Managerial Aspirations Research Articles

Mapping the foundations and evolution of career aspiration research: a bibliometric analysis

PurposeThis bibliometric literature review aims to uncover the (1) intellectual foundations and (2) topical evolution in the field of career aspiration research.Design/methodology/approachWe employed the systematic literature review methodology following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. According to the predetermined criteria, 286 articles were included from the Web of Science database. Then, we employed performance analysis, science mapping and natural language processing to address our research objectives.FindingsCo-citation analysis uncovered four foundational themes: (1) gender and leadership aspiration, (2) Social Cognitive Career Theory, (3) process of career development and (4) adolescents’ career aspiration. Moreover, co-word analysis showed that scholarly foci have shifted from adolescents’ career development to diverse streams. This shift was indicated by the exploration of additional research samples, such as university students, and topics related to specific aspirations (e.g. entrepreneurial and managerial aspirations) and gender issues (e.g. women leadership and gender stereotypes).Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this review has limitations related to data selection, it presents implications for practice, theory and future research on career aspirations.Originality/valueThe study illuminated the past and development of a research domain, thus advancing the understanding of career aspirations and inspiring future research.

Growth aspirations in SMEs: managerial determinants and organizational outcomes

PurposeThe main purpose of this study is to increase the scholarly understanding of managerial growth aspirations in small firms. Research has shown that managers' aspirations are important to ensure firms' growth, but researchers know less of where their aspirations come from and how variation in these aspirations shapes organizational outcomes. By focusing on two growth strategies of particular importance for small firms – innovation and internationalization – the authors map out how managers' ambitious aspirations may create negative organizational effects and also how they may counteract such effects.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) on a sample of 249 Norwegian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that managerial experience is associated with high aspirations as well as high change effectiveness on the managerial team. The authors find that ambitious growth aspirations are associated with exploration in the form of radical innovation but also lead to reduced employee well-being. Managers' level of perceived change effectiveness, on the other hand, is positively associated with radical innovation and also raises employee well-being.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights the positive and negative effects of managerial aspirations on different organizational outcomes. Further, it shows that managerial teams working effectively together in the face of change is important for the well-being of employees. Results confirm the positive relationship between aspirations for growth and applied growth strategies in organizations. The data sample is, however, extracted from one country only, and the authors cannot exclude the possibility that findings will be different elsewhere.Practical implicationsTo ensure successful growth, managers should combine ambitious aspirations with attention to the top management team's (TMT) experience levels and change effectiveness. Assessment of possible needs for development and adjustments could ensure growth processes with limited negative effects for employee well-being.Originality/valueBy distinguishing between growth through international sales (exploitation) and growth through a more change-intensive strategy of radical innovation (exploration), the authors investigate how variations in managerial aspirations and perceptions influence organizational growth processes. This paper paints a unique picture of how managers can be both the cause and cure of employee well-being in change-demanding situations.

Managerial aspiration: do gender and gender role identity make a difference in the Chinese context?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore how gender and gender role identity separately and jointly affect managerial aspirations.Design/methodology/approachThe study was cross-sectional in nature. Survey data were collected from Chinese Government sectors. Two-way analysis of variance was used to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe results showed that gender role identity and combination of gender and gender role identity predict management aspirations while gender alone does not affect management aspirations. Androgynous individuals self-reported higher scores of managerial aspirations. Female managers who perceive themselves as androgynous and masculine tend to possess higher management aspirations. However, when they perceive themselves to exhibit feminine traits, they are more likely to hold lower management aspirations. Moreover, male managers with androgynous and feminine traits are inclined to have higher management aspirations.Research limitations/implicationsDue to cross-sectional survey data, research results may be biased by common method variance. In addition, because of a convenient sample, the research results may lack generalizability. Moreover, with participants from different organizations, the percentage of men and women in the organization and participants’ role conflicts between work and family life would impact the gender role identity of individuals. Future research should control for the gender composition of the workplace and participants’ role conflicts between work and family life.Practical implicationsThe findings can help narrow the gender gap of managerial aspirations through focusing on gender role identity in selecting managers and designing the leadership training program, ultimately resulting in diminishing disparity in top leadership positions between men and women.Originality/valueThis study examines how gender and gender role identity separately and jointly affects managerial aspirations in the Chinese context.

The visible library and legible spaces

In his 1956 film, Tout la mémoire du monde (All the memory of the world), French director Alain Resnais turned the black and white documentary footage of an automated retrieval system at the Bibliothèque Nationale into an ominously noire work. The film depicts an enormous open space criss-crossed with a matrix of metal rails. A robotic unit moves through it with eerie precision, its mechanism stopping to pull a book in crude imitation of a human motion. The tone has more in common with that of Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville (1965) and Chris Marker's La Jetée (1962) than with any cheerful ‘Let's go to the library’ educational pitch. After all, this is a library into which no one can go. A fully machinic world, its combination of nineteenth-century technology and twentieth-century managerial aspirations eliminates human presence as part of its pre-steam-punk dystopianism.

Managerial Aspirations and Suspect Leaders: The Effect of Relative Performance and Leader Succession on Organizational Misconduct

Explanations of organizational misconduct frequently point to declining firm performance and/or the actions of unethical or suspect leaders. Evidence that high-performing firms act illegally or unethically is an enigma. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues by exploring organizational performance using aspirational rather than absolute measures (i.e., social and self-referenced performance vs ROE or ROI) and examining the effect that suspect leader succession has on the increased probability of organizational misconduct. Our analysis of 128 collegiate football programs competing between 1953 and 2016 reveals an increased likelihood of misconduct among organizations with strong as well as weak performance, most notably in comparison to competitive peer programs. Social- and self-referenced aspirations produced distinct relationships between relative performance and misconduct. The impact of leader succession was conditional. The data revealed an increased likelihood of infraction episodes with the appointment of suspect leaders. In some instances, however, a reduced likelihood of misconduct accompanied succession events involving untainted leaders.

Token Status and Management Aspirations Among Male and Female Employees in Public Sector Workplaces

This study brings the literature on tokenism together with multiple theoretical lenses on the formation and social construction of men’s and women’s career aspirations. The study builds on comprehensive survey data from the Danish public sector. Results show that, after controlling for alternative explanations with respect to both personal life situation and differences between occupations, token status has a significantly negative effect on women’s management aspirations, while it has no effect on men’s aspirations to management. Furthermore, these findings are generalizable across occupational contexts. At the same time, however, analysis across occupations show that token women are mainly to be found in occupations where women have relatively high managerial aspirations. Token women are therefore characterized by aspirations to management positions, but their status as tokens minimizes these aspirations.

Organizational performance feedback effects and international expansion

Drawing on performance feedback theory to develop the Uppsala internationalization model, we argue that organizational performance relative to managerial aspirations influences firms' foreign expansion propensity as well as the type of country location. Our statistical analysis of foreign entries by Japanese machinery firms between 1976 and 2002 finds that firms performing closer to aspirations were more likely to enter foreign countries than those that under- or out-performed. Underperforming firms were also more likely to enter countries with greater cultural and geographic proximity to those in which they had already invested. Our findings contribute to international business research by identifying organizational performance conditions under which firms tend to adopt an incremental approach to foreign expansion, or else a comparatively radical one of selecting more distant or unfamiliar countries.

Managerial Aspirations and Work-Family Support: Within- and Between- gender Differences

Drawing on the gender role theory and extant research on perceived organizational work-family support, we examine within- and between-gender differences in the effect of perceived organizational work-family support on affective organizational commitment. While traditional gender roles demand men to take on work roles and women to fulfill family roles, individuals even within their own gender may differ in how salient their socially ascribed roles are based on their managerial aspirations. Using a sample of 581 male and 754 female employees who are married in South Korean organizations, we hypothesize and show that the positive impact of perceived organizational work-family support on affective organizational commitment is stronger for men with low managerial aspirations compared to men with high managerial aspirations. However, for women, managerial aspirations do not alter the influence of perceived organizational work-family support. These results underscore the necessity to examine both within- and between-gender differences in the context of perceived organizational work-family support.

Aspirations, innovation, and corporate venture capital: A behavioral perspective

AbstractThis study takes an organizational decision‐making perspective to examine when firms are likely to utilize CVC units as a mechanism for externalizing R&D. We draw insights from the behavioral theory of the firm to argue that managerial aspirations for innovation‐related goals are an important driver of CVC initiatives within firms. We test our argument by examining both the adoption and termination of CVC units for a sample of information technology firms from 1992 to 2003. Results show that a firm is more likely to adopt and less likely to terminate a CVC unit when its innovation performance is closest to its social aspirations. Copyright © 2012 Strategic Management Society.

Women’s Managerial Aspirations

Some authors have explained the dearth of women leaders as an “opt-out revolution”—that women today are making a choice not to aspire to leadership positions. The authors of this article present a model that tests managers’ biased evaluations of women as less career motivated as an explanation for why women have lower managerial aspirations than men. Specifically, they hypothesize that day-to-day managerial decisions involving allocating challenging work, training and development, and career encouragement mean women accrue less organizational development, and this is one explanation for their lower managerial aspirations. The authors’ model is based on social role theory and is examined in a sample of 112 supervisor–subordinate dyads at a U.S. Fortune 500 firm.

Barriers to women leadership and managerial aspirations in Lagos, Nigeria: An empirical analysis

This study investigated the barriers faced by women managers in the public and private organizations in moving to the topmost level of their managerial career. A sample of three hundred and ninety-seven (397) women managers spread across major relevant sub-sectors of the Nigerian economy (that is, manufacturing, banking, insurance sub-sectors and the public service sub-sector) and an additional sample of fifty (50) male respondents who were top managers from public and private organizations in Nigeria were exposed to statistically validated questionnaires and oral interviews that measured their perceptions on the barriers faced by women managers. It was discovered that a significant relationship existed between the gender stereotype of a woman manager and her career aspiration, and that women managers possessed all the attributes for top management, but what affected them were the individual factors (gender-imposed) and organizational factors within their context of operation. Suggestions were on how the barriers could be broken and they include: gender-sensitivity in the organization, leadership training and development for women, women education /education of the girl child and mentoring, among others. Also, the development of relevant skills in management was recommended for women, to make them effective leaders and managers. Key words: Women managers, career advancement, women leaders, gender stereotypes.

Aspirations, Innovation, and Corporate Venture Capital: A Behavioral Perspective

Corporate venture capital (CVC) is increasingly viewed as an important mechanism for external R&D that can help fuel innovation, growth, and strategic renewal opportunities for established firms. However, despite the popularity of CVC units, the conditions prompting decision-makers to adopt and retain such units are not well understood. In this study, we examine when and why firms pursue CVC units to tap external markets for new ideas and technologies. We draw insights from the behavioral theory of the firm to argue that innovation performance relative to aspirations is a crucial driver of its decision to pursue CVC units, and we test our arguments by examining both the adoption and termination of CVC units for a sample of firms in the information technology sector during the period 1992–2003. Results show that a firm is more likely to adopt and less likely to terminate a CVC unit when its innovation performance is closets to its aspiration levels. Furthermore, innovation performance relative to social rather than historical aspirations is a better predictor of CVC adoption and termination. This study contributes to the technology entrepreneurship literature by demonstrating that managerial aspirations for innovation-related goals are an important driver of CVC initiatives within firms.

Sector Variations in SMEs’ Use of External Business Advice

This paper uses employer survey data to identify whether and why the probability that a firm uses external advice varies across sectors. The results suggest that the probability of a firm using external advice does vary across sectors and these sector differences can be explained by differences in inherent problems, managerial aspirations and location. Policy makers should not be sector-blind when encouraging firms to use external advice.

Sources of differences between Chinese, Indian, and Caucasian scientists and engineers: Evaluations of managerial potential

This article proposes intrapersonal, interpersonal, and acculturation factors to help explain differences in evaluations of the managerial potential of Chinese, Indians, and U.S. Caucasians. Using data from 1658 scientists and engineers and their managers in 24 U.S. companies, we find that managers evaluate Indians (but not Chinese) to have less managerial potential and to be less effective at working with others than Caucasians. The absence of insecurity in Indians' self-reported English fluency appears to be detrimental to the evaluation of their managerial potential. In contrast, Indians who report high managerial aspirations receive less harsh evaluations of their managerial potential. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research and practice.

‘Your sincere friend and humble servant’: Evidence of managerial aspirations in Susannah Cibber's letters

This article explores both the text and some of the sub-texts of Susannah Cibber's correspondence with David Garrick from 1745 to 1747, when she was an established leading actress and he was contemplating entering into the management of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. It considers the strategies Cibber adopted in her attempts to persuade Garrick into co-management and speculates on the ‘real’ reason for the ultimate dashing of her hopes.

The Impact of Learning Goal Orientation Similarity on Formal Mentoring Relationship Outcomes

The problem and the solution. Protégé-mentor pairs were examined regarding the impact of the similarity of their learning goal orientation (LGO) on mentoring support provided and protégé outcomes. In this study, 143 protégé-mentor pairs who articipated in a formal mentoring program in a large health care organization were the respondents. Results supported Ragins’s theory that pair homogeneity may influence support and outcomes for the protégé. Protégé-mentor pairs sharing high LGO were reported to have higher levels of idealized influence, managerial aspirations, and commitment to achieving goals than protégé-mentor dyads who had low or dissimilar levels of LGO. Implications for human resource development research and practice are discussed.

Aiming for career success: The role of learning goal orientation in mentoring relationships

Learning goal orientation of mentors and protégés was investigated as it relates to protégés’ mentoring functions received and outcomes (i.e., managerial career aspirations and career satisfaction). Data from 217 mentor–protégé dyads comprised of working professionals from a variety of industries were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Results indicated that protégés who possessed high levels of learning goal orientation similar to their mentor were associated with the highest levels of psychosocial support. These protégés also reported higher levels of career development, idealized influence, enacted managerial aspirations, desired managerial aspirations, and career satisfaction when compared to mentor–protégé dyads who possessed low levels of learning goal orientation or dyads with dissimilar levels of learning goal orientation. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

A gender perspective on Person-Manager fit and managerial advancement.

This article presents two studies examining (1) the relationship between Person-Manager (P-M) fit and managerial advancement of women and men with, and without managerial aspirations and (2) the P-M fit as related to managerial and non-managerial women. The P-M fit was assessed by computing the congruence between participants' self-rated personality profile and the perceived personality profile of a manager. Sex (men show a higher P-M fit than women), gender (the higher the individual's masculine gender-role, the higher the P-M fit) and group (managers and managerial aspirants show a higher P-M fit than non-managerial aspirants and non-managers) hypotheses were tested. There was no support for the sex difference hypothesis. However, the group and gender hypotheses were confirmed showing that managers and managerial aspirants had a higher P-M fit than non-managers and non-aspirants. Further, analyses revealed that the higher the participants' masculinity scores, the higher the P-M fit. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the gendered image of the managerial role and adaptation theory.

INCORPORATING SUCCESSFUL INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY INTO THE AUSTRALIAN MINING INDUSTRY

This paper expounds a view based on a combination of the author's personal experience and research from works on related subjects. It sets out the lengthy process of promoting an innovative through the development and demonstration phases to commercial application. The most common pitfalls are identified. Suggestions are made on how many of these can be circumvented, or at least their impacts minimised and managed. A structured approach from beginning to successful end is recommended, with emphasis on patience. An awareness of internal corporate politics and alignment with managerial aspirations are both essential. It is held that idea marketing is vital to building positive momentum.

Internal and external influences on women’s and men’s entry into management

The study examined the influence of individual (internal) and situational (external) factors on the career advancement of women and men (N = 88) in a Swedish nation‐wide organization. Using, among other methods, LISREL path analyses, the results revealed that the internal factor of instrumental qualities was the major predictor of managerial advancement regardless of gender. Thus, the findings imply that the norms for managers are still quite traditional, leading both women and men to adopt an instrumental managerial style. Contrary to expectations, the impact of the external factor was not indicative of managerial aspirations or managerial group membership (attending a managerial program provided by the organization). However, women in both groups suffered more from work/family pressure than men in both groups. The results are discussed in terms of the contemporary view that there might be a shift in the definition of the managerial role in favor of women.