Organizational and population level learning as engines for career transitions

Abstract

Building inductively on twenty-four in depth interviews, the authors argue that boundaryless organizations will alter both career theories and actual career mobility patterns. The paper illustrates how both organizational and population level learning can affect individual job transitions within and cross organizations. The three evolutionary learning steps of variation. selection and retention all remain important, but the impact of variation processes may increase. Boundaryless organizations will thus generate career patterns reflecting an underlying logic of organizational learning rather than producing simple atomistic exchange between unfettered actors.

Transfer decision making: different decision models depending on the transfer conditions?

“…Although this is an important area, it does not encompass the breadth of the transfer decision. As was discussed at the beginning of the paper, the term`career' is taking on new meaning (Arthur, 1994;Bird, 1994;DeFillippi and Arthur, 1994;Miner and Robinson, 1994;Mirvis and Hall, 1994). Inter-organizational as well as intraorganizational careers need further study in conjunction with each other.…”

“…Many managers feel that this reluctance to relocate may strip them of one of their best means to develop human resources and to provide stang¯exibility in the future (Pinder, 1977). Also, the concept of thè boundaryless' career (Arthur, 1994;Bird, 1994;DeFillippi and Arthur, 1994;Miner and Robinson, 1994;Mirvis and Hall, 1994) may have a major impact on the reluctance of employees to transfer. The idea of this type of career is that an employee's career moves across the boundaries of several dierent organizations.…”

Factors for improving the level of knowledge generation in new product development

“…Job rotation is defined as the planned shift of workers back and forth among different tasks and different departments (Bobbitt et al, 1978). In a special issue of the Journal of Organizational Behavior, the careers of people are considered repositories of knowledge (Bird, 1994), and career transitions are considered an engine for organizational learning (Miner and Robinson, 1994). According to Bird (1994) employees add value to their organization by generating information and knowledge through their work experiences.…”

Changing careers: the effects of social context

“…The majority of studies of career change have addressed`job' or employer' changes and hence, have centered on more simple forms of career change (e.g., Doering and Rhodes, 1996). In addition to focusing on a particular type of career change that is suitable to early career decision-makers, the de®nition I have proposed re¯ects the more general idea that work within a single organization today demands multiple jobs (Major, 2000;Miner and Robinson, 1994), rendering traditional terms such as job shift or job change (e.g., Feldman and Brett, 1983) less relevant as standalone constructs for understanding career change today.…”