CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE: METHODOLOGICAL ASPECT (THE LITHUANIAN CASE)

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1 Andrius Valickas 1, Vladimiras Gražulis 2 Chapter 13 CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE CIVIL SERVICE: METHODOLOGICAL ASPECT (THE LITHUANIAN CASE) Abstract: Career development is an inseparable part of the system of human resource management of the civil service enabling to more effectively use the human potential. The authors of the article having suggested the systemic approach to career development in the organization and discussed the main principles of functioning of effective career system, introduce the data from pilot research. The purpose of the research was verification of suitability of such career development research methods and scales as career conception, career aspirations, conceived career possibilities, career barriers, career satisfaction and work engagement for measuring the individual level career development factors in the Lithuanian civil service. The aim of this research also was collection and evaluation of the primary data of pilot career system research in several Lithuanian public sector organizations. The authors provide some methodological recommendations applied for career development of civil servants. Key words: human resource management, career, career development, development system Introduction Any social organization is always a system were career can be made. However, not all organizations have formalized career development systems which support individuals wishing to implement their career aspirations. Usually, a career development system provides the main principles which regulate the careers the employees; it reflects the dynamic aspects of HRM, includes and integrates the majority of HRM processes. Well-designed career systems provide an opportunity for organizations to upraise to the highest levels of management hierarchy 1 Mykolas Romeris University, avalickas@mruni.eu. 2 Professor, Mykolas Romeris University, vladimirasg@takas.lt

2 he people who are able to generate, create and implement new ideas helping the organization to adapt to rapidly changing environment (HIGGINS M., DILLON J.R. 2007). Career development is an inseparable part of the system of the HRM of any civil service. Currently, the issues of career development are particularly relevant for the Lithuanian civil service, the new conception of which is under intensive discussions. What regards the research and theory relating to career development systems, it is important to note that much of empirical material was collected and many theoretical considerations were developed regarding separate components and processes of the system. One line of research and theory was individual career development, having a long history and a rich theoretical base, and the other - human resource development, a relatively young field of study, which is still creating and refining its theoretical base. The current career development theory focuses largely on the individual, while the field of human resource development is mostly concentrated on the organization or large systems (UPTON M.G. 2006). Therefore, many scholars of these areas (UPTON M.G. 2006), (PATTON W., MCMAHON M.L. 2006), (SAVICKAS M.L. 2002) see the opportunity for the convergence of individual career development and human resource development theory and research. This approach would provide a chance for HRM professionals to address the goals important for both employees and organizations. Taking into consideration the above mentioned situation in the practice and theory of career development, we suggest a model of the system of career development in the civil service integrating individual and organizational levels (VALICKAS A., GRAŽULIS V. 2010). Each identified level of the model enables to purposefully discern three dimensions of career development: assumptions, processes and outcomes (Table 13.1). The individual is considered to be the main subsystem of an organizational career development system. Therefore, the identification of individual-related factors and the analysis of the individual s approach

3 to career provide a solid background for modelling the career development system. Table Levels and dimensions of career development system Levels Indivi-dual Organi-zational Dimensions Assumptions Processes Outcomes Career conception; Career aspirations; Values/needs; Interests; Competencies Adjusting public sector policy formation and implementation to HRM policy, recognizing of strategic importance of career development in HRM; The united and integrate career space; Fair criteria and procedures for moving within career space Constructing of work identity and career Coordination of work and learning experiences with the career plans of civil servants; Involvement of the interested parties and responsibility sharing Career satisfaction; Subjective wellbeing; Work engagement; Work commitment; Employability Productivity; Increased possibilities to compete for human resources; Spread of democratic HRM practices. Source: own study The organizational level of a career development system comprises all the efforts and means of an organization applied for the purpose of employees career development. The majority of the world-wide research in this area is carried out in private organizations: best practices of career development are analyzed

4 The purpose of the research was verification of suitability of such career development research methods and scales as career conception, career aspirations, conceived career possibilities, career barriers, career satisfaction and work engagement for measuring the individual level career development constructs in the Lithuanian civil service. The aim of this research also was collection and evaluation of the primary data of pilot career system research in several Lithuanian public sector organizations Method Subjects and procedure The survey of the Lithuanian civil servants was carried out in August October, 2010 in the municipalities of Vilnius, Klaipėda and Anykščiai. 90 randomly selected respondents participated in the survey. Age of the respondents was from 25 to 60, distribution of the respondents according to gender: males 24 (26.7 per cent) and 66 females (73.3 per cent). The applied method helped to clarify the career development tendencies in the researched municipalities, first of all in Vilnius, Klaipėda and Anykščiai municipalities Measures The following constructs were measured in our research: career conception, career aspirations, conceived career possibilities, career barriers, career satisfaction and work engagement. Career conception is considered to be the basis of the individual level career factors. It could be defined as general attitudes to career and its making principles held by the person, which can help to make career or hinder it, in spite of the factual conditions provided for career in the organization. The conception of personal career influences the individual s career aspirations expressed in certain contexts. Career

5 conception was assessed with semantic differential method (OSGOOD C.E. et al. 1957). One polarity of the 7 point scale constructed by the authors of this article refers to traditional and other to contemporary conception of career. The dichotomies of adjectives of contemporary and traditional career conceptions were constructed using contemporary career conceptions introduced by M.B. Arthur and D.M. Rousseau (1996) ( boundaryless career ), M.Peiperl and Y.Baruch (1997) ( post-corporate career ), D.H.Pink (2001) ( Lego career ), R.A.Peterson and N. Anand (2002) ( chaotic career ), D.T.Hall (2002) ( Protean career ), A.Iellatchitch, W.Mayrhofer, M.Meyer (2003) ( chronic flexible career ). Career aspirations are understood as a desire and intention to pursue a role or a particular position within an organization or a wider system. Aspirations play an important role in career decisions because they reflect the goals and intentions that influence individuals toward a particular course of action (GREENHAUS J.H. and CALLANAN G.A. 2006). Career aspirations were assessed with single item 5 point scale: Would you like to pursue career in the civil service? Conceived career possibilities refer to possible career paths, their quality, quantity and adequacy for the individual within a social system as conceived by the individual. Conceived career possibilities are related to objective career possibilities however subjective evaluation is the most important in this construct. Conceived career possibilities were assessed with 3 item 5 point scale developed by the authors of this article. Career barriers have been defined in many of ways, but generally they involve individual s perceptions of negative conditions that might interfere with career progress. In this research we indentified the list of 16 possible career barriers and asked to indicate how much each item was considered to be a barrier for career in the civil service. Career satisfaction is an important factor in research on career development and other areas of inquiry. Career satisfaction is often regarded as a key outcome representing career success and personal fulfilment (GREENHAUS J.H. and CALLANAN G.A. 2006). Career satisfaction was assessed using 6 item 5 point scale constructed by the

6 authors of the article. Work engagement. Work engagement is defined as a positive, fulfilling work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigour, dedication, and absorption. Rather than a momentary and specific state, engagement refers to a more persistent and pervasive affectivecognitive state that is not focused on any particular object, event, individual, or behaviour. Work engagement was assessed using shortened 9 items Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). Cronbach s alpha for the total nine-item scale varies between 0,85 and 0,92. (SCHAUFELI W.B. et al. 2006) Findings and discussion Analyzing the career conception prevailing in the Lithuanian civil service we found that contemporary understanding of career concept dominates (Figure 13.1, Table 13.2). Fig Career conception (this figure has to be interpreted using the below table 2 where the dimensions of career conception are related to concrete adjectives of contemporary or traditional career conception). Source: own study

7 Table Dimensions of career conception Adjectives relating to contemporary career conception Number of the adjectives in figure 1 Various work related experiences 1 Higher posts Adjectives relating to traditional career conception Constructed by the person 2 Suggested by the organization Related to competence and work results of the person 3 Related to personal acquaintances and tenure in posts Opening self- expression and 4 Providing rights development possibilities Permanent 5 Episodic Source: own study Meaningful 6 Senseless Active 7 Passive Open 8 Closed Original 9 Standard Positive 10 Negative The exceptions is making just one dimension: career is considered more related to acquisition of higher posts than to any various work related experience. Thus we can make the assumption that responding to other questions the respondents were more likely to use the conception of vertical career. However in the contemporary HRM science, career is defined as the sequence of the person s work-related experiences in one or several organizations. Thus, according to this sense, career comprises not just vertical promotion to higher posts but also any change of posts, responsibilities and the related learning while seeking to acquire various meaningful work experiences. We found that average level of career aspirations was 4.1 (in the scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)), which corresponds to 82 per cent of maximum level. Distribution of the answers to the question Would You

8 like to pursue career in the civil service? was following (in percents): surely yes 32.2, maybe yes 50, undecided 13.3, maybe not 4.4. It is interesting to note that nobody from the respondents indicated that they surely did not want to pursue career in the civil service. The level of career aspirations found in this research is higher than the level of career needs found in other studies (BLASKOVA M., GRAŽULIS V. 2009), where the possibility of advancing up the career latter is a factor that best motivates just not a big group of individuals. The contradiction could be related to the fact that 1 item scale is insufficient for direct measuring career aspirations or the respondents felt as if it was impolite to demonstrate their negative attitudes towards career in the system where they are working. Also that could be related to the fact that the research area of M.Blaskova and V. Gražulis was wider and the object of the research was the structure of needs of the respondents. We found that average level of conceived career possibilities was 2.86 (in the scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)), which corresponds to 57 per cent of the highest conceived career possibilities. The calculated coefficient Cronbach alpha was This indicates that the scale is suitable for further wider researches. Also we have to conclude that the level of career aspirations is much higher that the level of conceived career possibilities. This could mean that career development system of the Lithuanian civil service is still generally not considered as favourable space for civil servants careers. The findings relating to career barriers in the civil service are indicated in the Table

9 Table Career barriers (arranged from the most important to the least important) (scale from very important barrier 1 to not a barrier at all 5) Career barriers Average level of expression 1. Lack of career opportunities in the civil service 2,45 2. Belief that selection and promotion processes are unfair 2,53 3. Unfavourable career policy towards civil servants 2,62 4. Lack of qualification 2,70 5. Lack of support from the direct manager 2,71 6. Belief that having taken other posts the involvement into 2,77 politic is inevitable 7. Lack of self confidence 2,85 8. Concern that having changed the post it would be impossible to properly harmonize work and leisure (family) duties 2,85 9. Lack of experience 2, Lack of wish to take responsibility (new, additional) 3, Lack of wish to take other posts 3, Lack of wish to work more that it was before 3, Wish to keep the taken posts 3, Age 3, Lack of support from family members 3, Gender 3,63 Source: own study As we see from the table 13.3, the most important barriers for career in the civil service are considered: lack of career opportunities in the civil service, belief that selection and promotion processes are unfair and unfavourable career policy towards civil servants

10 We found that average level of career satisfaction was 3.9 (in the scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)). The estimated internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) was Average level of work engagement was 3.63 in the scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)). The estimated Cronbach alpha was This indicates that the Lithuanian versions of the both scales are suitable for further wider researches. It was also found that the correlation between career satisfaction and work engagement was 0.41 (Pearson correlation, significant at the level p<0.001). Thus, we conclude that there might exist causal relations between these two constructs important for career development which have to be further investigated Summary 1. Career conception of the surveyed Lithuanian civil servants is more contemporary than traditional. The exception is making just one dimension: career is considered more related to acquisition of higher posts than to any various work experiences. 2. The level of career aspirations in the civil service is much higher that the level of conceived career possibilities. This could mean that career development system of the Lithuanian civil service is still generally not considered as favourable space for civil servants careers. 3. The most important barriers for career in the civil service are considered: lack of career opportunities in the civil service, belief that selection and promotion processes are unfair and unfavourable career policy towards civil servants. While age, gender and lack of support from family members generally are not considered to be career barriers. 4. The correlation between career satisfaction and work engagement was high. Thus, we conclude that there might exist causal relations between these two constructs important for career development which have to be further investigated

11 5. The estimated internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) for the Lithuanian versions of the scales of career satisfaction and work engagement was high and the both scales are suitable for further wider researches. Bibliography 1. ARTHUR M.B., ROUSSEAU D.M. (Eds.) The Boundaryless Career: A New Employment Principle for a New Organizational Era. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 2. BLASKOVA M., GRAŽULIS V Motivation of human potential: theory and practice. MRU, Vilnius 3. GREENHAUS J.H., CALLANAN, G.A. (eds) Encyclopaedia of Career Development. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. 4. HALL D.T Careers in and out of organizations. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, USA, CA. 5. HIGGINS M., DILLON J.R Career Patterns and Organizational Performance. In H. Gunz and M. Peiperl (eds), Handbook of Career Studies. Los Angeles: Sage Publications. 6. IELLATCHITCH A., MAYRHOFER W., MEYER M Career fields: A small step towards a grand career theory? In International Journal of Human Resource Management, 14/5. 7. OSGOOD C.E., SUCI G.J., TANNENBAUM P.H The measurement of meaning. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 8. PATTON W., MCMAHON M.L Career Development and Systems Theory. Connecting Theory and Practice. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. 9. PEIPERL M., BARUCH Y Back to Square Zero: The Post-Corporate Career. In Organizational Dynamics, 25/ PETERSON R.A., ANAND N How Chaotic Careers Create Orderly Fields. In Peiperl M.A., Arthur M.A., Anand, N. (Eds.). Creative Careers. Oxford University Press, New York. 11. PINK D.H Free Agent Nation: How America's New Independent Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live. Warner Books, New York, NY. 12. SAVICKAS M.L Career Construction. A Developmental Theory of Vocational Behaviour. In D. Brown (ed.), Career Choice and Development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 13. SCHAUFELI W.B., BAKKER A.B., SALANOVA M The Measurement of Work Engagement With a Short Questionnaire: A Cross-National Study. In Educational and Psychological Measurement,

12 14. UPTON M.G Towards a Multilevel Theory of Career Development: Advancing Human Resource Development Theory Building. Ph.D. diss. Texas A&M University. 15. VALICKAS A. GRAŽULIS V Career development in the Lithuanian civil service: systemic approach. In Viešoji politika ir administravimas ( Public policy and administration ),