Nicky Dries & Roland Pepermans 2005-2009 In search of a comprehensive understanding of the career success construct Nicky Dries & Roland Pepermans 2005-2009 SGM ’08 March 13th

Talent Management (TM): anachronism? “elitist” perspective “diversity” perspective the traditional markers of success (high salary, high level) are desired by most people but attainable by few the definition of what “success” is has diversified; different people want different things in their careers OCM: identify the “happy few” (high potentials)> sensitive topic, non-transparant communication OCM: identify the career orientations present in the workforce and try to match them to appropriate career tracks > shared effort, open CSM: create visibility, network, outperform others, ride the fast track CSM: self-reflect, self-select, self-manage career EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 2

TM: core vs. periphery segmentation? Boundaryless career High-potential career Expert career EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 3

Research need Examining the diversity of what CS can mean to different (groups of) people Provide input for post-modern TM/the “new career” in practice Improve researchers’/practitioners’ understanding of the construct Improve measurement of the construct Avoid “reification” [career ≠ real, material, demonstrable entity] [terminology ≠ factual, simple, static] Career (success) is a social construction rather than an objective reality CS exists only in people’s minds > has no boundaries! EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 4

Study Towards a multidimensional model of the career success construct: A constructionist approach combining the Laddering Interview Method with Multidimensional Scaling. Proving one’s worth Winning the internal competition Acknowledgement Pushing back boundaries Development Continuous learning Being the smallest Losing Being just another face in the crowd Standing still Stagnation Routine CS ladder (from “Maggie”) Step 1: Laddering interviews > 69 CS ladders > N = 22 Step 2: Q-sort exercise > 42 Q-sort cards > N = 30 Step 3: MDS > Dimensionality? > Visual inspection? > CIM evaluations? EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 5

Towards a model of CS Inter-personal Affect Achievement Intra-personal CS constructs referring to feelings and perceptions that characterize a career; CS constructs referring to factual accomplishments that characterize a career; The world external to the career actor’s “self” acts as the source of validation The world external to the career actor’s “self” acts as the source of validation Affect Achievement CS constructs referring to feelings and perceptions that characterize a career; CS constructs referring to factual accomplishments that characterize a career; The career actor’s “self acts as a source of validation The career actor’s “self acts as a source of validation Intra-personal EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 6

Towards a model of CS Inter-personal Recognition Cooperation Experienced contribution Performance Advancement Factual contribution Affect Achievement Self-development: Goal attainment Continuous learning Self-expression Career self-management Creativity Satisfaction: Work-life balance Achievement satisfaction Independence Security Intra-personal EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 7

Implications: CS measurement Extrinsic – intrinsic = origin of criteria, norms or values applied to a career societal, cultural, sub-cultural, researcher-imposed idiosyncratic Objective – subjective = source providing information about aspects of a career personnel records [facts] self-report [concepts, perceptions] EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 8

Implications: CS measurement Extrinsic Intrinsic Objective salary promotions hierarchical level… from personnel records Subjective from self-report (proxy) + researcher-imposed items weighted, multidimensional, semi-open scales? ► applicability/ inclusiveness vs. workability ► aims of study at hand ► different measures = different outcomes! EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 9

downloads available at Any feedback? nicky.dries@vub.ac.be downloads available at http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ndries/ EAWOP SGM 08 - VUB March 13th 2008 | pag. 10