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Competencies (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) enable employers and educators to speak a common language regarding what computing graduates are expected to demonstrate on the job. This study focuses on competencies required by managers in the computing industry, based on semi-structured interviews of ten individuals in managerial roles, such as directors, project managers, and product managers with prior experience in computing-related roles. Constant Comparative for Naturalistic Inquiry was used to analyze the data. The most frequently discussed managerial skills included leadership, project management, hiring and evaluating candidates, and mentorship. In addition, professional skills such as communication, problem-solving, and lifelong learning were mentioned, along with essential dispositions that support the development of these skills, e.g., collaborative mindset, lifelong learning orientation, and self-regulation. Participants also emphasized the need to make judgments, build relationships, and collaborate within or outside their team. Career readiness in the computing industry is not limited to entry-level jobs; professionals should have the opportunity to navigate their preferred career path—whether they aspire to move down a technical or managerial path. This study can contribute to both students' and educators' understanding of the managerial career path and what types of competencies and experiences should be included in computing education programs to set them up for success across their career path. Implications for pedagogical approaches will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the experience of human resource (HR) professionals in managing career development for older workers. It focuses on the influence of personal, social and organisational experiences of HR professionals on (1) their approach to career development of older workers and (2) their organisation's career development practices for older workers. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 14 HR professionals from large organisations with at least half of their workforce aged 45 and above. The transcripts were analysed thematically, with the coding process informed by Ricoeur's theory of interpretation. Findings: Three main themes emerged within the HR professionals' narratives. They identified with (1) the protagonist mindset in career development stories, (2) the enabling enforcer of individualised career development practices and (3) the agent for change in career development practices. Practical implications: This study shows that a narrative thematic analysis can be used to explore how the experiences of HR professionals can affect the design and implementation of career development strategies for this cohort of workers. Further, recruiting HR professionals with a protagonist mindset can generate organisational practices inclusive of older workers. Originality/value: This study is one of the first to focus on the role of HR professionals in managing career development practices for older workers and the influence of supportive managers on their attitudes and actions with older workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Summary: Career paths depend not only on individuals' own competitiveness but also on the competitiveness of others in a position to advocate for them. In this article, we study competitiveness when rewards accrue to another individual. In particular, we ask how female and male managers' competitiveness changes when rewards from competition accrue to their female or male protégés, relative to when they accrue to themselves. Using an experimental approach, we find that when rewards accrue to protégés, male and female managers are equally competitive because female managers increase their competitiveness. However, male managers compete more for male rather than female protégés. This gap disappears when male managers know their protégés' risk preferences, suggesting a novel intervention to ensure equity in the sponsorship process. Managerial Summary: Sponsorship is key to individuals' career development and firms' human capital strategy. In this experimental study simulating an organizational setting, we investigate one aspect of sponsorship and ask whether managers' and protégés' genders affect managers' willingness to compete on behalf of their protégés. We find that when the rewards from competition accrue to protégés, female managers increase their competitiveness and eliminate the gender competitiveness gap present when rewards accrue to managers themselves. This suggests that, from a competitiveness standpoint, female and male managers are equally strong sponsors. However, male managers compete more for male, relative to female, protégés. This gap disappears when male managers have information about protégés' risks preferences, suggesting a novel approach that organizations can implement to reduce discrimination in sponsorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of what constitutes a career is interdisciplinary by nature, congregating views from an individual, organizations and society. Nevertheless, despite progress in discussions on the subject, recent studies have pointed towards the limitations of currently used theories, calling for greater interdisciplinarity (Arthur, 2008; Chudzikowski & Mayrhofer, 2011; Khapova & Arthur, 2011; Lawrence, 2011), since little evolution has occurred in this sense. In order to respond to the need for multidisciplinary research in career studies, this paper aims to present and illustrate the potential use of life histories by analyzing the influences and limits on seven Brazilian executives' career paths through this method. Results are presented in two broad categories of analysis: (a) contextual influences on careers involving changes in the Brazilian economic and organizational setting, increased competition and need to increase knowledge in face of globalization, mobility demand and gender discrimination; (b) life stages and career choices, including individual aspects of their trajectories, such as family values, choice of undergraduate courses, entering the labor market and parenthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses two fundamental questions about flexible scheduling: Do managers use ascriptive information in deciding which requests for flexible work scheduling to grant among employees? And, do employees comprehend this managerial bias in deciding whether to ask for flexible work arrangements? Study 1 found that managers were most likely to grant flextime to high-status men seeking flexible schedules in order to advance their careers. In contrast, flexible scheduling requests from women were unlikely to be granted irrespective of their job status or reason. In Study 2, we found that employees were unaware of these managerial biases: women assigned high-status jobs and requests for career advancement reasons were the most likely to think their requests would be granted, while men in the same scenarios were least likely to believe this. Organizational and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report the results of a study on the use of information and decision making by practicing marketing managers. They examine the effect of managerial experience and decision programmability on managers' information use and decisions. The results indicate that experience is an important determinant of managers' behavior for relatively unprogrammed decisions. Moreover, the effects of experience are manifested in the evaluation and use of "soft" information, amount of information used, and the decisions themselves. The authors conclude that in studying the effects of experience on managerial decisions, one must examine the steps leading to a decision, they find that experience affects the prior step in which information is acquired. To the extent experience is a proxy for expertise, the article affords insights into the key ingredients in training and modeling expert managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young staff and line professionals and managers confront several common problems in their first few years at work. Based on numerous interviews and discussions, five of the most frequent problem categories are considered: (1) early frustration and dissatisfaction as a result of unrealistic and conflicting expectations; (2) insensitivity and passivity to an organization's political environment and the subjective criteria by which one is really evaluated; (3) loyalty dilemmas as to whether superiors conceive loyalty as obedience, effort, success, protection, or honesty; (4) personal anxiety about one's integrity and commitment to the organization and its activities; and (5) ethical dilemmas as to what are the relevant criteria for judging one's actions--economics, law, religion, common practice, or impact on people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the link between managers' careers and the strategic behavior of the companies they manage. We argue that despite the theoretical and practical importance of this topic for the strategic management of organizations, the results of research to date have been contradictory and confusing, partly because of two substantial gaps in the underpinning theory. Implicit theories about the impact of work history on managerial characteristics are not made explicit, and a conceptual bridge is needed between individual and organizational levels of analysis. Ideas from research on decision-making studies, top management team behavior, and the strategic management literature are reviewed to yield an integrative model that specifies a set of propositions defining a program of research designed to shed light on the nature of the link. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By distinguishing among managerial behaviors according to the time interval over which they are learned and performed and the specificity with which they can be described, three types of skills are identified, and a phased approach to skill training is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study geographically mobile managers in 1978 were compared to mobile managers in 1989 and significant changes were found in career patterns and attachment to the organization and the job. The managers in 1989 were changing jobs and relocating more frequently than were the 1978 managers. They were also less satisfied with their companies. Job involvement and job satisfaction, however, were higher among the 1989 managers than among the 1978 managers. Retrospectively, the 1989 managers thought they were less loyal to their companies than they had been five years previously. Managers' attachment to their organizations may be tied to challenging jobs that provide career development opportunities; those organizations unwilling or unable to provide such jobs may experience higher managerial turnover. INSET: Table III: Description of Dependent Variables.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated changes in the skill levels of managers which occurred two years following the managers' participation in 360-degree feedback. The major objective was to investigate how skill development, development efforts, and environmental support for development are related. The Management Skills Profile (MSP) was used to measure skills and to give feedback. Of the original 198 managers who received feedback, 48 accepted the opportunity to complete the instrument again two years later. At that time, they also completed a questionnaire surveying what development activities they had completed and the extent to which they received support for development from their supervisor and the organization. The first hypothesis was that, for the group, (a) participants' skills would increase following feedback, and (b) self-other agreement would be greater at Time 2 than at Time 1. This was supported. The second hypothesis was that management skills would be related to later advancement. This also was supported. The third hypothesis was that skill development would be related to both development efforts and environmental support, and that some development activities would be more effective than others. Hypothesis four was that those who put more effort into development (a) would have received at Time 1 ratings which were more favorable and more congruent with their self-ratings, and (b) would have received more environmental support. Hypotheses three and four were only partially supported. The results have implications for what managers can do to develop their skills and how others can support this development. INSET: Table I: Management Skills Profile: Dimensions & Definitions.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a study of the effects of becoming plateaued on the careers of professionals in a declining organization. An unusual "triple ladder" was studied, one with paths in administration and technical specialization (the two typical components of a dual ladder system), as well as project management (a general practice, technical generalist role). In contrast to earlier studies of plateauing, it was found that occupational characteristics mitigate the effects of plateauing. The plateaued technical specialists experienced the expected declines in job attitudes; however, in project management, and to a lesser extent in administration, it was the plateaued group whose career outlook was most positive. Interview data suggested that the critical factor operating here was not plateauing perse, but the extent to which learning is required and experience and acquired skills are utilized and recognized in the work role. Structural career opportunities, intrinsic job rewards, and recognition were all critical factors in mitigating the effects of the career plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared both effectively and ineffectively plateaued managers with nonplateaued managers by investigating (1) career movement histories, (2) career attitudes central to a plateaued career, and (3) career path potential in the organization. Among other results, significant differences were found between plateaus and nonplateaus in the timing of their mobility events and the types of moves they made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study that compares the views of executives and students participating in masters of business administration programs on corporate promotion practices. The purpose of this study is to pinpoint the perceptions of chief executive officers in large organizations pertaining to the types of behavior that lead to and important in attaining promotions. The study examines the same perceptions held by masters of business administration students. According to the results of the study, with experience, managers tend to focus more on employee ability than on any other factors.

The article presents the results of a study on trends in job-related attitudes of managerial and professional employees. The study found that overall job satisfaction decreased from 1971-1974. Throughout the four-year interval males declined in all aspects of job satisfaction except financial rewards. The most significant decline in male job satisfaction was with career future and company identification. Levels for female job satisfaction were lower in 1974 except for satisfaction with career future.

This article examines the relationship between the success of industrial managers and their attitudes toward certain management policies. The eight policy areas examined are primarily related to personnel and general management. The manager's choice of policies in several of these areas is related to success, both across the entire sample and within the firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents advice on how aspiring managers can promote their own careers. Findings related to the career progress of a sample of businessmen interviewed in a study conducted by the authors are presented. The study sought to determine why some businessmen advance rapidly in management careers while others possessing similar skill sets and experience do not. Research results are described, and the authors note several common characteristics present in businessmen that advanced rapidly, as well as those that did not.

A case study designed to examine the degree of congruence in management attitudes and socioeconomic background factors between executive superiors and executive subordinates, tested the hypothesis that the greater the correlation the greater the probability of promotion. Those subordinates being promoted did not necessarily share common background and attitudes with superiors but, perceptually, were significantly more aware of their superiors' views than were those not considered for promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, data are reported comparing the beliefs of managers from five regional clusters (Greece, Spain, Central Europe, Scandinavia, and U.S.A.) on four basic attitudes (risk, self-determination, conciliation, and trust). The relative standings of the clusters are attitude specific, and the findings are compared to those of an earlier study by Haire, Ghiselli, and Porter. Only about 5 percent (which is significantly different from zero) of the total attitudinal variance is accounted for by regional grouping. Three additional factors are, therefore. examined in relation to attitudinal differences: (1) functional identification within a firm, (2) location within a single region, and (3) employment sector (private vs public) within a single country. The findings are interpreted within the context of a broad framework of possible causes of attitudinal differences across national groupings. Suggested implications for organizational practice are explicated with caution throughout the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports the authors' opinions regarding a criticism of their article "Some Personal and Situational Correlates of Reactions to Management Development Training." The authors' focus on comments made about the purpose and content of management development programs. Possible reasons that executives might have for supporting or opposing management training programs are also discussed.

An analysis of state executives' attitudes indicate respondents agree with the public administration literature on the values attributed to organizational mobility. The literature and executive attitudes contain notions that mobility decreases provincialism, encourages innovation, promotes employee development, improves communication, and provides personal rewards. Since executives' perceptions vary according to their experience, mobility, and education, it is argued that organizational mobility will increase and improve and caliber of the public service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to investigate the perceptions of senior managers in companies in the Sunday Times list of UK best employers on the practise of HRM in their organisations. Design/methodology/approach - The approach taken was to conduct semi-structured interviews with senior line and HR directors/ managers. Findings - In the organisations investigated, HRM is afforded high-level organisational support at chief executive, if not always senior operational manager, level. It is generally recognised by senior managers as contributing to business effectiveness when it centres on business needs. It is integrated with business strategy processes at both strategic and operational levels. Indeed HRM is elemental to business strategic planning processes, which has the effect of reducing the potential gap between strategic rhetoric on HRM and practical implementation of HRM. Leadership and performance management are current HR policy priorities. Research limitations/implications - The generative primary data represent senior managers' perceptions of how HRM operates in their organisation therefore cannot be generalised. Practical implications - Senior manager support of HRM means focusing HRM efforts in organisations on business needs and integration between HRM and business strategy processes. The corollary is that HRM policy priorities are derived from the strategic business direction and that they are perceived to support business operations and, consequently, business performance. Originality/value - Senior line managers and HR specialists inform the research which contributes to understanding of current, best practice HRM from an evidence base; a model of contemporary best practice is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing expatriation literature concentrates on what individuals need to perform in an international assignment (IA) but neglects what they gain from their foreign work experience. Using a dual-dependency perspective this study presents results from 26 in-depth interviews with international secondees within two UK-based organizational contexts. The paper explores the perceived impact of an IA on the career capital of individuals, showing that the outcomes of IAs can be equivocal for expatriates. Each firm concentrated their human resource mechanisms on developing different types of career capital and this focused individual behaviour on diverse career capital activities. In one of the organizations there was an internal misalignment between organizational and individual assignee focus. Based on the research a number of propositions were developed. This study provided an exploratory insight into points of departure rather than complementarity in individuals' international careers in organizations, which has been at the core of much recent research and writing. A more complex, contextualized picture of the effects of IAs on the careers of individuals emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore differential adoption of work/life programs by organizations by studying CEOs. Design/methodology/approach - A conceptual framework was developed from interview data from 26 Denver-area (Colorado, USA) CEOs. Findings - A decision-making model was conceptualized as the major finding of this study. CEOs decided on work/life programs on content-based bottom-line arguments, on process-based criteria, such as moral, spiritual, or flexibility beliefs, or on personal experiences that these programs return to the bottom line. If a CEO decided based on bottom-line arguments, the main variable is whether or not retention is important. Research limitations/implications - As a qualitative study, caution should be exercised in generalizing to the general population of CEOs, particularly those who choose not to adopt work/life programs. Practical implications - The study provides data useful for top management persuasion, executive development, understanding executive decision-making processes, and understanding factors important to work/life program adoption. Originality/value - Many factors have been studied concerning differential work/life program adoption, including the composition of the HR team. This is the first study to consider the influence of CEOs as key decision-makers in the adoption decision. This study also offers a model that potentially explains the decision-making process used by executives for human resource programs, and perhaps other programs as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to present the challenges posed by designing and implementing mentoring programs when program coordinators, managers and participants may hold different assumptions about what mentoring is and what career development is. It aims to create an awareness of the inherent conflicts between the old and the new definitions of careers when implementing mentoring programs. Design/methodology/approach — The paper is a presentation of the different definitions of careers as well as the different approaches to mentoring and a discussion of the implications of these in corporate mentoring programs. Findings — This paper presents viewpoints on where to focus the attention in designing and implementing mentoring programs to achieve maximum results for the organization as well as for the participants. Originality/value — Human resource professionals, managers and potential mentors and mentees might find value in reading this paper to become aware of obstacles for learning and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Companies are increasingly using management development (MD) initiatives as a means of enhancing their capability to realise their business goals. Therefore, the linkage between MD and strategic management should be better understood. Aims to examine this situation. Design/methodology/approach - By utilising quantitative statistical methods, the paper studies the linkage from the perspective of individual managers, and analyses how the various forms of the linkage relate to managers' strategic awareness and perceived value of MD. Findings - Empirical evidence from Finnish managers implies that the perceived effectiveness of MD and the level of strategic awareness of managers are highly inter-related. Originality/value - The paper helps researchers and practitioners to better understand the dynamic and holistic nature of MD and highlights the need to study strategic management and organisational learning increasingly from the perspective of individuals rather than from that of the whole organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian firms are attempting to internationalize and to become global companies. One way of staffing the forays into international business is by incorporating international work into domestic jobs. This study sought to understand the factors related to the amount of international work Australians perform in their domestic jobs. Alumni from an Australian university were surveyed, providing 1,046 full-time domestic employees working in a range of industries. Regression analysis showed that, beyond individual and organizational controls, employees performed more international work in domestic jobs when they worked in organizations at higher than at lower international levels with human resource support, worked in jobs at higher rather than at lower managerial levels and had international skills. However, there was no or little link with employees' international attitudes or family situation. As predicted, the managerial level of the job made a difference to the effects of the work environment. Working in MNCs and domestic organizations with operations abroad was related to the amount of international work in domestic jobs performed by senior managers and executives more than by lower and middle managers or subordinates and supervisors. Analysis of open-ended responses shows the major reasons Australians take up domestic international work are money, professional development and challenging content. The major reasons they would not are family commitments and disruption, in contrast to the quantitative results in which family factors are unimportant. The difference between the quantitative and qualitative results and the importance of family factors, international skills versus attitudes and human resource support are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]