Drivers of career success among the visually impaired

Improving career inclusivity and sustainability in a career ecosystem

Bibliographic Data

ID9890097
AuthorsA Uday Bhaskar (Institute of Management Technology, corresponding author), Yehuda Baruch (0000-0002-0678-6273, University of Southampton, corresponding author), Seeta Gupta (Genesis Coaching, India, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume76
Issue10
Pages1507-1544
Publication date2023-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHuman Relations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0018-7267 • E-ISSN: 1741-282X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00187267221103529
OpenAlexW4280574976
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited102

Visual impairment, as a form of disability, remains understudied in the context of employment and careers. Drawing on career ecosystem and career sustainability theories, we explore factors that lead to career success and career sustainability of visually impaired individuals. We collected qualitative data from 66 visually impaired individuals from India who had experienced varying degrees of career attainment. We applied grounded theory to study their deep-seated attitudes and ingrained behaviors that help build successful and sustainable careers. High-career-attainment participants were extremely resilient, able to bounce back after rejection, and willing to adopt certain key psycho-social processes such as non-acceptance of rejection, relatability (forging positive relations with the sighted), family support, enabling self through technology, and influence mindset change, which led them to be ‘masters of circumstance.’ Conversely, the characteristics of low-career-attainment participants included their unquestioning acceptance of fate, higher degrees of skepticism, and obligation to support the family, which led them to become ‘victims of circumstance.’ We contribute to the career ecosystems and career sustainability literature by expanding it to wider populations and crystalizing processes that influence careers. The findings have policy implications for visually impaired individuals as well as for other people with disabilities, as well as for organizations and governments. Individuals should challenge conventional norms, be persistent and improve self-efficacy. Organization should think out of the box in order to win the war for talent by employing hidden talent

Career Counseling · Career development · Context (archaeology · Economic growth · Economics · Educational attainment · Mindset · Obligation · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Sustainability · Disability Education and Employment · Ecology · Psychology · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Psychology · Work-Family Balance Challenges

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access