Emerging work practices of ICT-enabled mobile professionals

Currently, mobility is a significantly pervasive term; the concept is being widely used in multiple discussions including social, economic, political, and technological debates. However, the theoretical grounding of the concept is surprising unstable. This thesis aims to offer a theoretical foundation for the concept of mobility, particularly in contemporary work contexts. With support of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in general and mobile technology in particular, contemporary work activities are increasingly distributed and dynamically conducted in various locations. In such an emerging work environment, maintaining a highly level of 'mobility' is becoming critical for contemporary workers, particularly for mobile professionals. Based on the theoretical considerations on the concept of mobility, this thesis empirically explores the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of mobile professionals' work practices. In order to appreciate and explain the nature of mobility in contemporary work, this thesis specifically addresses the emerging work practices of mobile professionals. the data collection consisting of in-depth interviews and ad-hoc observations of sixty0two professional workers was conducted in Tokyo, Japan during the summer of 2002. Informed by the results of this qualitative field study, the thesis discusses a distinct mode of mobility in mobile professional work. The mode of mobility is characterised not only by extensive geographical movement but also by operational flexibility and intense interaction in mobile professional's dynamic work activities. Based on these theoretical and empirical discussions, this thesis aims: 1) to theoretically underpin our understanding of mobility in contemporary work contexts; 2) to offer empirically grounded implications for the post-bureaucratic, fluid organising of work, organisation, and technology

Corporate ecologies of business travel : working towards a research agenda.

International business travel has always been an important labour process in the accumulation of capital for the firm. It is surprising, therefore, that relatively little time has been devoted to the study of business travel, both as a facet of contemporary mobility and as an economic practice. In this article we review how existing literatures provide insights that can be used to understand the role of business travel as international labour mobility in the contemporary professional service economy. In doing so, we reach the conclusion that there seem to be at least two significant voids preventing a more sophisticated understanding from emerging. First, we suggest that international business travel needs to be studied not in isolation but instead as one component in a wider ecology of mobility which `produces' the global firm. Second, we argue that it is important to know more about the time-space dynamics of international business travel in terms of how spatial relations are produced and reproduced by different forms and geographies of travel. We make these arguments and explore their implications using data collected through interviews in advertising, architecture and legal professional service firms.We conclude by identifying a research agenda designed to allow a better understanding of business travel to emerge in corporate and mobility discourses

Agriculture in motion: Intertwined geographical and socio-professional mobilities in North Africa's groundwater economy

In this paper, we examine the greenhouse horticulture in Algeria's Sahara, which is one illustrative example of the agricultural transitions that have taken place in North Africa on the new irrigation frontiers created through groundwater use. The entrepreneurial farming systems in the region are characterized by considerable mobility. Geographic mobilities of people, ideas, capital, information, and objects and socio-professional mobilities are intrinsically intertwined, whereby skilled sha-recroppers and laborers move sometimes over hundreds of kilometers, attracted by the opportunities of quick monetary gains and by the opportunities of rapid so-cio-professional upward mobility. This paper analyzes, first the different forms of socio-professional and geographical mobilities associated with the groundwater-ba-sed farming systems in Algeria's Sahara, with a particular focus on mobile young farmers; then focuses on the multiple borders that these young farmers crossed on their trajectory; and their return journey after they quit the Sahara

Cyclical Occupational Choice in a Model with Rational Wage Expectations and Perfect Occupational Mobility

In many professional labor markets the number of new workers follows a cyclical time path. This phenomenon is usually explained by means of a cobweb model that is based on the assumptions of myopic wage expectations and occupational immobility. Since both assumptions are questioned by the empirical literature, we develop an alternative model that is based on the assumptions of rational wage expectations and perfect occupational mobility. Depending on the production function, the model can generate cycles in the number of workers who enter a professional labor market.Occupational choice, Rational expectations, Occupational mobility, Linear dynamics

Formation of professional mobility of university”professors

The article examines notion and factors of professional mobility are researched. In the article the professional mobility is to be considered from the point of view of the following humanitarian sciencesthe sociology, psychology and pedagogical point. The factors of professional mobility development are found, and the influence of different factors upon the development of professional mobility are developed. The professional mobility of young specialists is analyzed in the article. Corporate education is regarded as a factor of university faculty professional mobility increase.В статье исследованы понятие и факторы профессиональной мобильности. В статье рассматривается профессиональная мобильность с точки зрения гуманитарных наук: социологии, педагогики, психологии. Выявлены факторы развития профессиональной мобильности и раскрыто влияние факторов на развитие профессиональной мобильности. Анализируется профессиональная мобильность у молодых специалистов. Выявлен фактор повышения профессиональной мобильности преподавателя вуза – корпоративное обучение

Renting versus Owning and the Role of Income Risk: The Case of Germany

In a world with complete markets and no transactions cost, the decision whether to rent or buy a home is separate from a household's professional income risk. If markets are incomplete and have frictions, however, profession- specific income risk, regional house price risk, and mobility needs will interact and should affect the tenure mode choice. Using panel data from West Germany, we establish homogeneous profession groups and estimate their regional net income risk and regional mobility. We then examine the impact of the risk and mobility variables on the tenure mode decision at the aggregate and the individual household level. We find that the diversification potential of renting affects the tenure mode choice as do mobility needs.Tenure mode choice, background risk, household mobility

The role of professional mobility in the professional orientation of students

Досліджено суть професійної мобільності як категорії соціології, психології та педагогіки; зосереджено увагу на ролі професійної мобільності у розумінні молоддю кар'єрної реалізації; визначено основні мотиви побудови кар'єри фахівцями. Схарактеризовано зміни у підходах до організації професійної підготовки у сучасних університетах, що мають забезпечувати мобільність студента у процесі навчально-практичної діяльності. Зроблено висновок про значущість професійної мобільності для фахової спрямованості студентів.The essence of professional mobility as a category of sociology, psychology and pedagogy is explored. The focus is put on the role of professional mobility for understanding of career development by young people and the main motivations for building a career by professionals are defined. Changes in the approaches to organization of professional training at modern universities are described, which should ensure student mobility in the process of educational and practical activity. A conclusion is made about the importance of professional mobility for the professional orientation of students

Intergenerational Educational Mobility and Identity: a French-Argentine Comparative Study

This study forms part of the author’s longstanding research regarding social, educational and professional mobility observed in Argentina across three generations, associated with the factor of Education and with the greater flow of immigrants in the last century. This research encompasses various smaller studies. Here we mention one, a French-Argentine comparative study in which we worked with PhDs from different institutions and different social science PhD programs. Our objective was: a) to analyze what factors (quantitative) and what reasons (qualitative) positively and negatively impacted professional pathways (career mobility); b) to observe the level of educational mobility present in families with PhDs, taking the issue from different paradigms (reproductionist/interactionist): University of elites? University of the masses? The methodology was both quantitative and qualitative, using semi-structured surveys (which included open-ended statements so respondents could expand); the hierarchical evocation technique and interviews. Results: a) we observed the intergenerational educational mobility of PhDs (quantitative-descriptive level); b) we understood some of the “reasons” and “sense” that underlie said mobility and that have either acted as driving forces or have not acted as driving forces of social and cultural-educational promotion (qualitative level). c) We found similar levels of intergenerational educational mobility for PhDs in France and Argentina (graduates of various PhD programs). This result is interesting in the face of well-held myths of educational “hypo mobility” , intergenerational drops in mobility, stagnation, a lack of educational/cultural promotion under “plafond” effects, or a saturation of degree holders, above all in developed countries. From the point of view of identity, this high level of intergenerational educational mobility impacted national, institutional and micro individual identity; three planes in sustained interaction using the author’s theory: The Three Dimensional Spiral of Sense ((2015 a and b).Fil: Aparicio, Miriam Teresita. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentin