, guided by the intelligent career theory (ICT) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT).FindingsThe mechanisms of career competency development were examined through the interrelationship between three types of knowing; knowing-why, knowing-whom and knowing-how. Career competencies can be considered a developmental process, therefore, they could develop through various interventions and accumulate over time. Especially the results indicate that learning is an essential component of career competencies, as it increases self-efficacy and promotes a desire to achieve positive career outcomes.Originality/valueThis study provided a conceptual model, explored the mechanisms of career competency development and considered how career competencies influence career outcomes. Furthermore, it identified the context of the construct of career competencies by integrating the SCCT and ICT. Finally, it showed the inadequacy of existing research on negative factors of career competency outcomes and recommended further research to broaden the general context of career competency studies.

Career Competencies and Job Performance of Saudi Employees in Tourism Industry: Intelligent Career Model

Tourism industry is one of the most growing sectors that contributes significantly to Gross World Product (GWP), employment opportunities, and local culture. Saudi Arabia has witnessed a growing number of hotel projects of new international chains and domestics hotels. Studies relevant to career competencies topics are relatively scarce among the first-line staff in Saudi’s hotels industry. This study seeks to examine the relationship between career competencies and job performance among frontline staffs at luxury, mid and upper mid-scale hotels in Riyadh and Makkah regions of Saudi Arabia. This study used online questionnaire method and was sent to 700 different hotels with a response rate of 76% (n=499). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis. Results showed that reflective, communicative, and behavioral career competencies have a statistically significant positive influence on individual work performance with values of (B=0.3, p<0.01), (B=0.34, p<0.01), and (B=0.21, p<0.01) respectively. A number of practical implications along with the research limitations were discussed.

Research on the Intelligent Career Framework: Where We Are and Where We Go from Here

The intelligent career framework emerged more than two decades ago when careers began to shift from long-term and secure to temporary and uncertain. Based on this framework, in taking career ownership, individuals develop knowing-why, knowing-how, and knowing-whom competencies that transcend any single employer. We synthesize previous research on this framework and develop a process model that unpacks how career actors make sense of the three ways of knowing in encountering career events and under the influence of situational factors. It also demonstrates the accumulation of the three ways of knowing through the links among them, based on which individuals enact and achieve sensemaking outcomes. Our review suggests directions for future research and has practical implications for career actors and organizations.

Intelligent career planning via stochastic subsampling reinforcement learning

Career planning consists of a series of decisions that will significantly impact one’s life. However, current recommendation systems have serious limitations, including the lack of effective artificial intelligence algorithms for long-term career planning, and the lack of efficient reinforcement learning (RL) methods for dynamic systems. To improve the long-term recommendation, this work proposes an intelligent sequential career planning system featuring a career path rating mechanism and a new RL method coined as the stochastic subsampling reinforcement learning (SSRL) framework. After proving the effectiveness of this new recommendation system theoretically, we evaluate it computationally by gauging it against several benchmarks under different scenarios representing different user preferences in career planning. Numerical results have demonstrated that our system is superior to other benchmarks in locating promising optimal career paths for users in long-term planning. Case studies have further revealed that our SSRL career path recommendation system would encourage people to gradually improve their career paths to maximize long-term benefits. Moreover, we have shown that the initial state (i.e., the first job) can have a significant impact, positively or negatively, on one’s career, while in the long-term view, a carefully planned career path following our recommendation system may mitigate the negative impact of a lackluster beginning in one’s career life.

Influences of creativity and resource availability in the intelligent career framework: empirical investigation of Nigerian entrepreneurs

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of creativity and resource availability on career competencies (CC) and career success (CS) of entrepreneurs in Nigeria using the intelligent career framework. Design/methodology/approach Data was obtained using answers to questionnaires given to 348 successful entrepreneurs. The data was analysed using non-parametric software (Smart-PLS). Findings The results indicate that entrepreneurs who possess “know-why”, “know-how” and “know-whom” can access the required resources and are doing well in their careers. It is suggested that these competencies were significantly related to entrepreneurial CS. Resource availability moderates the relationship of knowing-how, knowing-why competencies and CS, whilst creativity moderates only the link between knowing-whom and entrepreneurial CS. Research limitations/implications The results help us to comprehend better the nature of successful entrepreneurial careers and the prominent role of tripartite competencies in achieving a successful career. Also emphasised here is the prominence of a more holistic perspective of these components based on a mix of social, motivational and human capital. Practical implications These findings hinted that entrepreneurs should pay uniform consideration in fostering each CC. There are implications for career advisers, practitioners and entrepreneurship programmes. Originality/value To the authors’ best knowledge, this is first-of-its-kind research that used primary source data in understanding CC – “knowing-how, knowing-whom and knowing-why” – with entrepreneurs’ CS in Nigeria.

How do female engineers conceptualise career advancement in engineering: a template analysis

PurposeExisting research has established that women drop out of engineering careers in part because of a dissatisfaction with their career development, but women's understanding of career development in engineering has been as yet largely unexplored. This paper aims to explore female engineers' experiences of navigating their careers and their perceptions of barriers to career development, through the lens of the intelligent career framework (ICF).Design/methodology/approachThe in-depth interviews of this study were conducted with female engineers in the UK and analysed using template analysis.FindingsThe authors identified three structural barriers that participants felt hinder women's career development in engineering: (1) promotions are more likely to be given to people who are widely known – more often men; (2) promotions are more likely to be given to people on whom high status is conferred in this context – more often men and (3) promotions are more likely to be given to people who conform to the ideal worker ideology – more often men. The women also offered a series of counter-narratives in which they reframed the behaviour they witnessed as something other than sexism.Originality/valueThe findings highlight the significant and systemic bias against women's career development through gender stereotypes in workplaces and an implicitly gendered organisation that hinders the development of the three competencies needed for career advancement. The authors describe a range of counter-narratives that the participants use to help them to make sense of their experiences. Finally, the authors illustrate the application of the intelligent career framework (ICF) as a lens to view the career development culture of an organisation.

What goes around comes around. Exploring how skilled migrant founder–managers of SMEs recruit and retain international talent

PurposeThis micro-level study unpacks the recruitment and retention of international professionals to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study highlights the influence of the founders' international experience when applying organisational-level (meso) policies and practices. With their insider experience as skilled migrants, we share how the founders in each of the SMEs mobilised career capital into human resource management (HRM) strategies.Design/methodology/approachCombining literature on SMEs and skilled migrants' careers, we draw upon intelligent career theory to illuminate the recruitment and retention of self-initiated expatriates and skilled migrants in SMEs. With three SME case studies as samples–one micro, one small and one medium-sized organisation in Ireland–we consider the influence of the founders' international experience in the design and application of formal and informal HRM strategies (at the organisational level) that are operationalised to recruit and retain international talent to/in these organisations.FindingsThe HRM practices in the three SME cases in this paper, each run by migrant founders, vary from formalised (for our medium-sized organisation), semi-formalised (for our small-sized organisation) to ad hoc and tailor-made (for our micro-sized organisation). These particular SMEs were often more receptive to hiring other migrants. The important role of the three SME case studies' skilled migrant founders and their own international career experiences was apparent in the particular HRM approaches they adopted. The relevance of intelligent career theory when applying micro-level findings at the meso-organisational level is shown.Originality/valueThe paper presents how the international experience of founder–managers, in turn, impacts on the HRM practices and policies that are implemented to recruit and retain international employees. The study highlights how both organisation size and founder-manager international experience influence the degree of customisation of HRM practices and policies in SMEs, specifically pertaining to the recruitment and retention of self-initiated expatriates and skilled migrant employees. The heterogeneity within the sub-categories encompassed under the umbrella label of SME is emphasised; validating our case study approach, where nuance and detail of the specific organisation can be shared.

Academic Expatriation to Emerging Economies: A Career Perspective

Although the globalization of the academic labor market offers many advantages to academic institutions and their students, less is known about its (dis)advantages for academic expatriates’ careers. This paper seeks explanations of how academic expatriates aspire to invest in their careers in emerging economies by engaging both with the evidence of intelligent career theory, and with the literature on academic expatriation to emerging economies and on higher education. On the basis of these different streams of the literature, this paper identifies and outlines the institutional practices that could influence academic expatriates’ careers. This paper suggests that future research on academic expatriation to emerging economies can develop in at least three directions, namely, (a) the institutional practices at academic institutions in emerging economies, (b) the careers of academic expatriates, and (c) a reciprocal relationship between institutional practices and the individual careers of academic expatriates.

Intelligent careers of a resilient mobile workforce: Edu‐immigrants

ABSTRACTWe extend the intelligent career framework to support a rapidly expanding nascent and mobile workforce: edu‐immigrants. Edu‐immigrants undertake international post‐secondary education for the purpose of remaining and working in a new country. Interviews were conducted with community stakeholders, which informed the development of a cross‐sectional open‐ended survey of 374 edu‐immigrants. The more resilient relied upon their own coping strategies to seek permanent settlement and career aid. They were challenged by a lack of a perceived legitimate stake and few key “knowing whom” contacts. Universities and community can facilitate the establishment of supportive social and professional networks for edu‐immigrants. Our findings contribute by providing new knowledge about the universality of the intelligent career in the context of international education and immigration.

Career Development Intervention Module: Towards Enhancing Unskilled Workers in Malaysia

This study validated and tested the reliability of Career Development Intervention Module (CDIM) meant for unskilled workers within the context of Malaysia. The module was developed based on Intelligent Career Model (ICM), with incorporation of Sidek’s Module Development Model (SMDM) at the time of the development process. The content validity of the developed module was determined by gaining feedback from a panel of five experts during the module development phase. The reliability test was performed via pilot test that involved 30 unskilled workers in a vehicle assembly plant. The participants were composed of young employees who had joined the selected company for less than three years and yet to obtain certification for their skills. The validation analysis revealed that the panel of experts was in agreement with the suitability of the developed CDIM for unskilled workers in order to improve their career competencies. The outcomes of the pilot test displayed that the objectives of each sub-module (Knowing-Why, Knowing-How, and Knowing-Whom) were successfully met. Therefore, this study ascertains that the developed CDIM is indeed suitable for unskilled workers, especially towards enhancing their career competencies

An interdisciplinary approach to evaluating the effectiveness of postgraduate education (MBA)

This article is devoted to the problems of additional professional education in Russia. The results of an exploratory research are presented, the purpose of which was to identify subjective and objective learning factors associated with the development of business careers of graduates of MBA programs. The role of subjective (usefulness of knowledge, business connections) and objective (academic performance) learning factors in the development of a business career is evaluated. The obtained data confirm the validity of using the intelligent career model to analyse the features of the professional actualization of graduates after graduation. The importance of subjective criteria for evaluating the usefulness of the acquired knowledge for both objective (change in income, status) and subjective (satisfaction with the ratio of resource and result) career success is noted. It is shown that academic performance is not related to objective criteria of business career development. It is revealed that the form of employment (entrepreneur or corporate employee) is associated with subjective attitude to knowledge assets and with career development after obtaining an MBA degree.

Career capital in global versus second-order cities: Skilled migrants in London and Newcastle

This study explores the impact of city-specific factors on skilled migrants’ career capital within the intelligent career framework. It compares global and secondary cities as distinct career landscapes and examines how differently they shape development and utilisation of three ways of knowing (knowing-how, knowing-whom and knowing-why). Findings from 82 qualitative interviews with skilled migrants in global (London) and secondary (Newcastle) UK cities explain the importance of cities at an analytical level, as skilled migrants’ careers were differently constrained and enabled by three groups of city-specific factors: labour market, community and lifestyle. By exploring the two types of cities in career context, this article contributes to developing an interdisciplinary dialogue and problematises careers as a relational and contextually embedded phenomenon. Limitations and recommendations are discussed.

Career success in academia

PurposeIn this study, the authors explore the boundaryless careers of faculty and adopt the intelligent career framework to examine success factors for academic careers.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a field study of 36 researchers in the management information systems field from 22 institutions in the US, Australia and Canada. The authors selected the participants representing four strata of researchers: luminaries (high expertise status and high citizenship behavior), experts (high expertise status but low leadership roles), statesmen (low expertise status but high leadership) and journeymen (low expertise status and low leadership). Data regarding the participants' experience of social relationships and social resources as well as entrepreneurial motivations were collected and analyzed.FindingsResults show that faculty who “know-why”, “know-how”, and “know with whom” possess socially valued resources and are successful in advancing their careers. They establish high social status and exercise power within their networks to mobilize resources that promote their careers. On the other hand, faculty who fall short of these competencies impose social closure on themselves and do not strive to exploit resources available through their contacts. The study advances a number of theoretical propositions to guide future research on boundaryless intelligent careers.Social implicationsSocial relationships and social resources do not substitute individual competence, leadership and entrepreneurial motivations; individuals need to develop competence valued by their professional communities and exploit available opportunities and assume leadership roles in order to effectively establish instrumental relationships and mobilize social resources to achieve career advancement.Originality/valueIn this study, we attempt to extend career development research through an examination of the bidirectional relationship between know-why, know-how and know-who in academia.

Career Competencies of Human Resource Development Practitioners

The study aims to define the career competency of HRD practitioners based on an intelligent career framework. This intelligent career framework has been described as having been achieved by the accumulation of career capital through the three ways of knowing, including knowing why, knowing how, and knowing with whom. The data were collected from the interviews with 15 HRD practitioners. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the HRD practitioners. For the orientation about the interview, the researcher explained the importance of gathering data about the personal experiences of the respondents on their work and career. After that explanation, the researcher asked several questions based on the pre-structured interview guide. The data collected were qualitatively analyzed on the basis of the intelligent career framework. Based on the analysis of the interviews, the subcategories of each way of knowing competency were identified. For the knowing why, identity, credibility, and career clarity were identified. The subcategories of knowing how are remaining updates, hard skills, and soft skills, while the subcategories of knowing with whom are personal networking and professional networking. The interdependency among the three career competencies was found. The findings provide theoretical implications of applying an intelligent career framework.

The Architecture of Intelligent Career Prediction System based on the Cognitive Technology for Producing Graduates to the Digital Manpower

This research is a documentary research aimed at designing the architecture of the intelligent career prediction system based on the cognitive technology for producing graduates to the digital manpower. The research methods were divided into three phases: Phase 1, Composition Synthesis of Intelligent Career Prediction System. Phase 2, Intelligent Career Prediction System Architecture Designing based on the Cognitive Technology for producing graduates to the digital manpower. Phase 3, an assessment of the suitability of the architecture of the intelligent career prediction system based on the cognitive technology for producing graduates to the digital manpower. The architecture of the intelligent career prediction system by using the cognitive technology can be divided into three parts: 1) People involved in the architecture of the intelligent career prediction system consisting of five groups of related persons: students, staff, teachers, digital Enterprises, system administrator. 2) The architecture of the intelligent career prediction system consisting of four components: 1) User management, 2. Prediction Data Management, 3) Prediction Management system, 4) Prediction Display system, and cloud computing, an assessment of the suitability the architecture of the intelligent career prediction system based on the cognitive technology for producing graduates to the digital manpower by nine experts in the intelligent career prediction system and cognitive technology. The statistics used in the research are Mean and standard deviation. The evaluation results showed that the developed architecture was the most suitable, with the combined mean of 4.54, and the standard deviation was 0.49.