The boundaryless career: A competency‐based perspective

Abstract

This paper proposes a competency-based view of careers, derived from competencybased models of employcr firms. The implications for boundaryless careers are cxplored by reference to changing organizational. occupational and industry community contexts. All of these contexts are seen as likely to promote boundaryless career behaviors. Future research possibilities for each of three career competencies, and for interdependence among the competencies. are briefly examined.We are indebted to Suzyn Ornstein, Denise Rousseau. and three anonymous reviewers of the Juurnid q/ 0rguni:itfiwiuI &huvior for helpful comments on earlier drafts ofthis paper.' An employment setting, as viewed in this paper. is any setting with independent authority to engage in employment contracts. This can either mean an independent firm or a business unit o f a larger firm where employment responsibility is decentralized. The latter meaning can be linked to General Electric head Jack Welch's vision of the 'boundaryless organization'. that is of multiple high-autonomy employment settings (Hirschhorn and Gilmore. 1992). Moves both within and beyond these settings would represent houndaryless career behavior. (Miles and Snow, 1986;Nohria and Eccles, 1992). One such set of ideas focuses on the cultivation of firm-specific, rather than generic, competencies. This competency-based view of the firm emphasizes how collective employee competencies link to a firm's past and present activities, and in turn extend to future strategic possibilities (e.g. Grant, 1991; Nelson and Winter, 1982;Prahalad and Hamel, 1990;Winter, 1986; Hall, 1992).An emerging theme behind the competency-based view of the firm is a retreat from old ideas about vertical coordination. That is, instead of relying on centralized or corporate decisionmaking, lirms or business units are seen to benefit from relatively uninhibited interaction with partners. suppliers and customers. This alternative, horizontal model of coordination is seen as better accommodating each firm's unique and shifting interests (Quinn, 1992). However, current writings in career and human resource managementincluding those in 'strategic human resource management' (e.g. Schuler, 1992) -persist in emphasizing a vertically-coordinated approach. In this paper we challenge the apparent inconsistency between the firm-centered and person-centered levels of analysis. We do so by arguing that competency accumulation at the level of the person is better served by boundaryless career principles. In turn, we argue that competency accumulation through boundaryless careers can make a critical contribution to the unfolding competencies of firms and their host industries. New kinds of research will be needed if this contribution is to be better understood.This paper is organized as follows. First, we derive a view of career competencies inspired by the competency-based view of the firm. Next, we explore organizational, occupational, and industry community contexts to suggest how career competencies unfold, and with what boundar...

The components of career capital for knowledge workers in the global economy

“…A body of research has confirmed that career capital comprises of three dimensions of knowing (Suutari & Mäkelä, 2007;Dickmann & Harris, 2005;Inkson & Arthur, 2001) originally defined by DeFillippi and Arthur (1994) as knowing whom, knowing why and knowing how. Knowing whom consists of social relations within and external to the organisation and within a professional network that is relevant to the career (DeFillippi & Arthur, 1994). Knowing how represents work related skills, knowledge and competencies (DeFillippi & Arthur, 1994;Dickmann & Harris, 2005).…”

“…Knowing whom consists of social relations within and external to the organisation and within a professional network that is relevant to the career (DeFillippi & Arthur, 1994). Knowing how represents work related skills, knowledge and competencies (DeFillippi & Arthur, 1994;Dickmann & Harris, 2005). Knowing why relates to the individual's identity, career related choices and the motivation and energy the individual brings to their careers (DeFillippi & Arthur, 1994;Inkson & Arthur, 2001).…”

Effectiveness of organizational efforts to lower turnover intentions: The moderating role of employee locus of control

“…This interest in career selfmanagement accentuates the importance of learning emphasized in recent years. Acquiring knowledge and skills (through learning) often benefits one's career (DeFillippi & Arthur, 1994) because it is a form of human capital investment that is likely to be rewarded in the labor market, for example, through higher salary or more promotions (Ng, Eby, Sorensen, & Feldman, 2005). Organizations can provide employees with a variety of channels for learning, including formal training and development programs, workshops, informal sharing groups, mentoring, job rotations, international assignments, promotions, and demotions (e.g., Stilwell, Liden, Parsons, & Deconinck, 1998).…”

Unlocking the careers of business professionals following job loss: sensemaking and career exploration of older workers

“…However, others suggested that having networks in one fi eld did not support exploration of another. This fi nding is important as it suggests that while Defi llippi and Arthur's (1996) notion of knowing whom competencies is important, it has only limited value for career exploration -especially if exploration transcends professional boundaries.…”