Finding Meaning and Purpose in Boundaryless Careers

A Framework for Study and Practice

Bibliographic Data

ID9022127
AuthorsMarjo Lips-Wiersma (University of Canterbury, corresponding author), Judith McMorland (University of Auckland Business School)
Year2006
Volume46
Issue2
Pages147-167
Publication date2006-03-03
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Humanistic Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-1678 • E-ISSN: 1552-650X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0022167805283776
OpenAlexW2171452668
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited25

This article addresses a paradox in current boundaryless career theories. These theories span the boundaries of employment settings and occupations in response to changing social and economic conditions. In this climate, boundaryless career advocates claim that individuals need to be concerned with subjective career determinants, such as meaning and purpose, and objective career determinants, such as remaining employable. Such advocacy, however, does not adequately acknowledge that the very premise on which boundaryless career theory is built, namely that career choice is strongly driven by market forces, may counter one’s very ability to find meaning and purpose. The authors reintroduce the notion of vocation and identify four aspects through which the concept of vocation may be expanded: animation, dedication, evaluation, and coherence. They suggest that the discourses of career and vocation can complement one another to enable the individual to discover or maintain a sense of purpose in a boundaryless career climate

Career development · Complement (music · Epistemology · Meaning (existential · Premise · Sociology · Career Development and Diversity · Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences · Higher Education and Employability · Psychology · Social Psychology

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