CAREER ORIENTATIONS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND COMPANIES: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF WEST GERMAN, BRITISH AND US INDUSTRIAL R&D PROFESSIONALS^[1]

Abstract

This study examined dimensions and levels of career orientations and their correlation with work-related outcome criteria among industrial R&D professionals. Questionnaire data were obtained in 11 West German, 4 British, and 2 US R&D units of large industrial companies. Respondents were 729 West German, 2 17 British, and 124 US scientists and engineers. Managerial career orientation and professional/scientific career orientation emerged from factor and scale analyses as two independent orientation dimensions with similar meaning across the three countries and the 17 R&D organizations. Results indicated significant cross-country differences in levels of professional/scientific career orientation, but not in levels of managerial career orientation. Significant differences in levels of both orientation dimensions were detected between R&D units within countries. Distinctive characteristics of West German firms employing R&D staff with particularly strong professional/scientific or managerial career orientations are suggested. Managerial and professional/scientific career orientations were found to be differentially related to objective indicators and self-ratings of research performance. Directions for future research and managerial implications for selecting and rewarding R&D employees with different patterns of career orientations are discussed. GENERAL BACKGROUNDCareer orientations (CO) of R&D professionals in large organizations are thought to be of major importance in understanding reactions of organizational scientists

Career orientations of R&D professionals in Korea

“…While turnover intention is negatively associated with managerial orientation (r À0.10, p 0.0005), technical performance is positively correlated with technical orientation. All these relationships are quite similar to those found in Aryee and Leong (1991) and Gerpott et al (1988). Table 2 also indicates that the transfer orientation showed positive associations with job-related attitudes and organization tenure (r 0.13, p 0.0001), as expected by the aforementioned propositions.…”

“…Most of respondents in the study are relatively young (mean age of 33.5 years) compared to other studies (e.g. Allen and Katz, 1986;Gerpott et al, 1988), reflecting a relatively shorter history of R&D activities in Korea than in more advanced countries. Younger engineers and scientists are more likely to hold more professional values as a result of recent intense socialization in the academic communities than their older counterparts, who have been exposed for a longer period of time to organizational norms and values and are more likely to exhibit manager orientations.…”

Satisfaction at Ifes: An Analysis Through Career Anchors

“…Gerpott, Domsch, and Keller (1988) in their study conducted among research and development professionals in Germany, England and the United States, verified the importance of career orientation in relation to job satisfaction.…”

Analyzing the Cross-Cultural Transfer of Professional Practices Through Organizational Stories

“…Conversely, career development and planning has no clear institutional role in German business. Professional alignments tend to occur along technical and scientific lines (Gerport, Domsch, & Keller, 1988). Mentoring is linked to technical respect and development.…”