Promoting Career Studies Promoting Career Studies in in

Theory and PracticeTheory and Practice

(A Conversation)(A Conversation)

Michael B ArthurMichael B ArthurSuffolk University, Boston, MASuffolk University, Boston, MA

The meaning of “career”The meaning of “career”

A person's course or progress through life A person's course or progress through life esp.esp. when publicly when publicly conspicuous, or abounding in remarkable incidents. conspicuous, or abounding in remarkable incidents. 

      

A course of professional life or employment, which affords opportunity A course of professional life or employment, which affords opportunity for progress or advancement in the world. for progress or advancement in the world.

The consequence of “vocational choice” – understanding the self, the The consequence of “vocational choice” – understanding the self, the requirements for success, and reasoning between these. requirements for success, and reasoning between these.

The sequence and combination of roles that a person plays during the The sequence and combination of roles that a person plays during the course of a lifetime. course of a lifetime.

The evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences over time. The evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences over time.

Career StudiesCareer Studies

• Twin points of departureTwin points of departure– Vocational guidance (1900s)Vocational guidance (1900s)– The Chicago School of Sociology (1930s)The Chicago School of Sociology (1930s)

• The Massachusetts Institute of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) initiative (1970s)Technology (MIT) initiative (1970s)

The Chicago SchoolThe Chicago School

• Everett Hughes (1957):Everett Hughes (1957):– Objective Objective andand subjective sides of the career subjective sides of the career– InterdependenceInterdependence– Individual Individual identitiesidentities and and social rolessocial roles

• Career Career processesprocesses and and transitionstransitions

• Forerunner of Karl Weick’s Forerunner of Karl Weick’s enactmentenactment, , Anthony Giddens’ Anthony Giddens’ structurationstructuration

The MIT initiativeThe MIT initiative

• Bailyn, Schein & Van Maanen (1970s)Bailyn, Schein & Van Maanen (1970s)– A “curious hiatus” between psychological, A “curious hiatus” between psychological,

sociological perspectivessociological perspectives– A call for rapprochementA call for rapprochement– A missed opportunityA missed opportunity

– Management school outcomesManagement school outcomes

The MIT InitiativeThe MIT Initiative

• Definition of Definition of career development:career development: “ “[A] lifelong process of working out a synthesis [A] lifelong process of working out a synthesis

between individual interests and the between individual interests and the opportunities (or limitations) present in the opportunities (or limitations) present in the external work-related environment, so that external work-related environment, so that both individual and environmental objectives both individual and environmental objectives are fulfilled.”are fulfilled.”

Van Maanen and Schein Van Maanen and Schein (1977) (1977)

Beyond the MIT InitiativeBeyond the MIT Initiative

• Handbook of Career Theory (1989)Handbook of Career Theory (1989)– Current vs. “new” perspectivesCurrent vs. “new” perspectives– ““Trait-factor theories” vs. other approachesTrait-factor theories” vs. other approaches

• The Boundaryless Career (1996)The Boundaryless Career (1996)– Looking Looking outsideoutside single institutional single institutional

(organizational or occupational) settings(organizational or occupational) settings

• Handbook of Career Studies (2007)Handbook of Career Studies (2007)– Expanded treatments of contexts, institutions, Expanded treatments of contexts, institutions,

synthesissynthesis

Two continuing traditionsTwo continuing traditions

Schools ofEducation

Schools ofManagement

OrganizationsOccupations

The economy

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Educational vs. Management School Approaches to Careers (Arthur, 2008)

Where to go?Where to go?

• The global knowledge economyThe global knowledge economy

• Enjoy Enjoy interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary conversations conversations

The global knowledge-driven The global knowledge-driven economyeconomy

• Knowledge-based careersKnowledge-based careers

• Virtual careersVirtual careers

• Career communitiesCareer communities

• Identity developmentIdentity development

• Social capitalSocial capital

• Global careersGlobal careers

• Lost gains vs. new opportunitiesLost gains vs. new opportunities

Interdisciplinary Conversations?Interdisciplinary Conversations?

• What do people talk about?What do people talk about?

• What do scholars talk about?What do scholars talk about?

Three “ways of knowing”

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Scholarly conversations?

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Vocational guidance

Scholarly conversations?

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Vocational guidance

Jobdesign

Scholarly conversations?

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Leadershiptheory

Scholarly conversations?

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Leadershiptheory

Socio-technicalsystems

Scholarly conversations?

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Sociology

Scholarly conversations?

Knowing-why:Identity, interests,

motivation

Knowing-how:Skills andexpertise

Knowing-whom: Relationships and reputation

Sociology

Psychologicalattachment

Knowing-how: Individual skills and expertise

Knowing-whom:Relationships and reputation

Why do we work?

Scholarly conversations?

Career Studies as Career Studies as InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary

• The bad newsThe bad news– Separate conversations, partial solutionsSeparate conversations, partial solutions– Career actors, counselors left to improviseCareer actors, counselors left to improvise

• The good newsThe good news– We’re talking!We’re talking!– Theorists and practitionersTheorists and practitioners

• There’s an opportunity!There’s an opportunity!

Career studiesCareer studies

• Let’s start that shared conversationLet’s start that shared conversation

andand

• Let’s keep it going!Let’s keep it going!

Questions?Questions?

• References:

– Arthur, M. B. (2008). Examining contemporary careers: a call for interdisciplinary inquiry. Human Relations, 61, 163 - 186.

– Arthur, M. B., Hall, D. T. & Lawrence, B. S. (1989) Handbook of Career Theory. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

– Arthur, M. B. & Rousseau, D. M. (1996) The Boundaryless Career. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

– Giddens, A. (1984) The Constitution of Society. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

– Gunz, H. & Peiperl, M. (2007) Handbook of Career Studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

– Hughes, E. C. (1958). Men and Their Work. Glencoe, IL: Free Press.– Parker, Khapova and Arthur (in press) The intelligent career framework as a

basis for interdisciplinary inquiry, Journal of Vocational Behavior.– Super, D. E. Life career roles: self-realization in work and leisure. In D. T. Hall &

Associates, Career Development in Organizations, San Francisco, Jossey Bass, pp. 95-119

– Van Maanen, J, & Schein, E. H. (1977). Career development. In J. R. Hackman & J. L. Suttle (Eds.) Improving Life at Work: Behavioral Science Approaches to Organizational Change, 30-95. Santa Monica, CA: Goodyear.

– Weick, K. E. (1996). Enactment and the boundaryless career: organizing as we work. In M. B. Arthur, & D. M. Rousseau (Eds.), The Boundaryless Career. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 40-57