The impact of globalisation on the process of career development

This paper examines some critical impacts of globalisation on the process of career development. Globalisation is explained as a further manifestation of the need for capitalism to find new markets, once existing domestic economies have reached saturation point, or have become characterised and limited by 'mature markets'. It is noted that this is only one of several ways of viewing the phenomenon, as a number of academic disciplines provide different perspectives on globalisation. A brief exploration of the nature and causes of globalisation is undertaken. Following this exploration, the concept of career development and a number of the major theoretical explanations for it are identified. Examples of the latter include major contributions from the fields of psychology, in terms of career choice and career development , and sociology. The impact of globalisation on the process of career development for individuals, organisations and career development practitioners is further analysed. An important contextual factor for these stakeholders is operating in a more internationally competitive business environment and being able to respond to rapid changes in market conditions and customer demands. One significant conclusion drawn is that there are at least two common characteristics required to inform the actions of the career development stakeholders identified; flexibility and the ability to embrace and benefit from the changes generated by globalisation.