Managerial Thinking Should Include Organizational Careers

Abstract

In an age of decruitment and flattening of organizational structures the very concept of careers is downgraded. A career is the series of jobs held during the occupational life. Economic fluctuations and patterns of employment influence the patterns of careers, but they do not abolish the phenomenon itself, nor its importance as a basic life role. Downsizing the organization and contingentizing the work force hurts individual careers, but it also hurts the organizations themselves: highly skilled employees quit, in others the career plateau appears early, the morale is low, and the organization is losing in competition. Successful strategic management of organizations must include a thoroughly planned and steadily implemented development of employee careers.