Meaning Of Career Success Research Articles

“RIDIN’ DOWN THE HIGHWAY” - REFLECTIONS ON THE TRAJECTORIES OF WOMEN PROFESSORS IN ACADEMIA

The meaning of career success has been researched in diverse settings and time frames. Inquiries addressing gender find that women evaluate their success in distinct ways, which tend to be different from those used by males (Dyke & Murphy, 2006). Research also demonstrates that academic women struggle to perceive themselves successful using the standard social criteria (Hoskins, 2010, 2012), a struggle that is even harder in predominantly male areas, which have rites, symbols and rhythms not build by/for women. This situation may lead to an undervaluation of women’s success in academia, related to the idea of partial success, in which objective success implies failures, drawbacks or negative consequences to other dimensions of women's lives. Bearing this in mind, my purpose is to better understand how academic women perceive their success in accounting academia in Brazil, a predominantly male area. In order to attain this goal, I examine trajectories of four female successful accounting professors in Brazil. I used a qualitative approach based on in depth interviews. My analysis allows to conclude that, to the same extent they are successful considering the so-called objective success criteria (Hoskins, 2010), by deeply examining barriers and boosters they faced during their journey, we realize the cost paid utter to a “long way to the top” but the compensations make possible “ridin’ down the highway.” More importantly, specific policies and actions would help to change the current situation by reducing costs or challenging traditional criteria used to evaluate success.

The meaning of career success among managers in contemporary China: distinctive themes and societal logics

This study focuses on distinctive themes of career success and their relationship with fundamental societal logics. Drawing on theoretical insights from neo-institutionalism, and adopting a mixed-method approach based on semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys with Chinese managers, we conducted a qualitative and quantitative study on the meaning of career success in a typical ‘hybrid’ society. In contrast with understandings of career success centred on market-based logics, our analysis highlights the complex, reflective relationship between career success themes and societal logics. The results indicate that among the identified career success themes, traditional logics and their market-based counterparts coexist, and are consistent with each other in some ways and conflicting in others. The results further show that the reflection of societal logics in derivative meanings, in contrast to that in core meanings, is more institutionally contextualised and, therefore, less consistent. Our study adds to the understanding of how social contexts shape the meaning of career success, and has important implications for career and human resource management research and practice.

Are teachers ‘same same but different’? – The meaning of career success across occupations

ABSTRACTWhat a ‘successful career’ means to teachers is little understood, although this would allow schools and educational governance alike to support teachers’ development, and to reduce their attrition. This study examines how 240 school teachers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland conceptualize career success, as compared to 185 health-care/social workers and 125 information technology professionals. Using a cross-culturally validated, multidimensional scale, the authors find that teachers differ from other occupations in some, but not all, career success dimensions. Their findings underline the relevance of cross-occupational studies in research related to teachers’ career development, and they suggest new levers for increasing teachers’ motivation, creating more effective developmental opportunities for them, and – ultimately – reducing teacher attrition.

Career success – the perception of Open Distance Learning library middle managers

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to gain original evidence of the perception of Open Distance Learning (ODL) library middle managers towards the meaning of career success from the perspective of the individual.Design/methodology/approachThis quantitative research study was conducted with the help of a survey questionnaire designed by the first researcher.FindingsResults revealed that career success no longer only relates to criteria such as the hierarchical position or progression through high ratings obtained during performance appraisal. A high premium is placed by ODL library middle managers on other success criteria identified in the literature, such as the positive effect of their work on the institution, success achieved through a focus on work life and home life balance and personal recognition due to competence.Research limitations/implicationsThe research findings presented in this paper form an important part of a comprehensive study on ODL library middle management development but is limited to the only ODL library in South Africa.Practical implicationsThe paper provides current perceptions of ODL library middle managers to be considered during career path planning.Originality/valueThe paper provides the first findings of an overview of the perception of South African ODL library middle managers towards the meaning of career success. The study is timely as the number of ODL institutions is growing. The target population to benefit from this study is ODL library practitioners.

Pursuing Career Success while Sustaining Personal and Family Well‐Being: A Study of Reduced‐Load Professionals over Time

This study examines the experiences, over 6 years, of 73 managers and high level professionals who reduced their workloads to achieve more sustainable career and family outcomes. We compared personal, family, and career success outcomes for people who maintained reduced loads over time with those who went back to full time work, and we found few differences, except for more promotions for the full‐timers. To further understand our results, we identified four groups with all four possible combinations of extreme success (either very high or very low) on our two measures of success, objective and subjective. The groups were labeled Aligned Achievers, Alienated Achievers, Happy Part Timers, and Hard Luck Strivers. Subsequent qualitative analysis of group members’ reflections on the meaning of career success as well as the occurrence of significant life events helped explain the variation in their success in sustaining desired career and life arrangements over time.

The Meaning of Career Success among Job-Hopper in The Boundaryless Career (Phenomenological Research)

This phenomenology qualitative research was conducted in order to know the dynamics of career success among job hopper and how did job hoppers interpret the meaning career success in boundaryless career. This research used in-depth interview for collecting the data and supported by the data from the documents. The respondents involved in this research were fours job hoppers in the level of manager, five significant others, such as family, workmate, and a steady career. The findings revealed that: the job-hoppers individuals who frequently movement of job from one place to another place because of intrinsic factors (financial, interpersonal conflict, alternative employment opportunities, etc.), extrinsic factors (challenges, willing to learn, personal characteristics, family, etc.), proponent factors (networking, family support, and media). The meanings of career success among job-hopper in the boundaryless career namely; self-fulfillment (job satisfaction, life satisfaction, meeting personal goals, adding value to others), and work/life balance (family satisfaction and quality time with family). This study showed that being a job-hopper was a tool for pursuing the meaning of career success.

The meaning of career success

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the concept of career success has been subject to reification, and identify potential implications for individuals, organizations, and societies.Design/methodology/approachThe current paper offers an in‐depth analysis of the different contextual forces contributing to the reification of careers (i.e. history, culture and ideology), and how these have impacted on the social reality of career and the definitions of career success held by different relevant actors.FindingsIn total, eight research propositions are identified that need to be addressed in future research in order to advance knowledge and understanding of career success in context.Social implicationsOne manifest outcome of career reification is the establishment of collective norms prescribing what a “normal”, “successful” career is – and what is not. Consequently, all careers not conforming to these norms are devaluated, which is inappropriate given the present‐day climate of workplace diversity.Originality/valueCareer theory, in general, has been criticized for overemphasizing individual agency while neglecting contextual issues. Furthermore, more conceptual development is necessary in relation to the career success construct. The current paper aims to address both of these gaps by presenting in‐depth analyses of the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts impacting on the meaning of career and career success.