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Career Aspirations and Career Success Among Managers in the

Malaysian Public Sector

Roziah Mohd Rasdi


Department of Professional Development and Continuing Education
Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail: roziah_m@putra.upm.edu.my
Tel: 603 – 8946 7922

Maimunah Ismail
Department of Professional Development and Continuing Education
Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail: mismail@educ.upm.edu.my
Tel: 603 – 8946 8111

Jegak Uli
Department of Professional Development and Continuing Education
Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail: jegak@ace.upm.edu.my
Tel: 603 – 8946 8234

Sidek Mohd Noah


Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail: smn@educ.upm.edu.my
Tel: 603 – 8946 8117

Abstract
The study examined dimensions and levels of career aspirations and their relationships with
objective and subjective career success among managers in the Malaysian public sector.
The findings revealed heterogeneity of managers’ career aspirations, and therefore, suggest
that the respondents were mostly aspired in managerial competence, job security, and sense
of service. Further analyses showed that overall career aspirations were not significantly
related with objective career success component such as monthly gross incomes and
number of promotions. However, objective career success was only positively correlated
with managerial competence and technical-functional competence, and negatively
correlated with job security. On the other hand, overall career aspirations were significantly
related with subjective career success. Besides that, managerial competence, pure
challenge, sense of service and entrepreneurial creativity were significantly correlated with
subjective career success. Implications for management and suggestions for future research
are put forward.

© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 21


Keywords: Objective and Subjective career success, Career aspirations,Career paths,
Managers

1. Introduction
Managers in the public sector are experiencing substantial transformation in organizations via
organizational as well as career changes which affects the long-term relationship and psychological
contract between organizations and employees. According to Hall and Mirvis (1996) and Callanan
(2003), the psychological contract which embodies perceptions and beliefs regarding the reciprocal
obligations that exist between employers and employees has shifted from relational to transactional. In
this realm, our traditional understanding of careers as a linear career path or as a series of upward
progression, followed by increasing income status, security within a functional area and often within a
single organization (Capelli, 1992; Eddleston et al., 2004) has shifted to lateral and horizontal
movement. According to Ackah and Heaton (2004), these new paradigms of careers can provide wider
alternatives, positions and experience in order to fulfill the personal needs as well as intrinsic
satisfaction of employees. Accordingly, these structural and social transitions have influenced many
aspects of managers’ career behaviors, one of which is career success (Baruch, 2004).
Career success is being described as having both objective and subjective dimensions (Gattiker
& Larwood, 1988; Judge et al., 1995; Nabi, 1999; 2003; Baruch, 2004; Breland et al., 2007). Objective
career success refers to the external categories in a profession which defined by society, one’s peers or
culture, and illustrates the typical steps toward success. The movement may be horizontal (increased
job security, longer vacations) or hierarchical (promotion, different job title) (Nabi, 1999). On the
contrary, subjective career success is an individual’s perceptions of career experience which influenced
by a person’s own preferences for development, needs and values (Gattiker & Larwood, 1986). The
significance of subjective career success has been contended since the late 70s by Van Maanen and
Schein (1979). Additonally, Gattiker and Larwood (1988), Peluchette (1993), Nabi (2003) and
Maimunah and Roziah (2006) have also highlighted the importance of examining subjective career
success together with objective career success because of their implications to psychological well-
being and quality of working life of employees.
Career which links individuals and the organizations for which they work has been viewed
from both external and internal perspectives. Previous research on employees’ career especially among
managers in the public sector were more incline towards the external careers, that is, on the sequence
of jobs and positions as well as career paths through which employees progress (Greenhaus &
Callanan, 1994; Igbaria et al., 1999). Therefore, there is a paucity of research-based evidence on
managers’ internal careers such as their career aspirations, values, perceptions and effective reactions
to job experiences especially in the Malaysian context.
Features of the internal careers are important as they will implicate employees’ satisfaction,
devotion and involvement within an organization. An important aspect of the internal careers is career
aspirations. It refers to individuals’ occupational self concept, beliefs and values about themselves in
the workplace regarding their capability, significance and worthy in their occupations (Rosenberg,
1979). These notions have led to many corresponding concepts of career aspirations that have been
researched in many career development studies, such as the internal career (Bigliardi et al., 2005;
Ituma, 2006), career orientations (Igbaria et al., 1999; Erdogmus, 2004; Kim, 2004; Buchanan et al.,
2007) and career anchors (Schein, 1978; Marshall & Bonner, 2003). According to Schein (1996), most
people form a strong self-concept which holds their internal career together even as they experience
unexpected changes in their external career. Rosenberg (1979) further suggested that an individual’s
thoughts about his/her occupation would also explain the person’s perception on non-organizational
success. Likewise, Gattiker and Larwood (1986) found that positive occupational self-concept would
positively influence individuals’ perception of career success.

© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 22


According to Schein (1996) and Bigliardi et al. (2005), individual’s career anchors are the
occupational self-concept or core career values comprising self-perceived talents and abilities,
competencies, basic values and motivation. Career anchors can evolve as one gains occupational and
life experience. Once the career anchors have been formed, it functions as stabilizing and integrating
forces in individuals’ career by explaining their work contributions and providing measurable criteria
for career success. Hence, career aspirations are significant in one’s career success because it
influences career choices, affects decisions on career mobility, shapes an individual’s career path,
determines views of the career future, influences the selection of specific occupations and work
settings and influences individuals’ reactions to their work experiences (Schein, 1996).
Given the significance of career aspirations toward an individual’s career success, it is crucial
to investigate the managers’ career aspirations in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of its
contributions to managers’ career success. Furthermore, research on career aspirations of public sector
managers in Malaysia are still lacking. Therefore, the purposes of this article are to examine the
managers’ career success and career aspirations and their interrelationship. Hence, the study was
guided by the following research questions: (i) What was the level of managers’ objective and
subjective career success? (ii) What was the measure of managers’ career aspirations and its
dimensions? and (iii) What was the relationship between managers’ career aspirations and their
objective as well as subjective career success?

2. Theorizing Managers’ Career Success and Career Aspirations


In this study, career success can be conceptualised using Derr’s (1986) and Baruch’s (2004)
frameworks. Derr’s (1986) framework refers to the way people define their success at work and these
interpretations reflect individual values, attitudes and motivation regarding their work and life. He
derived five dimensions for measuring career success orientations that he found among populations of
US Navy employees, MBA students and multinational executives. The five dimensions that he
developed are as follows:
(i) Getting ahead: The motivation which is derived from the need to advance both in
professional standing and up the organizational ladder. This dimension is in congruence
with the traditional career success type which marked by tangible metrics of advancement
such as status, responsibility, salary and authority.
(ii) Getting secure: This dimension reflects persons who value jobs that have a solid position
and long-term characteristics within the organization which represent stability, security and
predictability at work. The persons are loyal and committed to employers where they feel
recognized and value security over advancement.
(iii) Getting high: This form of orientation which focuses on continued growth in the areas of
technical and functional skill development where individuals are inspired to become expert
in their area.
(iv) Getting free: This type of goal comprises individuals who are being motivated by the need
for autonomy and the ability to create one’s own work environment. It includes individuals
who value independence and freedom from external interruption such as entrepreneurs.
(v) Getting balanced: This group of direction attaches equal or greater value to non-work
interests by balancing and integrating personal, family and work life growth and
development. Accordingly, they prefer a work context that respects personal and family
life.
Subsequently, Baruch (2004) described individual’s career success as a set of desired outcomes,
and the outcomes desired vary between individuals. He further explained that those desired outcomes
have complicated measures and could be categorized into four commonly accepted measures, namely:
(i) Advancement: hierarchy, power, professionalism, reputation (status), but also autonomy,
entrepreneurship, self-control.

© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 23


(ii) Learning: gaining new skills, abilities, competencies.
(iii) Physiological and survival: money making (buying power), security, employability.
(iv) Psychological: satisfaction, recognition, self-esteem and self-actualization.
(v) Quality of life and work-life balance.
These contemporary career success measures of Baruch (2004) are identical with Derr’s (1986)
categorization of career success orientation. Baruch (2004) further suggested that the definitions of
career success can also be distinguished from the perspective of individual needs and organizational
objectives. As for the individual, career success can be perceived as various set of self-development,
job security, job enrichment, achieving a better and richer quality of life and improved work-family
balance, besides having the traditional need to be promoted. To the organization, an appropriate career
system is reflected by the empowerment of people to actively self-manage their own career
development.
In relation to career aspirations, Schein has examined individual’s internal careers and he
identified the concept of career anchor (Van Maanen & Schein, 1979). Schein’s (1987) career anchor
explains that individuals hold a wide variety of career interests. Career anchor is a concept developed
from a longitudinal study which took place over a period of 10 to 12 years among 44 alumni of the
Sloan School of Management at MIT. Data were obtained particularly on the alumni’s values and
attitudes, the choices and changes they had made in their careers, and the reasons for, and feelings
experienced with each change. While the individual career histories varied substantially, the reasons
for the changes and the emotions experienced with each change showed high regularity. The distinct
and stable patterns exhibited a “growing sense of self – this is me, and that is not me” (Schein, 1987, p.
159) which derived from the experiences. This self-concept was termed career anchor or career
orientation. Initially, Schein (1978) identified five types of career anchors, i.e., managerial competence,
autonomy, security, technical-functional competence, and entrepreneurial creativity. Later, three more
types were added: service/dedication to a cause, pure challenge and life style. In this article, managers’
career aspirations were measured based on Schein’s (1996) internal career anchors. Specifically, the
anchors are:
1. Autonomy/independence: Sought work that allowed individuals to do things in their own
way by controlling how and when work is performed. They valued freedom even at the
expense of more money and power.
2. Job security/geographical stability: To organize career in such a way that both job and
material security is guaranteed or to keep the working geographical area unchanged and
wanted to be rewarded for loyalty and reliability.
3. Technical-functional competence: To be an expert in a specific field by increasing their
knowledge and skill. They enjoyed challenge and managed others effectively within their
area of expertise but were not suitable for general management. Recognition of their
expertise was highly valued.
4. General managerial competence: Sought opportunities to achieve positions of power that
would enable them to integrate the efforts of others. They sought promotions and increasing
levels of responsibility and authority.
5. Entrepreneurial creativity: To create one’s own business in order to gain power and control
as well as express their creativity. Individuals valued high recognition and high material
rewards.
6. Service or dedication to a cause: Sought work that improved the life of others. They valued
work that was in keeping with their personal value system.
7. Pure challenge: Enjoyed trying to solve difficult challenges and overcome obstacles.
Individuals valued variety and novelty provided that it presented new and difficult problems
that required resolution.
8. Life style: Sought work that allowed them to balance family, personal and career concerns.
Individuals valued flexibility and personal growth.

© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 24


It should be noted that Schein’s career anchor is a comprehensive model and other models of
career orientations such as Derr’s appeared to map easily onto it. Therefore, Schein’s career anchor
was used in this study, and the anchor of job security and geographical stability has been split into two
different anchors due to the distinct overriding influence in both anchors. The former anchor stresses
on job and material security while the latter anchor focuses on geographical working area.

3. Studies on Career Aspirations and Career Success


According to Feldman and Bolino (1996), individuals may have a primary career aspiration and one or
two secondary aspirations, and this combination of career aspirations will offer a better understanding
of individual careers. They refined the Schein’s career anchors by classifying them into three main
groups, namely, talent-based, need-based and value-based. They further suggested that the three career
anchors of technical-functional competence, general managerial competence and entrepreneurial
creativity are talent-based and focused on the type of work performed each day. Another four anchors,
security, stability, autonomy/independence and lifestyle are need-based as they focused on individuals
who structured their careers around their personal lives. Finally, the anchor of dedication to a cause and
pure challenge were classified as value-based aspirations since these aspirations focus on occupational
or organizational identity. Moreover, they found that the three main groups to be predictive of later
career achievement levels.
Similarly, Callanan (2003) pointed out that the key to successful career management was to
pursue a career consistent with one’s values, interests and lifestyle preferences. Furthermore, to stay
true to their beliefs and values, he suggested that managers should accept a boundaryless philosophy
and a broader definition of career success so that they would have a better chance in managing their
careers.
Likewise, Igbaria et al. (1999) also noted that individual’s interpretations of career success rest
on an individual’s particular career orientation. They viewed that career aspirations, values, perceptions
and effective reactions to job experiences are aspects of the internal career that have significant
influence on job satisfaction, commitment and retention within an organization. Specifically, their
study among 78 research, development and engineering professionals indicated that managerial, pure
challenge and entrepreneurship orientations were positively correlated with job discretion, job
involvement and organizational commitment. In addition, geographic security, lifestyle and service
orientations were positively correlated with career satisfaction. Therefore, their study supported
Schein’s (1978) notions that the internal career will determine individual’s career decision and choices,
which will then lead to one’s objective and subjective career success. Hence, the above mentioned
studies concluded that individual’s career aspirations were significance to individual’s career behaviors
which later determined one’s career success.

4. Methodology
The study was a portion of a large cross-sectional career success study conducted on managers of
Malaysian public sector organizations. The managers were from various managerial grades starting
from the low management level of M44 to the chief executive level also known as JUSA. A
quantitative survey was designed to answer the research questions. Specifically, data were collected
from a sample of men and women managers who worked in the 21 ministries located at Putrajaya. The
selection of Putrajaya was because 21 out of the 28 government ministries are centralized in the city.
Apart from that, data were also taken from the managers attending training at the National Institute for
Public Administration also known as INTAN training centre in order to capture the remaining
population that was not included in the Putrajaya’s territory. Respondents were identified using
stratified random sampling procedures.

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Respondents were asked to self-administer a 146-item questionnaire comprising twelve sections
which included items to examine managers’ objective and subjective career success, career aspirations
and their socio-demographic details. Objective career success composes of tangible or extrinsic career
outcomes such as monthly gross incomes and number of promotions.
(i) Monthly gross incomes were measured from the total amount of basic salary and monthly
fixed allowance that the managers obtained in a month in relation to their managerial work
in the public organizations.
(ii) Number of promotions was calculated from the total of job hierarchical movement that the
managers received along their managerial career development in the public sector.
The measure of monthly income was based on self-reported data, and therefore, Heslin (2005)
put forward that they are not free from common-method variance. In order to reduce the variance, we
had double-checked the amount of monthly income given by the respondents with the remuneration
scale of the Administrative and Diplomatic Officers’ service scheme.
Meanwhile, subjective career success concerns with the individual managers’ perceptions of
career success and was measured using a perceived career success instrument developed by Turban and
Doherty (1994). This four items instrument is rated on a seven-point Likert-like scale. Example of the
item is “I am satisfied with the success I have achieved in my career”. The perceived career success
instrument has been used by Kirchmeyer (2002) and Riordan (2007), and they reported the reliability
coefficient of .92 and .82, respectively. The Cronbach’s Alpha in the original study was .87 (Turban &
Doherty, 1994).
Career aspirations were measured using an abbreviated version of Schein’s (1985) career
orientation inventory which developed by Igbaria and Baroudi (1993). This is a shorter version which
consists of 25 items. The first 15 items pertaining to the respondents’ career and are rated on a five-
point scale ranging from 1 “of not important” to 5 “centrally important”. Additionally, the following 10
items are relating to the respondents’ career preferences where each response ranges from 1 “not true at
all” to 5 “absolutely true”. According to Igbaria and Baroudi (1993), this measure of career orientation
has established validity and reliability. Specifically, the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients of reliability for
the nine career orientations are: (1) technical-functional competence, (α=.75); (2) managerial
competence, (α=.84); (3) autonomy/independence, (α=.70); (4) job security, (α=.78); (5) geographic
security, (α=.88); (6) sense of service/dedication, (α=.70); (7) pure challenge, (α=.70); (8) lifestyle
integration, (α=.69), and (9) entrepreneurial creativity, (α=.94). Responses to each of the factor were
averaged to produce the nine career orientations. Examples of the items are “To raise to a high position
in general management” and “A career is worthwhile only if it enables me to lead my life in my own
way”.
Socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, educational attainment and
work as well as organizational tenure were also taken to describe the sample. Specifically, gender was
coded as a dichotomous variable (1=male, 2=female). Respondents were asked to indicate their marital
status using a three-option question (1=single, 2=married, 3=divorced/widow) and their highest level
of educational attainment ranged from (1) Diploma to (5) PhD. The respondents’ age was measured in
years and tenure in current job as well as organization were assessed in months. These three variables
were obtained using open-ended questions.

5. Results and Discussions


5.1. Profile of the Respondents
The respondents’ average age was 41.80, with 26 as the youngest and 57 as the oldest. As depicted in
Table 1, one-third of the respondents had each age group ranging from 30 to 39 years old (35.4%) and
50 years and above (35.1%). Indirectly, the latter age group explains the fact that most of the
respondents (42.0%) had work tenure of 20 years or more. Similarly, most of the respondents (44.8%)
had work experience of 20 years and more. However, only a minority of the respondents earned
© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 26
monthly income ranging from RM12,555.00 – RM15,776.99 (1.7%) and RM15,777.00 – RM19,000.00
(0.7%). Meanwhile, nearly half of the respondents (47.2%) obtained monthly income ranging from
RM2889.71 – RM6110.99 followed by 42.0% of the respondents fall in the RM6111.00 – RM9332.99
monthly income bracket. It should be noted that the categorizations of monthly gross incomes used in
Table 1 had followed the classifications of monthly incomes as suggested in the remuneration scale of
Administrative and Diplomatic Officers’ service scheme. The figures were later added to their monthly
fixed allowances.
In this study, the sample composition had almost equal representation of gender, where 50.3%
of the respondents were male and 49.7% of the respondents were female. Likewise, the sample also
had a slightly balance proportion of managers from the low management grade (51.0%) consisting of
M44 and M48, and the high management grade (49.0%) which includes M52, M54 and chief executive
level (JUSA). These equivalences were due to the researchers’ sampling restrictions of gender and
managerial level. Out of the 288 respondents, the majority (85.1%) of the respondents was married and
only 14.6% of the respondents were still single. In terms of educational level, only 1.4% of the
respondents had achieved the highest educational attainment of PhD degree. On the other hand, more
than half (55.2%) of the respondents had Bacelor degree and a substantial amount of respondents
(43.4%) had Masters degree. It should be noted that the Administrative and Diplomatic Officers’
service scheme has set the minimum requirement of Bachelor degree as the entrance qualification into
the service scheme.

5.2. Characteristics of Managers’ Career Success Components


Table 2 describes the characteristics of these components. Direct comparison among the components
cannot be done due to the different scales of measurement used by these components. In terms of
objective component, the overall mean for monthly gross incomes was RM7010.50 with a standard
deviation of 2388.89. The managers’ monthly gross incomes range from RM2889.71 to RM19,000.00.
As managers in the public sector, their monthly income is based on the remuneration scale which was
set by the service scheme. Most of the managers (39.9%) received the M48 remuneration scale, and
based on the Administrative and Diplomatic Officers remuneration scale, the salary starts from
RM4427.36 to RM6435.28. On top of that, the M48 managers also gain a monthly fixed allowance of
RM1250.00. It should be noted that managers from each managerial grade receive different amount of
monthly fixed allowance. In addition, as the managers’ current workload increases, their monthly
allowance will also increase. For instance, the M48 managers who are also acting as the M52 managers
will get the acting allowance

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Table 1: Sample Composition by Socio-Demographic Characteristics (n=288)

Socio-demographic Variables Category Frequency %


Age (years)
(M = 41.80, SD = 9.56) 20-29 34 11.8
30-39 102 35.4
40-49 51 17.7
50 and above 101 35.1
Work Tenure (years)
(M = 190.49, SD = 109.95) Less than 4 13 4.5
4 - 6.99 57 19.8
7 - 9.99 30 10.4
10 - 19.99 67 23.3
20 or more 121 42.0
Organizational Tenure (years)
(M = 203.81, SD = 108.65) Less than 4 8 2.8
4 - 6.99 37 12.8
7 - 9.99 41 14.2
10 - 19.99 73 25.3
20 or more 129 44.8
Monthly Gross Incomes (RM) 2889.71 – 6110.99 136 47.2
(M = 7010.50, SD = 2388.89) 6111.00 – 9332.99 121 42.0
9333.00 – 12,554.99 24 8.3
12,555.00 – 15,776.99 5 1.7
15,777.00 – 19,000.00 2 0.7
Managerial Grade M44 32 11.1
M48 115 39.9
M52 59 20.5
M54 52 18.1
JUSA 30 10.4
Gender Male 145 50.3
Female 143 49.7
Marital Status Single 42 14.6
Married 245 85.1
Widow 1 0.3
Educational Level Bachelor 159 55.2
Master 125 43.4
PhD 4 1.4

besides the monthly fixed allowance. The table also shows that one-tenth of the managers earned the
JUSA’s remuneration scale which starts from RM6595.99 to RM9717.79. The JUSA level can be
further divided into three progressive levels such as JUSA C, JUSA B and JUSA A, where there are
different remuneration scales for each level. The JUSA managers also received their monthly fixed
allowance of RM4800.00 plus other standing allowances.

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Table 2: Characteristics of Career Success Components (n=288)

Career Success Level n %


Objective Component
Monthly Gross Incomes (RM) M44 32 11.1
(M = 7010.50, SD = 2388.89) M48 115 39.9
Min = 2889.71 M52 59 20.5
Max = 19,000.00 M54 52 18.1
Range = 16,110.29 JUSA 30 10.4
Number of Promotions 1 32 11.1
(M = 2.77, SD = 1.18) 2 115 39.9
Min = 1 3 59 20.5
Max = 5 4 52 18.1
Range = 4 5 30 10.4
Subjective Component
Perceived Career Success 1.75 – 3.49 (Low) 7 2.4
(M=5.14, SD=.83) 3.50 – 5.24 (Medium) 130 45.1
5.25 – 7.00 (High) 151 52.4

Referring to the number of promotions, the overall mean was 2.77 with a standard deviation of
1.18. It should be noted that the managerial ladder of the Administrative and Diplomatic Officers starts
progressively from M41, M44, M48, M52, M54 and chief executive level (JUSA). Therefore, the
managers’ current managerial position reflects the number of promotions that they have received, and
hence, the percentages of these variables were similar. Most of the managers (39.9%) have achieved
two promotions and one-tenth of the managers have each accomplished one promotion (11.1%) and
five promotions (10.4%) respectively.
As for the subjective career success, the overall mean level of perceived career success
experienced by the managers was 5.14 with a standard deviation of .83. Table 2 shows that 97.5% of
the respondents have experienced moderate to high level of subjective career success. The results
further indicate that the respondents were generally perceived their career as successful.

5.3. Characteristics of Managers’ Career Aspirations


The average score of each career anchor was calculated to examine the career aspirations of managers.
The findings of this study revealed a rich diversity of career aspirations held by the managers. The
identification of a variety of aspirations held by the managers was consistent with previous research
findings among research, development and engineering professional in US (Igbaria et al., 1999),
professional employees in engineering and administrative positions in Turkey (Erdogmus, 2004) and
information technology workers in Nigeria (Ituma, 2006). They suggested that each individual worker
such as the managers were not all alike, but rather exhibit a variety of career needs. The results are
graphically presented in Figure 1.
The average scores for each career aspirations range from 2.85 to 4.45. The figure showed that
managerial competence, job security and sense of service were the dominant aspirations. Being a
manager in the public sector, the aspirations of managerial competence and sense of service are in-line
with the objectives of the service scheme. Besides that, the managerial work has also provided sense of
job security to the managers. This is because the managerial work was the only source of income as the
Malaysian public service officers were prohibited from doing other part-time jobs. The result on
technical-functional competence aspiration was unexpected but the result on geographical stability
aspiration was the opposite. Managers could be considered as experts in their field, and therefore,
technical-functional competence should be viewed as an important aspiration. However, the desire to
be recognized for one’s knowledge placed little important by the managers in this study probably
because most of them did not obtained the academic credentials such as MBA. Besides that, the
managers also tended to perceive geographical stability as less important mainly because the majority
© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 29
(85.1%) of the managers were married. Having a family make them resist any geographical move.
Moreover, they had already established themselves in the community, invested in house/s and
developed a stable lifestyle.
Therefore, organizations need to realize that managerial competence, job security and sense of
service are the managers’ focus in making their career decisions. By knowing the managers’ career
aspirations, appropriate career development interventions, reward systems and career paths can be
developed. Hence, we suggest that human resource management and planning must involve both
organizational and individual interest and motives in order to encourage productive career decision
making.
The correlations among the nine career aspirations indicated that there were significant
correlations among career aspirations. Table 3 reveals that negative correlations were found between
lifestyle and entrepreneurship, and between entrepreneurship and geographic stability. Therefore, we
can conclude that as the need for balancing family and career increases, there is a corresponding
decrease in the need to create one’s business. Likewise, it is suggested that as the interest in
establishing one’s business increases, there is a corresponding decrease in the need to any geographical
mobility.
The significant positive correlations among most of the components of aspirations illustrate that
as one aspiration increases; there is a corresponding increment in the other aspiration. Moreover, this
also indicates that a manager may have one particular primary aspiration and two or more secondary
aspirations. This is further supported by Feldman and Bolino (1998) whereby they suggested that these
combinations of career aspirations provide a comprehensive view of the individual internal careers.

Figure 1: Mean of Components of Managers’ Career Aspirations

5
4.45 4.45
4.5 4.18
3.86 3.95
4 3.53
3.5
3.35
2.85 2.84
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© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 30


Table 3: Inter-correlations among Components of Managers’ Career Aspirations

Career Aspirations
M SD
MC AU JS PC T SS L EC
MC 4.18 .66
AU 3.35 .90 .077
JS 4.45 .60 .267** .095
PC 3.86 .66 .452** .034 .205**
T 2.85 .90 .185** .210** .082 .160**
SS 4.45 .51 .343** .203** .386** .325** .167**
L 3.53 .78 .029 .515** .230** .027 .308** .224**
EC 3.95 .72 .453** .029 .159** .551** .089 .370** -.029
GS 2.84 1.19 .053 .129* .059 .022 .86** .055 .297** -.075
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
MC = Managerial Competence, AU = Autonomy, JS = Job Security, PC = Pure Challenge, T = Technical, SS = Sense of Service, L = Lifestyle, EC =
Entrepreneurial Creativity, GS = Geographic Stability.

5.4. The Relationships between Managers’ Career Aspirations and Career Success
Table 4 and Table 5 show the magnitude and direction for the nine career aspirations towards career
success components, namely, monthly gross incomes, number of promotions and perceived career
success. Specifically, Table 4 reveals that only managerial competence (r=.139, p=.018) and technical-
functional competence (r=.163, p=.005) have positive significant relationships with monthly gross
incomes. Additionally, job security (r=-.133, p=.024) was negatively related with monthly gross
incomes. Similarly, Table 4 also indicates that only managerial competence (r=.174, p=.003) and
technical-functional competence (r=.171, p=.004) were positively related with number of promotions.
Moreover, job security (r=-.138, p=.019) has a negative relationship with number of promotions.
Besides that, these results also showed that overall career aspirations did not significantly relate with
objective component of career success such as monthly gross incomes and number of promotions.
The managers’ remuneration scale is very rigid and highly determined by the Administrative
and Diplomatic Officers’ service scheme. Furthermore, their salary was also based on their managerial
grade and current managerial work load. These explain the irrelevant relationship between overall
career aspirations and the managers’ monthly gross incomes. The fact that the managers’ promotions
were to a great extent determined by the decision of the higher management group has explained the
insignificant relationship between career aspirations and number of promotions. These further imply
that other factors such as networking and individual career management may have influenced the
managers’ promotions.
Table 5 displays the magnitude and direction of relationships between career aspirations and
subjective career success. The results exhibit that managerial competence (r=.242, p=.000) was
positively correlated with subjective career success. In addition, pure challenge (r=.195, p=.000), sense
of service (r=.103, p=.040), entrepreneurial creativity (r=.126, p=.016) and overall career aspirations
(r=.172, p=.002) were positively correlated with subjective career success. These indicate that the
more the managers valued managerial competence, pure challenge, sense of service and entrepreneurial
creativity as their career aspirations, the higher they perceive their subjective career success.

© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 31


Table 4: Relationships between Components of Career Aspirations and Monthly Gross Incomes (n=288)

Components of Career Aspirations Objective Career Success


Monthly Gross Incomes Number of Promotions
r p r p
Managerial Competence .139** .018 .174** .003
Autonomy .054 .363 .068 .252
Job Security -.133* .024 -.138* .019
Pure Challenge .090 .129 .060 .311
Technical-Functional Competence .163** .005 .171** .004
Sense of Service .013 .830 .035 .558
Lifestyle Integration -.011 .857 -.026 .662
Entrepreneurial Creativity .104 .078 .088 .138
Geographic Security -.017 .776 -.005 .930
Overall Career Aspirations .104 .077 .109 .064
* p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01

Table 5: Relationships between Components of Career Aspirations and Subjective Career Success (n=288)

Components of Career Aspirations r p


Managerial Competence .242** .000
Autonomy -.019 .377
Job Security .058 .162
Pure Challenge .195** .000
Technical-Functional Competence .067 .130
Sense of Service .103* .040
Lifestyle Integration .095 .054
Entrepreneurial Creativity .126* .016
Geographic Security .012 .420
Overall Career Aspirations .172** .002
* p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01

Moreover, the findings also reveal that the talent-based aspirations (managerial competence and
entrepreneurial creativity) and the value-based aspirations (pure challenge and sense of service) were
positively and significantly influence the managers’ career needs, values and interest. Similarly,
findings of Igbaria et al. (1999) also found that career aspirations were aspects of the internal career
that determine one’s career outcomes such as job satisfaction, commitment and motivation, which later
guide their subjective career success.

6. Conclusions, Implications and Directions for Future Research


Career aspirations refer to the prestige or socioeconomic level of a person’s ideal occupation. It is
important for the understanding of vocational behavior because it related to a person’s achievement
and persistence in a career. This study shows the diversification of managers’ career aspirations as
suggested by Schein (1996). Moreover, the study indicated that managerial competence, job security
and sense of service were the managers’ dominant anchors in determining their career paths. Further
analyses revealed that overall career aspirations were not significantly related with objective career
success components such as monthly gross incomes and number of promotions. However, overall
career aspirations were significantly related with subjective career success. This concludes that career
aspirations were truly internals and the managers strongly belief in their ability to control the direction
of their career. Furthermore, the managers had attributed their success to strong desire and motivation
to succeed as well as avoid failure. Besides that, the managers also possessed strong beliefs, values and
interest conforming to their career aspirations.
Career aspirations provide a way of understanding the significance of non-monetary factors
which affect work, career satisfaction and career decisions. Furthermore, the interpretations of
© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 32
managers’ career aspirations offer interesting insights into the career management of public sector
managers. In line with that, organizations should be aware that managers have various forms of
aspirations towards work where these aspirations form the basis for individual’s career decisions.
Therefore, it is important for the organizations to be responsive to the career development needs of
managers by providing career opportunities that match the career aspirations of managers.
Additionally, such career opportunities should integrate both human and technical aspects of managers,
for instance, by providing on-site day care, medical benefits, flexible working hours, optional leave,
pensions and insurance, as well as rewards in the form of bonuses, where all these opportunities could
be structured collaboratively for each manager to best meet the requirements of individual aspirations.
The study also supports the idea that dual career ladder is not an effective career development
intervention for managing the public sector managers. The majority of the managers in this study did
not score highly on the technical-functional competence aspiration. Furthermore, the results reveal a
rich heterogeneity of career aspirations held by the managers. Managerial competence, job security and
sense of service were the most prevalent career aspirations among the managers. According to Schein
(1996), these career aspirations form the inner forces in individual’s career and help to define one’s
measures for career success. Thus, ongoing communication and discussion between the managers and
their superior about their needs, values and career aspirations should be arranged. These efforts provide
useful as well as realistic feedback on the managers’ career progression, establish meaningful career
goals and able to detect potential managers for challenging task. Career aspirations, therefore, provide
direction in guiding managers’ effort and career strategies toward achieving career goals. In addition,
the organizational rewards systems and career paths should be flexible in order to accommodate
diverse groups of managers.
Evidence of the components of career aspirations that exist remains inconclusive. While this
research identified managerial competence, job security and sense of service as the dominant career
aspirations held by public sector managers in the Malaysian context, there may be other peculiar
aspirations embedded in different national contexts and in different occupational groups that are yet to
be explored. Hence, future studies should be done qualitatively to explore further the career aspirations
of different cohorts in order to discover whether there are still undefined career aspirations categories.
Career aspirations can evolve as one gains more occupational and life experiences. Schein
(1996) argued that individuals became aware of patterns of reasons why their careers had been shaped
in a particular way during their midlife. Therefore, future research should look into the stability of
career aspirations over time. Additionally, research should examine the association between personal,
organizational and job factors with career aspirations in order to comprehend the formation of
individual career aspirations. Kim (2004) and Domenico and Jones (2007) suggested that the
development of individuals’ career aspirations could be influenced by gender, socioeconomic status,
family support, parental expectations and cultural values. Other research directions are to investigate
the relationships between career aspirations and different career outcomes such as job satisfaction,
retention, motivation and job performance. Also worth to explore is the nature of career aspirations of
employees after the middle level career.

© Research Journal of Internatıonal Studıes - Issue 9 (January, 2009) 33


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