Study Of Protean Career Path

Economic globalization brings about intensive competition in the global market. As a result, organizational structure is changed. While the competition of promotion within the organization is intensive, more unpredictable new jobs arise with the advancement in science and technology. Career path is shaped more according to the environment over time than development along with the fixed line and direction. As a result, the standard of career success, the psychological contract, the career mobility patterns and the career management responsibilities are completely changed. Hall used "protean career" to describe this new career and commitment to the study of the field. While classical organizational career theories do not apply to the new phenomenon of career, overseas study on the protean career is emerging.In this dissertation, the following questions were tried to be explored. When the traditional career shift to protean career, have the career attitudes of the employees in China changed? When the classic career theory is no longer valid to explain the phenomenon of career, the characterization of traditional career path is not reflect the characteristics of protean career path, what kind of characterization is suitable for protean career? When the individual’s career changes with the environment, does the career path dependence exist? What is the mechanism of career path dependence? When the external force generated path independence of protean career, what are these forces? These issues constitute the main line of the study. Our study focus on protean career path dependence, explores the causes, conditions and individual efforts of career path independence, is based on characterization of protean career, and studies of the present situation of protean career as a prerequisite.Based on the above analysis, the main research contents were as follows:(1) Study on present situation of protean career.At first, the generation mechanism of protean career was proposed after combing the developmental course of shift from traditional to protean career. We then theoretically analyzed the generation background and macro environment of protean career in China. Through empirical and case study, comparative analysis of the protean career attitudes was used to test hypothesis. (2) Description and characterization of protean career pathBased on its characteristics, the description and characterization of protean career were summarized concisely though combing traditional career path characterization. Furthermore, a quantitative characterization of protean career was explored by empirical study. Based on stochastic theory, the mathematical patterns were set up to revealing protean career transformation law. Tracking randomness of the protean career by using the Markov chain, the protean career mobility model was set up by giving marketing seniority as the application of the model.(3) Research on protean career path dependenceFocusing on exploring the applicability and Mechanism of career path dependence, path dependence theory was introduced into the field of career. A framework model was set, based on a descriptive model. As path dependency theory did not exclude the phenomenon of path independence, the causes, conditions and individual efforts of career path independence were explored to build the external force model of path independence by qualitative analysis.Conclusions were drawn as follows:(1) With the environmental background which was fit for protean career, traditional career attitude has changed and protean career is arising in China. The generation mechanism was the individual adaptive response to environmental change. Since significant differences of their environment due to the different national, industry, job, geographical area of individuals, some characteristics of the traditional career and protean career were overlap.(2) Protean career path is complicated. Protean career can be characterized by track diagram, it can also be described from the aspect of ability development. Moreover, as a complex system, it can be described by using chaos theory.The protean career mobility model described the variability and complexity of protean career, and reflected the relationship of related jobs better. Empirical study showed that the protean career mobility model explained the characteristics of the sample.(3) Theoretical reasoning and empirical tests show the path dependency theory suitable for the interpretation of the career characteristic. Career path dependence was defined as:career development path largely depended on the first job, once you started a career, career path will be rendered coherent, interdependent characteristics. The career path dependent mechanism can be expressed as follows:increasing returns, imperfect labor market and the limitations of the initial job lead to path dependence. Finally, the career path dependence is the result of the pursuit of Individual interests. Empirical studies support career path dependence. The results showed that the proportion of path dependence was significantly higher than the proportion of path independence.(4) Career path dependence can be divided into three categories:organization dependence, industry dependence and vocation dependence. The path which did not belong to these three categories defined as the path independence. The proportion of vocational dependence is higher than that of industry dependence, and the proportion of industry dependence is higher than that of organization dependence in protean career. These three categories were not completely isolated and had intersections:Occupational dependence was uncorrelated with organization dependence; organization dependence Includes industry dependence; Occupational dependence was correlated with industry dependence.(5) External force framework model of career path independence is consists of three parts: the reason of demission; conditions and individual efforts. Reasons of demission can be divided into two categories:subjective reasons and objective reasons. Subjective reasons include career planning, work, income and work environment. Objective reasons include organizational reasons, advice and encourage, opportunities and macroeconomic. Conditions for path independence can be divided into two categories:internal and external. Internal conditions include relevant experience, knowledge, income, meta-competency and personal qualities. External conditions include job open, interpersonal networks, opportunities and funds. Individual efforts can be divided into long-term efforts and short-term efforts. Long-term efforts include fund-raising, informal learning, formal learning, accumulate contacts and increased capacity. Short-term efforts include marketing research, performance in the interview, planning, rest and prepare, looking for opportunities.The innovative points of this dissertation were as follows.(1) The generation mechanism of protean career was explored and tested by empirical research, at the same time, the questionnaire used to measure protean career orientation was tailored for Chinese. As a result, protean career orientation was subdivided into four dimensions. This was a useful complement to the protean career theory.(2) Our research solved the problem of quantitative description of path dependence, and laid the foundation for the description and analysis of the career path dependence.Descriptive model of protean career path dependence was set up after analyzing the applicability of the path dependence theory for career. In addition, based on classification of specialized human capital theory, the career path dependence was divided into three categories and their mutual relations were discussed.. Furthermore, external force model of protean career was set by qualitative study. Our study constructed a theoretical model of the career path dependence, which is a conceptual innovation in the field.(3) Using stochastic theory, quantitative protean career mobility model was set up. Career Source model expressed the probability of sources by column matrix from the aspect of career source,then the matrix obtained balance by the inverse of the Markov which is methodology innovation to quantitatively reflecting characteristics of protean career.