Abstract

Traditionally, organisations played a key role in the career development of their employees, who tended to remain with the one firm for a significant portion of their working life. However changing employment structures mean this is no longer the case, with individuals increasingly taking greater control over their own careers. There is also increasing government focus on boosting collaboration across industry and research. This research seeks to better understand individuals who have developed cross-sector careers, concurrently operating across industry, research and government (or frequently cycling between them such that they never fully disconnect from a sector for a period of greater than 3 years). Drawing on intelligent career theory, the focus will be on the “ways of knowing” (why/how/whom) these individuals express in relation to their careers.

Research Questions

Why, how and with whom do individuals develop cross-sector careers?

1. Why do individuals develop cross-sector careers?

• Why have they chosen this career path?
• How do they define themselves?

2. How do individuals develop cross-sector careers?

• What strategies and tools do they employ to develop and manage their careers?
• What structural and agency factors have impacted on their development of a cross-sector career?

3. With whom do individuals develop cross-sector careers?

• What networks and communities of practice do they tap into, and how do they engage with them?
• What are the implications for organisations seeking to engage individuals with cross-sector careers?