CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN A LEARNING ORGANIZATION

When a Learning Organization adopts a strategy for the improvement of the
quality of its business, the main two components to such an intervention is technological
improvement and Human Resource improvement (Dr. Chaisiri; 1997). This study has
taken up the quality improvement strategy from HR perspective, which, normally, is
carried out through HRD. In this model the staff turnover is the intervening variable
because career development and organizational development both are long term strategies
and assuming that a high staff turnover rate would create disruption in this process. Such
a disruption would ultimately negatively affect the processes of development for both
the organization and the individuals. Hence, both the development processes need long
term association between staff and organization.
Career development, the dependent variable, has been investigated through its
sub-variables, which include individuals’ skill enhancement, career counseling and
individuals’ understanding of their development needs. Here, awareness of individuals
about their career presumably indicates that individuals are able to plan the process
effectively, and at the same time they are able to relate it to organizational development
goals. The relationship of these sub-variables with the independent variable is considered
to be direct, but at the same time complex. This is because of the fact that there are some
variables of career development that are not directly affected by the independent
variables selected for this study or in some cases the effect is negligible for example
mentoring process. Although the number of such variables is very few but these play a
vital role in defining the main dependent variable. On the other hand, these sub-variables
directly affect each other.
According to the theoretical model of this study Organizational Development
Strategies promote Career Development process which in turn finally contributes to
Organizational Development. This is a cyclical process, but part of the cycle starting at
implementation of the OD strategies till the transformation of the organization into the
next level of development has been considered for analysis by this study.
According to this study, for both the processes to take place at a higher pace,
organizational commitment is a requisite that ensures the continuity of the efforts. Such a
commitment is based on individuals’ loyalty to organization, and on their motivational
levels that could be created through organization’s commitment to individuals’ career