Career Development International

Jones-Morales, Jennifer; Konrad, Alison M.

2018 Career Development International

doi: 10.1108/cdi-03-2017-0047

The existence of disadvantaged sub-populations whose talents are under-leveraged is a problem faced by developing and developed countries alike. Life history data revealed that a large proportion of elite business leaders in the Caribbean emerged from childhood poverty (families subsisting on US$1-2 a day, 40 percent). The purpose of this paper is to examine the key factors supporting the career development of elite leaders from a broad socioeconomic spectrum and both genders in order to build a model of career development for elite leadership.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via in-depth interviews from a deliberately gender-balanced sample of 39 male and 39 female elite business leaders. Thematic analysis identified consistencies across independent interviews and resulted in a model identifying factors supporting pre-career development as key to eventual attainment of elite leadership.FindingsFindings indicated that in childhood and youth, proactivity plus talent recognition and mentoring by adults enhanced access to early developmental opportunities. Early career mentoring guided talented youth to build personal drive, self-esteem, altruism, and integrity, which created a foundation for developing career capital through values-based action. Altogether, these findings indicate the importance of pre-career relational capital to attainment of elite career success.Originality/valueDifficult-to-access elite leaders provided rich information emphasizing the importance of pre-career development in childhood and youth to eventual elite leadership attainment. Virtually all of the elites in the sample remember being identified as talented early in life and consider early messages about drive to achieve as well as support received from parents, teachers, and other interested adults to be critical to their success. Hence, a process of talent recognition and encouragement to excel appear to be crucial for connecting young people to important relational capital allowing them to eventually achieve elite status, particularly those individuals hailing from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Vîrga, Delia; Rusu, Andrei

2018 Career Development International

doi: 10.1108/cdi-11-2017-0208

The purpose of this paper is to understand the role played by core self-evaluations (CSEs) in relationship to both job seekers’ job search behaviour and health complaints by examining the mediating role of job search self-efficacy (JSSE).Design/methodology/approachThe present cross-sectional study was conducted on 216 Romanian unemployed persons. The hypothetical and alternative models (partial and full mediation) were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results supported a total mediation between CSE and job search behaviour and a partial one in relationship with health complaints, via JSSE. As a post hoc decision, a brief meta-analysis was conducted for the relationship between CSE and job search behaviour which revealed a very small effect (r=0.07, p=0.001). This result complemented and certified the findings on the lack of a total and also a direct effect between CSE and job search behaviour.Originality/valueJSSE seems to be an important motivational factor. Fuelled by CSE, JSSE enables proper job search behaviour and also promotes job seekers’ health. From a practical point of view, the data suggest that developing interventions to strengthen unemployed individuals’ personal resources such as CSE and, especially JSSE, could not only foster their employment but could also protect their health.

Urbanaviciute, Ieva; Lazauskaite-Zabielske, Jurgita; Vander Elst, Tinne; De Witte, Hans

2018 Career Development International

doi: 10.1108/cdi-07-2017-0117

The purpose of this paper is to test two hypotheses. First, an indirect relationship between qualitative job insecurity and turnover intention through basic psychological need satisfaction was investigated. Second, a moderated mediation analysis was conducted to explore potential sectoral differences in this indirect relationship.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional design was used to collect and analyze the data. In total, 358 employees participated in the study (private sector n=178, public sector n=180). The data were collected through an online survey platform.FindingsQualitative job insecurity was indirectly related to turnover intention through the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. The indirect relationships were more salient in the private sector.Research limitations/implicationsBasic psychological needs may explain the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and turnover intention. Furthermore, sector differences may exist in the way job insecurity is responded to. However, a longitudinal study is necessary to confirm the sequential effects.Originality/valueThe study provides a constructive replication of the findings on basic psychological need satisfaction as a mediator between job insecurity and employee outcomes. A novel aspect is the authors’ focus on sector differences, which draws attention to contextual factors that may shape the way employees respond to job-insecure situations.

Wechtler, Heidi

2018 Career Development International

doi: 10.1108/cdi-06-2017-0103

The purpose of this paper is to examine the motives of female childless self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) in deciding to work abroad, so far under-researched.Design/methodology/approachThe study departs from prior research in using a new methodological approach, i.e. the analysis of online diaries (blogs) to explore the motives of a specific population to relocate.FindingsThe emergent model of motivations is based upon four main dimensions that emerged from the socially constructed experience of these single childless female SIEs: escape as main motivation, confrontation to reality, identity reconstruction and purpose of expatriation.Originality/valueThe findings reveal new elements of motivations to move abroad such as the complete absence of the notion of career from the blog posts, replaced, however, by a feminist and existentialist reflection.

Liu, Wei

2018 Career Development International

doi: 10.1108/cdi-10-2017-0177

Although environmental factors at the organizational level are of importance for individual employability, very few studies have investigated how the practices an organization implements can facilitate employability. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how high-involvement human resources (HIHR) practices (i.e. recognition, competence development, empowerment, information sharing and fair rewards) influence employee learning, which contributes to employability.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 288 pairs of employees and their direct supervisors in Chinese companies. In this study, we measure perceived employability from both employees and their direct supervisors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis is conducted to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that employees’ perceptions of the HIHR practices of recognition, competence development, empowerment and information sharing are positively related to employee learning, and then facilitate self- and supervisor-ratings of employees’ employability. Practices of fair rewards have a negative effect on employee learning and employability.Originality/valueThis study contributes to employability and human resource management literature in several ways. First, the study raises the association between different HIHR practices and perceived employability through employee learning. Second, the study considers both self-rating and supervisor-rating of employability to improve the effectiveness of the results.

O’Neil, Deborah A.; Brooks, Margaret E.; Hopkins, Margaret M.

2018 Career Development International

doi: 10.1108/cdi-10-2017-0196

The purpose of this paper is to better understand women’s working relationships and career support behaviors, by investigating expectations women have of other women regarding senior women’s roles in (and motivations for) helping junior women succeed, and junior women’s engagement in their own career advancement behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors surveyed self- and other-reports of senior women’s engagement in career assistance behaviors on behalf of junior women colleagues, and junior women’s engagement in their own career advancement behaviors. One sample of respondents indicated to what extent they believed senior women did engage in career assistance toward junior women, and to what extent they believed junior women did engage in career advancement. Another sample indicated to what extent they believed senior women should engage in career assistance, and to what extent they believed junior women should engage in their own career advancement.FindingsResults suggest a disconnect between the expectations and perceptions junior and senior women have of each other. Junior women expect senior women to engage in career assistance behaviors to a greater degree than they believe senior women are engaging in such behaviors, and junior women think they are doing more to advance their careers than senior women are expecting them to do. The authors examine individual and organizational implications of these unmet expectations and perception mismatches.Originality/valueWomen-to-women working relationships are under-studied, and typically viewed in either/or terms – good or bad. The findings provide a more nuanced understanding of women’s perceptions and expectations and offer suggestions for how women can influence female career advancement.