Since the modern world is practically based on the career theory, the new system of governing various branches of cultural and business life has also crept into the sphere of sports and health. This makes the theory of career development extremely important in the sphere of health care and health control as well.
Pursuing the modern topic, the given essay deals with the issue of the career development theories in the sphere of health care. As Goonan (2009) says, “In this unprecedented environment for health care, a startling trend has emerged to highlight a potential path forward for many health care organizations” (2).
The variety of the existing theories suggests a nig choice, yet there are only a few that deserve further consideration. Since the world of work is constantly changing, the approaches that are emerging with every single change that occurs are diverse and cannot be referred to a single theory in particular, embracing a wide range of notions and issues.
The term of the career development employs quite a number of issues. The idea of the career development has been defined as “The process of assessing, aligning and balancing organizational and individual needs, capabilities, opportunities and challenges through multiple approaches and methods.
It emphasizes the person as an individual who performs, configures and adapts various work roles. Its major intervention is self-assessment and developmental processes that affect individual and organizational abilities to generate optimal matches of people and jobs.” (Jackson 2000, 18)
The numerous theories – as a matter of fact, there are seven of them already (Swanson 6), and it is highly expectable that the new ideas are going to be presented soon.
One of the career theories that has been suggested by Brown (2002) explains the career pace from the point of view of the values of people. Called a values-based theory, it clarifies the situation from the point of view of the psychology of an individual: “Values are central to Brown’s theory, and as a result locate him in this chapter as a theory of content” (39), Patton (2006) marks.
She also admits that “Thus, while it emphasizes the importance of a particular trait, values, it also acknowledges the concept of development and the broader context in which individuals exist” (39).
This allows suggesting that the theories currently existing are focused on the human’s psychology rather than on the economical side of the question. Patton also emphasizes that the values need to be defined once and for all to create the outline for the future career scheme: “As values are formed they become crystallized in the mind of the individual and prioritized, and the extent to which this occurs relates to cognitive clarity” (40).
The other theory, created by Super, is defined as life-span and life-space approach, which can be explained as the approach that involves the idea of career as something that can be interpreted as the lifelong process.
Self-improvement that a man undergoes as he passes a certain stage in his development is supposed to grow continuous and endless, since there is not end to perfection. Super also considers the internal and external factors that influence the development of self-concept in a particular man or woman.
Both theories have been considered the most reasonable ones and are supposed to be unwound in the nearest future into profound basis for the psychology of employment and career growth.
The both theories emphasize the importance of the self-determination and the man being aimed at a certain goal. The strategies that the theories presuppose to take can be considered as the plan for a person to take a look at his or her inner world before making the necessary steps towards the career improvement.
Basically, the key components for the career theory are not numerous. They involve the following items: self-concept, strategies and tasks, career maturity, life-stage model and the role of counselor. The latter is supposed to be the top which a man must be striving for in case he or she wants to organize their job in the best and most profitable way.
However, it can be suggested that this list requires a subtle changing, since the world of work and employment is constantly changing, and there is no stop to the suggestions and ideas that are continuously emerging as the possible improvements.
As the three pillars that the modern theories and suggestions are based on, the points that Brown suggested in his value theory seem to be the most promising ideas to develop and to build the career development schemes on. “An intentional strategic initiative”, as Chakiris (2002, 4) defined it, it needs close consideration.
Brown (2002) distinguishes fourteen elements, or values, that the theory of work organization and career improvement are supposed to base on. Again, the notions that he grounds his theories on are the treats of character, that is, he appeals to the personal qualities rather than the improvement of the professional skills. In fact, that is the point that Brown puts almost at the bottom of the scheme of the career growth.
A paradox as it is, this still works right for the people who are trying to get a promotion. After all, according to Guerriero (1998), “defining your strongest skills set” (31) must be one of the prior concerns of employees.
The ideas of the theory of values that Brown exercises are the following.
First, he mentions the category of achievement. Indeed, it is very important to mark the stages that one has already passed on the way to perfection.
The second concern of the author is the case of belonging. In the situation when the work seems rather wearing than inspiring, one should ask himself whether this job is the one that he or she belongs to.
The concern for environment calls to check whether the atmosphere of the working place is safe enough for the train of thoughts to be productive and bring the results of various tasks and solutions for the work problems and tasks.
Then, an important element is the concern for the others. However strange it might sound, the idea of helping the others is almost extinct in the modern world of employment, the rivalry blossoming and flourishing, though. Thus, the concept of concern for the others is one more means to stay a decent person and keep the necessary self-esteem.
The so-called generic self-awareness, as well as overall career management skill development (Binding 2005, 26) comes to the forth in this respect. At this point one can draw the line between the internal and external careers (Arthur 1989, 467) as the growth of the professionalism which might not be reflected in the career growth, and the promotion, that is not always the signal of the highly developed working skills.
Creativity, spirituality and privacy are the elements so closely interconnected that they cannot be separated. Indeed, it is absolutely impossible to work in the field where there is no room for imagination and new capturing projects. Meanwhile, the thought of the creative suggestions that one might give make the person feel responsible for the ideas that he is planning to put into practice.
Independence and interdependence are connected in the same tight way. However paradoxical that might sound, these elements are linked close to each other. Working independently and using their own intelligence, each of the workers is a link of the big chain that encompasses the enterprise. Whenever there is one link missing, the whole work is brought down, and there is no way it can be restored.
Humility and objective analysis are extremely necessary when working on an important project that needs attention and meticulous treatment.
According to the three counseling principles worked out by Kidd (2006, 52), the most desirable objective for most employees is their own profit; the theories themselves called “person-centered”, they clarify the point in the most obvious way, and it shows that people have to work on this treat of theirs.
With all these fourteen principles incorporated, one is sure to obtain the long-awaited success in work and will be soon promoted to the sphere he or she has always wanted to work in.
However, it seems that this analysis, though perfectly performed, still lacks something that is absolutely necessary to take into consideration nowadays, with the modern tendency to strive for a better result and for a better job position. This something should not concern the private traits of character of the given person only, but also the tactics and strategy of the line of conduct in the workplace.
In the reality, numerous conflicts are unavoidable. Thus, it is reasonable that an employee should also bear in mind the scheme of how to react to the aggressive treatment from a colleague or, which is more unpleasant, from a boss. The means to avoid the open conflict and to iron out the difficulties that might burst into another clash of opinions is the skill that is of extreme need for the modern employee, wherever he might work.
It must be also born in mind that the suggestions for the workers to improve their state of business and to get a better grip on their jobs can be applicable not to all of the people, mostly according to the type of the temperament that they possess.
As a rule, all the strategies that have been developed so far consider the job promotion for those people who have the makings of becoming a leader, but not for those who simply are wishing to change the environment.
Actually, the number of the so-called sanguine people is much lesser than the number of people with the choleric type of character. In spite of the fact that character is something that cannot be changed at all, as the psychological researches claim, most of the pieces of advice that have been developed for the people to reach the top of their career can be applied to the people of sanguine character only.
In fact, there are no reasons that explain such unfair situation. So it seems that there must also be the theories of success for the people with different types of character, as the guideline for them to succeed on their way to the top of their career.
In addition, it would also be a good idea to include some more points in the existing theories of success. Thus, it seems reasonable that the abovementioned points that cover Brown’s ideas of values should be arranged as a scale, and that they should also include some ideas of how to cope with the difficulties of communication that one can encounter while working in the office.
Indeed, sometimes conflicts can spring out of nowhere and result in serious problem. And it goes without saying that the conflicts with the boss should be also foreseen in these instructions, as one of the most stressful working situations where people need good advice.
To sum up, although the basis for the theories of employment have been worked out long before, there are still some adjustments needed to apply, taking into account the pace of the progress and the numerous innovations that have been brought to the people by the new era.
The development of the career theories goes fats, and people have to make use of it. In case they do, there is the hope that the level of unemployment will reduce sufficiently.
Reference List
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Binding, C., Field, S. (2005). Career Management: An Approach for Medical Schools, Royal Colleges and Trusts. London: The Stationery Office.
Brown, Duane (2002). Career Choice and Development. New York, NY: Wiley and Sons. Print.
Chakiris, B. J. (2002). Basics of Career Systems Development. Alexandra, VA: American Society for Training and Development. Print.
Goonan, K. J. (2009) Journey to Excellence: How Baldridge Health Care Leaders Succeeded. St. Louis, MO: American Society for Quality. Print.
Guerriero, J. M., Allen R. G. (1998). Key Questions in Career Counseling: Techniques to Deliver Effective Career Counseling Services. New York, NY: Routledge.
Jackson, T. (2000) Career Development. London: CIPD Publishing. Print.
Kidd, J. M. (2006).Understanding Career Counseling: Theory, Research and Practice. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publishing.
Patton, W., McMahon, M. (2006). Career Development and Systems Theory. Boston, MA: Sense Publishers. Print.
Swanson, J. L., Fouad, N. A. (2009). Career Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks , CA : SAGE.