This study explores protean and boundaryless career attitudes in a sample of black British knowledge intensive workers. Changes in the organisational climate to more flexible project based working have affected the way in which careers develop. It has been reported that employees need to possess certain skills to help them succeed in the modern employment climate (Arthur and Rousseau 1996). The main research theory that has attempted to explain such career changes and the acquisition of specialist skills include the boundaryless career which includes both intelligent and protean career competencies (Greenhaus et al 2004). The purpose of the current study is to investigate the extent to which black African and black Caribbean workers careers are boundaryless and to investigate the nature and type of career boundaries and barriers faced. The current research addresses some of the criticisms of boundaryless career research highlighted by Sullivan et al (1998, 1999, 2009). These criticisms include an apparent exaggeration of the pervasiveness of boundaryless and protean careers and a lack of research investigating the applicability of these career theories to professional, minority group members. Thirty two knowledge workers were interviewed to understand the nature and type of career boundaries faced. A quantitative questionnaire developed by Briscoe et al (2006) was also used to investigate the extent to which black knowledge workers are protean and boundaryless in their career outlook. The findings from the interviews highlight education and family as career enablers as they help participants navigate potential career barriers. The lack of career mentors, racial discrimination and inadequate career advice at an early age were perceived as career boundaries. Results also point to a perceptual difference between career boundaries and barriers which researchers such as Sullivan et al (2004) saught to clarify. The findings suggest that career boundaries are more flexible and less permeable and career barriers are more rigid and difficult to overcome. Briscoe et al (2006) boundaryless and protean scales and were completed by 187 participants. It was found that management consultants, those aged 41-50 and those with higher levels of education were found to be the most boundaryless. The main theoretical contribution is that “attached boundaryless” is displayed. Attached boundarylessness occurred as participants preferred the security of remaining in an organisation, but enjoyed being self directed and boundaryless within their organisations by working collaboratively.

Relatively little research has been devoted to understanding the implications of adult cyberbullying on workers. However, recent research focused on how cyberbullying affects adults has indicated cyberbullying has negative implications for job satisfaction of workers. The purpose of this study was to use Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as a framework to investigate the impact of cyberbullying in the workplace by examining the relationship between cyberbullying and both job satisfaction and social self-efficacy. The results of this study indicate that among individuals who are cyberbullied, higher rates of cyberbullying has a significant negative relationship with social self-efficacy, and social self-efficacy was negatively related to job satisfaction and also mediated the relationship between cyberbullying and job satisfaction. The findings of this study suggest cyberbullying is a workplace environmental condition that should be studied in SCCT due to its potential to negatively impact career development by indirectly influencing job satisfaction through a person’s social self-efficacy. Counselors and organizational leaders should consider this issue when designing interventions to combat workplace bullying.

A critical psychology perspective (Prilleltensky and Nelson, 2002) advocates for research that focuses on social change, the mutual participation of community stakeholders, and the empowerment of those served. The current study applies this critical psychology perspective to career education programming in a multiculturally diverse rural high school. This manuscript illustrates the collaborative development, implementation, and evaluation of the "Project HOPE" career education program. Case study methodology is used to examine the effects of the program congruent with a critical psychology paradigm. Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994; 2000) variables of math/science self-efficacy, vocational skills self-efficacy, math/science outcome expectations and intentions, and math/science interests among rural eighth grade middle school students were examined via a pre and post-test design. Additionally, focus group and student evaluation data provide information on how the collaborative development and implementation was experienced.

With sport organizations venturing into the global realm, it is important to discover sport management students' interest in studying abroad in sport. Previous research has attempted to discover career intentions using the social cognitive career theory (SCCT). SCCT focuses on the interaction of several factors which include personal behaviors such as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, choice goals, barriers, and supports. The purpose of this thesis was to identify barriers and supports to studying abroad, the relationship between the barriers and supports and one's study abroad self-efficacy, and the relationship among study abroad self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals (i.e., intent). Two different studies were administered with Study One taking a qualitative approach to better analyze supports and barriers, while Study Two incorporated the results from Study One, providing a quantitative aspect to the research. Data were collected from sport management undergraduate students from a southwestern Division I institution for Study One (n = 19), as well as for Study Two (n = 71). Questionnaires for both studies were developed using the basic tenets of SCCT to measure self-efficacy, interest, intent, supports, barriers, and outcome expectations to studying abroad in sport. Data analysis included coding data into themes and calculating percentages for Study One, while items for Study Two were analyzed for reverse coding, and descriptive statistics for the study variables were performed. Means, standard deviations, and bivariate correlations were included with the statistics in Study Two. Likewise, linear regression and bivariate correlations were performed to evaluate the basic relationships between all the study variables within Study Two, while reliability estimates (Cronbach's alpha) for each study variable were assessed. The results revealed that barriers (e.g., cultural differences) and supports (e.g., further education) were correlated with self-efficacy. Furthermore, there were correlations between interest and intent, self-efficacy and interest, self-efficacy and intent, and self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Recommendations and implications were provided for sport management academia followed by limitations and future directions of this study.

With sport organizations venturing into the global realm, it is important to discover sport management students' interest in studying abroad in sport. Previous research has attempted to discover career intentions using the social cognitive career theory (SCCT). SCCT focuses on the interaction of several factors which include personal behaviors such as self-efficacy, outcome expectations, choice goals, barriers, and supports. The purpose of this thesis was to identify barriers and supports to studying abroad, the relationship between the barriers and supports and one's study abroad self-efficacy, and the relationship among study abroad self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and choice goals (i.e., intent). Two different studies were administered with Study One taking a qualitative approach to better analyze supports and barriers, while Study Two incorporated the results from Study One, providing a quantitative aspect to the research. Data were collected from sport management undergraduate students from a southwestern Division I institution for Study One (n = 19), as well as for Study Two (n = 71). Questionnaires for both studies were developed using the basic tenets of SCCT to measure self-efficacy, interest, intent, supports, barriers, and outcome expectations to studying abroad in sport. Data analysis included coding data into themes and calculating percentages for Study One, while items for Study Two were analyzed for reverse coding, and descriptive statistics for the study variables were performed. Means, standard deviations, and bivariate correlations were included with the statistics in Study Two. Likewise, linear regression and bivariate correlations were performed to evaluate the basic relationships between all the study variables within Study Two, while reliability estimates (Cronbach's alpha) for each study variable were assessed. The results revealed that barriers (e.g., cultural differences) and supports (e.g., further education) were correlated with self-efficacy. Furthermore, there were correlations between interest and intent, self-efficacy and interest, self-efficacy and intent, and self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Recommendations and implications were provided for sport management academia followed by limitations and future directions of this study.

This study investigated the academic self-efficacy and persistence goals of 72 diverse female Engineering majors. Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) coupled with Practice Theory (Bourdieu, 1998) and Social Capital Theory (Lin, 1999) served as the theoretical framework. The relationships between social cognitive variables (engineering self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests) as well as the influence of contextual and cultural variables (perceived campus climate, distance from privilege, and access to resources) on female students' intent to persist in Engineering were examined. Hierarchical linear regression revealed that only outcome expectations significantly contributed to the prediction of female students' intent to persist in Engineering. Exploratory analysis revealed that outcome expectations were most influential in predicting Engineering self-efficacy. Including privilege and perception of campus climate into the model significantly predicted self-efficacy above and beyond the original SCCT variables. This study supports the addition of cultural contextual variables in the SCCT choice model and warrants future research with minority female populations. Key words: women in STEM, social cognitive career theory, privilege, persistence, underrepresented students

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Oppositional Culture Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory propositions were explored via employment of social cognitive career theory mechanisms. The effects of observed same-race occupational role models and occupational stereotypes and their indirect effects on school engagement through occupational expectations and future aspirations were explored in elementary-aged Blacks. Occupational expectations and future aspirations of Black youth were not significantly affected by occupational prestige of jobs held by observed same-race occupational role models. However, it was found that future aspirations of Black youth significantly impacted their school engagement. Future aspirations and school engagement were not significantly affected directly or indirectly by occupational stereotypes. Other noteworthy findings were that educational expectations and future aspirations were negatively correlated with grade. Future studies should be done to further explore relevant contextual factors which can affect school engagement in elementary-aged Blacks, they should also explore declining educational expectations and aspirations with grade.

Denna studie undersöker nyanlända flyktingars väg till arbete i Sverige och vad som bidragit till en snabb etablering på arbetsmarknaden. Genom åtta kvalitativa intervjuer samlades empirin in. Datainsamlingen analyserades utifrån Social cognitive career theory av Lent, Brown & Hackett, som belyser individernas karriärprocesser och vad som påverkar och driver dessa. Studiens viktigaste resultat är att nyanlända flyktingars etablering på arbetsmarknaden påverkas positivt av interna resurser, inställningar och förhållningssätt, som uthållighet, anpassningsförmåga och en kämpar-anda. Vidare visar resultatet att individer agerar utifrån egna målsättningar, som har bäring på karriärmål och mål för livsvillkor. Ytterligare resultat visar att externt stöd, som praktikplatser, och mellanmänskligt stöd, som sociala nätverk, främjar etableringsprocessen på arbetsmarknaden. / This study examines newly arrived refugees' way to work in Sweden and what has contributed to a rapid establishment in the labor market. Through eight qualitative interviews, the empiricism was collected. The data collection was analyzed based on Social cognitive career theory by Lent, Brown & Hackett, which illustrates the individual's career processes and what influences and drives the process. The study's most important result is that newly arrived refugees' establishment in the labor market is positively affected by internal resources, attitudes and approaches, such as endurance, adaptability and a fighting spirit. Furthermore, the results show that individuals act on the basis of their own goals, which have bearing on career goals and goals for living conditions. Further results show that external support, such as internships, and interpersonal support, such as social networking, promote the establishment process in the labor market.

Despite multidisciplinary and extensive coverage, existing career theory is largely premised on Western frameworks and limited research has been conducted into career development experiences of individuals from African countries in local or transnational settings. Thus the research presented in this thesis extends on existing constructionist career development commentary by gaining insight into the interplay between societal structures and individual action in an African context. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing the career development of professional Angolans working in the oil and gas industry and how experiences associated with living and working in Western contexts influences the career development of such individuals. The aim was to go beyond discovery of factors and analyse data in the form of highly personalised accounts from key informants to deepen understanding of African career development in transnational settings, mindful of postcolonial factors. Data were collected over an 18-month period using ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviewing with 24 participants. Within an ethnomethodological framework and drawing on developments in postcolonial theory, constructionist grounded theory approaches informed the hermeneutic analysis of data. Findings revealed that multiple and distinctly nuanced dynamics between institutional micro structures (e.g., family, education and employment) and societal macro structures (e.g., socio-economic, political, historical and cultural environments) significantly shape individual career decision making, behaviour and aspirations in the Angolan context. Experiences of living and working in Western settings were found to have a profound impact on personal and professional development as well as aspirations for international careers. The main limitations of this study derive from its relatively small sample size and particularist focus on a single industry, however its value stems from rich narratives captured and significant effort made to triangulate findings via ‘research conversations’ with informants and industry professionals. In light of the above, this study adds to existing career theory by incorporating postcolonial perspectives and career development experiences that go beyond planned structured careers in organisational settings by focusing on the individual consequences of international assignments in transnational settings. In light of this, insights offer value also for multinational organisations that are engaged in developing African talent.