Career Success of Managers and the Moderating Roles of Gender and Managerial Level in the Malaysian Public Sector

Examination of the career literature indicated that career success studies did not consider the diverse effects of the individual, structural and behavioral approaches. In addition, there were less career success studies in testing the moderating role of gender and managerial level. Thus, this study aims to examine the factors explaining career success (objective and subjective) of managers and the moderating roles of gender and managerial level in the relationships between the career success variables. This crosssectional correlational study was conducted on 288 managers of various managerial grades who worked in several public organizations in Putrajaya, the federal administrative center of Malaysia, and managers who attended the training program conducted by the National Institute for Public Administration. They were chosen using a stratified random sampling procedure. A quantitative survey was designed using selfadministered questionnaire. Managers' career success was conceptualized using the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). The theory highlights the three main career success approaches and the reciprocal person-environment interactions, all of which explain individual's career success

Impact of networking on career development: Experience of high-flying women academics in Malaysia

The article reports a study the objective of which is to explore the experience in networking of a group of high-flying women academics (HFWAs) and its impact on career development. Data were gathered using in-depth interviews to 31 women professors who have been identified as high-flyers. Networking had brought them to fast upward career mobility. The themes that relate to the influence of networking to their career are: (i) graduate study paved the way for international networking; (ii) networking created win-win situation for both individuals and institutional partners; and (iii) personal factors contributing to networking. Findings are significant to other academics particularly women who are aspiring to be in the fast-track career

Individual and organizational factors influencing career aspiration of hotel managers

This study aims to examine the factors influencing the career aspiration of managers at the selected hotels. Using descriptive correlational approach, this study involved 162 managers from 11 5-star international hotels and resorts in Malaysia. The findings of this study revealed that the managers’ career aspiration was explained by different aspects of variables. The research revealed that the overall level of managers’ career aspirations was high, and generally the levels of the managers’ individual-related variables and organizational-related variables were also high. The correlation results indicated that commitment, self-efficacy, extraversion and perceived organizational support were correlated with the managers’ career aspiration except for the conscientiousness and organizational socialization. The implications for research and practice are highlighted

Gender Differences in Management Style Among Managers in Malaysian Public Organizations

Traditionally, men and women managers were characterized with different qualities and behaviours. Due to these different qualities, behaviours and gender relations constructs, men and women are said to manage organizations differently. An amount of literature substantiated the above arguments. However, there are also studies indicating that there are no gender differences in management style. Thus, this study primarily aims to answer this argument, i.e. whether there is difference in management style between men and women managers. The respondents of this survey study were 187 managers of whom 124 were men and 63 were women managers, coming from various public organizations in Malaysia. They were sampled randomly from the training participants of Leadership Course series of National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN) for the duration from March 2003 until June 2003. The study adapted and adopted Ministry Style Assessment by Berkley (1995) as the theoretical foundation on the managerial styles exercised by men and women managers. The composite score for the four styles, namely commander, shepherd, maintenance and entrepreneur was identified using the transformed z-scores.Chi-square test for homogeneity showed that gender differences existed in management style. Men managers are most likely to practice commander style of management, followed by maintenance, shepherd and entrepreneur. On the other hand, women managers tend to portray the style of shepherd, entrepreneur, commander and maintenance. The Goodness-of-Fit analysis indicated that the distribution of men managers across the four management styles are more heterogeneous, where majority of them tend to practice commander management style. Though numerically, more women managers showed shepherd management style, the test found that women managers are more homogenous in style, where the distribution of women managers who demonstrate commander, shepherd and entrepreneur management style are almost equal. Results also indicated that there were no differences in the management style of men and women managers based on demographic profile, professional profile and organizational location. The study implies that organizational management should capitalize on the slight variation in management style between men and women to the advantage. Further research is recommended to include psychological factors such as job satisfaction and motivation, and the influence of significant others such as bosses, peers and employees in the analysis

Protean career of professionals at E&E industry: the moderating role of career strategies

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of individual-related factors and the moderating role of career strategies on protean career among professional employees in Malaysian Electrical and Electrics (E&E) industry. This study draws on a sample of 306 professional employees in 18 Electrical and Electronics MNCs in Malaysia. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis purposes. Our results suggest that individual-related variables are potential predictors of protean career. There is significant moderating effect of career strategies on the relationship between goal orientation and protean career among professional employees in E&E industry. Practical interventions for HRD professionals were suggested to assist individuals and organisations towards protean career in the career management process

The competent vocational college teacher: a proposed model for effective job performance

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) have been strategized as the main route to supply skilled worker as to achieve the developed nation status by 2020. In 2012, Transformation of vocational school to vocational college (VC) was the biggest shifted in history by the Malaysian government under the area vocational education. The objectives are to prepare students with the combination of vocational theory and skills, entrepreneurship as well as employability. In view of globalization, knowledge economy, technology advances and global labor mobility requires vocational college teachers to practically competent and effective in profession. Therefore, the model presented was proposed for vocational college teachers based on the needs and importance competencies for effective job performance also the demands from 21st century world of work

Antecedents of employees' e-training participation in a Malaysian private company

Previous literature indicated that people tend to have lower motivation and level of participation in e-training. This case study aims to shed light on the factors that contribute to employees' e-training participation. It examines the influence of personality traits i.e. computer self-efficacy and self-esteem and attitudinal disposition i.e. technology acceptance, job satisfaction and organisational commitment on employees' e-training participation. Results of the study indicate that all of the selected predictors were correlated positively with employees' participation in e-training. The three most dominant factors that influenced employees' participation in e-training were computer self-efficacy, technology acceptance and organisational commitment. The implications and conclusions of the study are clarified

Evidence of reverse brain drain in selected Asian countries: human resource management lessons for Malaysia

Reverse brain drain (RBD) is a fertile area to examine in the inter-countries movement of professionals. The basic idea of RBD is that the professionals who migrated to the industrialized nations represent potential human resources for the socioeconomic development of their home countries. It is argued that every ‘brain drain’ is a potential ‘brain gain’ for a country. However, there is inconclusive evidence on the best practices of RBD that may become lessons for any country to adopt in tapping the valuable experiences of the intellectual elites. Using ‘human capital theory’ and ’diffusion of innovation theory’, this conceptual paper specifically aims i) to illustrate evidence of the best practices of RBD in selected Asian developing countries of South Korea, Taiwan, China, and India that have commended track records in dealing with RBD; and ii) to suggest strategies for Malaysia, which is a beginner in developing the RBD programs, to adopt the best practices as experienced by the selected countries

Human resource development in Malaysia and Singapore

This chapter provides an overview of the relevance of HRD in Latin America. The historical, political, economic, institutional, social, and cultural context of HRD in the region will be presented with emphasis on Bolivia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Belize, and Mexico. The interface of enterprise and HRD in Latin America will also be examined and the general vocational and educational base for HRD will be explored and subsequently discussed. This chapter remains one story in the pluralistic discourse regarding HRD in Latin America. In conclusion, it has to be reiterated that the primary stakeholders and shareholders of HRD in Latin America are individual governments. Consequently, HRD in Latin America is about leaders and policy makers making conscious efforts to enhance HRD in any strategy, process, program, or activity intricately tied to the alleviation of poverty and hunger, access to quality education, access to quality health care, and gender and ethnic equality

Evidence of Reverse Brain Drain in Selected Asian Countries: Human Resource Management Lessons for Malaysia

Reverse brain drain (RBD) is a fertile area to examine in the inter-countries movement of professionals. The basic idea of RBD is that the professionals who migrated to the industrialized nations represent potential human resources for the socioeconomic development of their home countries. It is argued that every ‘brain drain’ is a potential ‘brain gain’ for a country. However, there is inconclusive evidence on the best practices of RBD that may become lessons for any country to adopt in tapping the valuable experiences of the intellectual elites. Using ‘human capital theory’ and ’diffusion of innovation theory’, this conceptual paper specifically aims i) to illustrate evidence of the best practices of RBD in selected Asian developing countries of South Korea, Taiwan, China, and India that have commended track records in dealing with RBD; and ii) to suggest strategies for Malaysia, which is a beginner in developing the RBD programs, to adopt the best practices as experienced by the selected countries