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Article
A Comparative Study of Managers’ Career Factors in Selected EU Countries
Povilas Zakarevičius, Pranas Žukauskas
ABSTRACT. The paper scrutinizes the problem of examining managers’ career factors in some EU countries. The survey was conducted in the United Kingdom, Germany, Malta, Spain and Lithuania. Methodology was developed by a creative group of European Management Association in cooperation with the authors of this paper, and further applied in the research. Middle and senior managers were examined.
The research results indicated large similarities of factors impacting the career of managers in selected EU countries, on the other hand, areas of divergence between the countries in the importance attached to careers’ factors were found. The following determinant career factors were determined in all examined countries: professional capabilities; acquisition of experience; individual personality; teamwork and education.
Other factors impacting the career are typical just in several countries. Knowledge of languages has a relatively small influence on managers’ career in the UK and Germany, but it is essential in Spain, Lithuania and Malta. Geographical mobility is more important for managers in the UK and Germany and less relevant for managers in Malta.
Managers from Lithuania and Malta do not trust in importance of chance as a crucial factor of career, but it is more significant for managers in Germany and Spain. The impact of personal and family relationships is regarded as less influential for managers in Germany than in the other countries. However, Germans are the most satisfied managers with their career.
Therefore, the findings of this research and their comparisons demonstrated that despite large cultural differences between various European countries, managers’ career factors fall into consistent patterns.
KEYWORDS: human resources, managers, employment, career, selected EU countries: the UK, Germany, Malta, Spain and Lithuania.
JEL classification: J24, J62, M12, M14, O15, P2.