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The New Careers: Individual Action and Economic Change, Arthur MB, Inkson K, and Pringle JK. 1999. Sage: London. 181 pp.
What do all serious studies of careers have in common? And what distinguishes The New Careers by Michael B. Arthur, Kerr Inkson, and Judith K. Pringle from other studies? The answer to both questions is the same: a focus on time. The authors show convincingly that the richness of a career can only be revealed as an evolution of cumulative work experiences over time. But they also incorporate the element of historical time by examining the unique qualities of careers in today's New Economy of 'dynamic, competitive, and technology-driven global forces.' Although time is the context in which individual careers are played out, what happens during this time defines the substance of a career. And what happens during this particular time in history captures the essence of 'new careers.'
The New Careers emerged out of the results of an ambitious research project. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 75 adults who resided in a metropolitan area in New Zealand. The participants included 39 men and 36 women, ranging in age from 25 to 66. They represented nine different occupational groups from unskilled laborers to senior managers. The retrospective stories told by these 75 individuals, sometimes in their own words and at other times in the authors' words, are masterfully woven together and guide the development of theory, adding substantial richness to the book.
The book is well written and is organized effectively. Chapters 1 and 2 provide an introduction and a context to the research, including a detailed look at the sample's career mobility patterns. In Chapter 3, the authors focus on enactment, a concept of substantial importance, which provides the theoretical framework for the remainder of the book. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 introduce a developmental flavor to the research by examining a variety of career patterns that may emerge during three stages of career development-fresh energy, informed direction, and seasoned engagement. The authors then explore how competencies can be converted into career capital (Chapter 7) and how career capital can be invested in such social institutions as occupations, companies, and industries (Chapter 8). Chapter 9 summarizes the major themes that emerged in the...