Boundaries of the Boundaryless Career: Enabling Success in an Era of Globalization

K. Peter Kuchinke, Ph.D.Professor, HRD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

OUTLINE

Protean and Boundaryless Protean and Boundaryless Protean and Boundaryless Protean and Boundaryless CCCCareersareersareersareers

Research SummaryResearch SummaryResearch SummaryResearch Summary

Boundaries and ContingenciesBoundaries and ContingenciesBoundaries and ContingenciesBoundaries and Contingencies

� Personal characteristics

� Institutional requirements

� Human resource architecture demands

ImplicationsImplicationsImplicationsImplications

� Career development and counseling� Career development and counseling

� Organizational career systems

� National and global human resource development

PROTEAN AND BOUNDARYLESS CAREERS

Context:Context:Context:Context:

� Changing organizational strategies

� Changing employment patterns

� Changing psychological contracts/understandings

� Changing individual preferences

Protean Protean Protean Protean CCCCareer (Hall, 1996):areer (Hall, 1996):areer (Hall, 1996):areer (Hall, 1996):

� “driven by the person, not the organization”

� “will be reinvented by the person from time to time”“will be reinvented by the person from time to time”

� “an agreement not with the organization, but with one’s self and one’s work”

Boundaryless Career (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996)Boundaryless Career (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996)Boundaryless Career (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996)Boundaryless Career (Arthur & Rousseau, 1996)

� “Independence from, rather than dependence on, traditional organizational career

arrangements”

“NEW CAREER PATTERN” (HALL, 1996)

FREE AGENT META-COMPETENCIES (CAPPELLI, 2002)

Identity/AuthenticityIdentity/AuthenticityIdentity/AuthenticityIdentity/Authenticity

AdaptabilityAdaptabilityAdaptabilityAdaptability

FlexibilityFlexibilityFlexibilityFlexibility

Continuous learningContinuous learningContinuous learningContinuous learning

Relational networkRelational networkRelational networkRelational network

Tolerance for ambiguityTolerance for ambiguityTolerance for ambiguityTolerance for ambiguity

Personality traitsPersonality traitsPersonality traitsPersonality traitsPersonality traitsPersonality traitsPersonality traitsPersonality traits

� Openness to new experience

RESEARCH SUMMARY (1)

Instrument/Instrument/Instrument/Instrument/CCCConstruct onstruct onstruct onstruct DDDDevelopment for Protean, evelopment for Protean, evelopment for Protean, evelopment for Protean, BBBBoundaryless ‘Mindset’ (e.g. Briscoe, oundaryless ‘Mindset’ (e.g. Briscoe, oundaryless ‘Mindset’ (e.g. Briscoe, oundaryless ‘Mindset’ (e.g. Briscoe,

2006)2006)2006)2006)

� Age, gender, and education effects

� Positive correlation to sense of mastery and career satisfaction

� Not related to mobility preference

Career Orientation Career Orientation Career Orientation Career Orientation SSSShift from Leisure to Employability (Gerber hift from Leisure to Employability (Gerber hift from Leisure to Employability (Gerber hift from Leisure to Employability (Gerber et al.et al.et al.et al., 2009), 2009), 2009), 2009)

Work Work Work Work CCCCentrality (Kuchinke entrality (Kuchinke entrality (Kuchinke entrality (Kuchinke et al., 2011)et al., 2011)et al., 2011)et al., 2011)

MEANING OF WORK STUDY (KUCHINKE ET AL,

2011)

RESEARCH SUMMARY (2)

Unemployment Rates Unemployment Rates Unemployment Rates Unemployment Rates RRRRising ising ising ising GGGGloballyloballyloballylobally

� 205m ‘officially’ unemployed (from 3.1b global work force) (Economist, 2011)

� Underemployment index: 19% (7% unemployed + 12% involuntary part-time)

� 1.53b in ‘vulnerable employment (ILO)

� Long-term unemployment rising (USA: 30% in 2010)

� Youth unemployment 19.7% vs. 7.3% older workers in 2011 (OECD)

Work and Worker MismatchWork and Worker MismatchWork and Worker MismatchWork and Worker Mismatch

Bifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career SuccessBifurcation of Opportunity and Career Success

� Robert Reich’ Work of Nations

RESEARCH FINDINGS (3)

Career Entrenchment, Organizational Plateauing (Carson, 1997)Career Entrenchment, Organizational Plateauing (Carson, 1997)Career Entrenchment, Organizational Plateauing (Carson, 1997)Career Entrenchment, Organizational Plateauing (Carson, 1997)

Insufficient Insufficient Insufficient Insufficient Numbers of Numbers of Numbers of Numbers of ‘‘‘‘readyreadyreadyready----nownownownow’’’’managers in managers in managers in managers in organizationsorganizationsorganizationsorganizations’ leadership leadership leadership leadership pipelines pipelines pipelines pipelines (Conger & Fulmer, 2003)(Conger & Fulmer, 2003)(Conger & Fulmer, 2003)(Conger & Fulmer, 2003)

2007 2007 2007 2007 US Fortune 500 SUS Fortune 500 SUS Fortune 500 SUS Fortune 500 Survey: urvey: urvey: urvey: � 85% of organizations lacked quality and quantity of leadership talent, � 67% lacked sufficient leadership capabilities given strategic directions,

esp. global strategies

The Economist The Economist The Economist The Economist (2003):(2003):(2003):(2003):� 20% external turnover among senior positions� High levels of internal turnover and transfer� High levels of internal turnover and transfer

Estimated 40% failure rate among newly appointed leadersEstimated 40% failure rate among newly appointed leadersEstimated 40% failure rate among newly appointed leadersEstimated 40% failure rate among newly appointed leaders

“Star Employees”“Star Employees”“Star Employees”“Star Employees”

INDIVIDUAL BOUNDARIES AND CONTINGENCIES (1)

Career Anchors (Schein)Career Anchors (Schein)Career Anchors (Schein)Career Anchors (Schein)

� Low security/Stability

� High autonomy/Independence

� High technical/Functional competence

� High Entrepreneurial competence

� High General managerial competence/Emotional intelligence

� High Entrepreneurial creativity

� Dedication/Service

� Embracing challenge, setbacks, growth � Embracing challenge, setbacks, growth

INDIVIDUAL BOUNDARIES AND CONTINGENCIES (2)

Developmental psychology research on extent of psychological maturity (e.g., Kegan, Developmental psychology research on extent of psychological maturity (e.g., Kegan, Developmental psychology research on extent of psychological maturity (e.g., Kegan, Developmental psychology research on extent of psychological maturity (e.g., Kegan,

1989)1989)1989)1989)

� < 50% of adults have sufficient Identity Strength and Integration

Klages (2001) Career types: Klages (2001) Career types: Klages (2001) Career types: Klages (2001) Career types:

� Traditionalists

� Resigned

� Hedonists

� Idealists

� Active Realists

LargeLargeLargeLarge----scale public opinion research on career experiencesscale public opinion research on career experiencesscale public opinion research on career experiencesscale public opinion research on career experiences

� Example: Index ‘Good Work” (DGB, 2007) on career satisfaction and sources of life

satisfaction

� < 20% rate their organizations as ‘good’ places to work

� 19% ‘willing to work hard to further organizational goals’

� <45% ‘willing to work harder/longer for higher salaries’

� 44% report no initiatives to improve work skills or employment opportunities

SOCIETAL BOUNDARIES/CONTINGENCIES

Opportunity Structures, includingOpportunity Structures, includingOpportunity Structures, includingOpportunity Structures, including

� Regulatory, normative, cognitive requirements

� Example: Entrepreneurship (World Bank “Doing Business 2011”

� Legal process to start a business

� Availability of start-up capital

� Intellectual protection for patents

� Transparency and fairness of legal system

� Employment relations/regulation

� Taxation� Taxation

� Tolerance for failure

NEW ENTREPRENEURS 2010

ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF SELF-DIRECTION

The “Star” Problem (Harvard Business Review, 2010)The “Star” Problem (Harvard Business Review, 2010)The “Star” Problem (Harvard Business Review, 2010)The “Star” Problem (Harvard Business Review, 2010)

� 1 in 3 high potential not putting in all their effort

� 1 in 4 believe will be working for another employer within one year

� 1 in 5 believe personal aspirations different from what organizations have planned

for them

� Nearly 40% of internal job moves of HiPo’s fail

Ability, engagement, aspirationAbility, engagement, aspirationAbility, engagement, aspirationAbility, engagement, aspiration

IMPLICATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS (1)

Career Development/CounselingCareer Development/CounselingCareer Development/CounselingCareer Development/Counseling

� Realistic previews of work and career

� Disclosure about world of work

� Technical and social competencies

� Engage ‘heart’, develop personal vision

� Foster strength of character

� Build career resilience

IMPLICATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS (2)

Career development systems in organizationsCareer development systems in organizationsCareer development systems in organizationsCareer development systems in organizations

� Identify essential employees and create commitment-focused conditions for

professional engagement and growth (Lepak/Snell: High value/high uniqueness)

� Foster intra-preneurship opportunities (example: 3M 15% rule

� Address human capital productivity barriers (example: Gearing for corporate growth

report, 2011)

� Create formal and informal opportunities for self-expression and creativity

(example: Women at Abbott; Communities of Practice)

� High Performance Work practices/Job Enrichment� High Performance Work practices/Job Enrichment

� Build learning organization and organizational learning practices

IMPLICATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS (3)

National and Global Human Resource DevelopmentNational and Global Human Resource DevelopmentNational and Global Human Resource DevelopmentNational and Global Human Resource Development

� Basic literacy and higher education and learning

� Technical, academic, and social competencies

� Entrepreneurship education

� Work-based learning opportunities

� Create opportunity structures for self-direction

CONCLUSIONS

Link between life and career planningLink between life and career planningLink between life and career planningLink between life and career planning

SelfSelfSelfSelf----directed career as response to changing economic conditionsdirected career as response to changing economic conditionsdirected career as response to changing economic conditionsdirected career as response to changing economic conditions

Presenting opportunities for some but burdens for othersPresenting opportunities for some but burdens for othersPresenting opportunities for some but burdens for othersPresenting opportunities for some but burdens for others

Individual, organizational, and societal prerequisitesIndividual, organizational, and societal prerequisitesIndividual, organizational, and societal prerequisitesIndividual, organizational, and societal prerequisites

Opportunities for personal, organizational, and societal progressOpportunities for personal, organizational, and societal progressOpportunities for personal, organizational, and societal progressOpportunities for personal, organizational, and societal progress

감사합니다감사합니다감사합니다감사합니다

Thank you very much

Ich bedanke mich bei Ihnen

Terima kasih banyak

Je vous remercie

Muito obrigado

Muchas gracias

Dziękujemy!

谢谢谢谢

Dank U wel!

For more information: For more information: For more information: For more information:

Kuchinke@uiuc.eduKuchinke@uiuc.eduKuchinke@uiuc.eduKuchinke@uiuc.edu