Borders of "the boundaryless career"

Authors: Sommerlund, Julie; Boutaiba, Sami

Source: Journal of Organizational Change Management, Volume 20, Number 4, 2007 , pp. 525-538(14)

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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Abstract:

Purpose - The paper aims to examine the notion of the boundaryless career, arguing that the notion is problematic, and that simultaneous co-existence of different types of careers makes both "new" and "old" types of careers possible. Design/methodology/approach - The approach is twofold: a theoretical argument, and a qualitative ethnographic study, involving observations and interviews. Findings - The theoretical argument questions the underlying premise and promise of the notion of the boundaryless career, namely that modern careers amount to a higher level of personal freedom. This empirical study will serve to illustrate the co-constitutive nature of different career stories. Research limitations/implications - The research is qualitative and thereby limited in the following way: it serves to give a deep understanding of the phenomena at hand, but is not easily generalizable. However, the methodology can inspire scholars to explore the findings observed in this paper. Practical implications - The idealization of the boundaryless career is problematic, as it poses problems to those concerned with the career. A more flexible ideal of careers would be preferable to researchers and organisational actors alike. Originality/value - The paper gives a practical and empirical input to a debate that has been largely conceptual or generalized.

Keywords: Career development; Interviews; Sciences

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09534810710760063

Publication date: 2007-07-10