Predicting Malaysian managers' objective and subjective career success

Abstract

Compared with the extensive research on managerial career in the west, little has emerged from Asia. This study reports an investigation of the determinants of objective and subjective career success of managers working in the Malaysian public sector. Surveys were received from 288 managers of various managerial grades. The findings revealed that managers' objective and subjective career success were predicted by different variables. Objective career success was predicted by human capital and demographic variables. Subjective career success was predicted by structural variables, individual variables, and demographic variables. The implications for research and practice are highlighted.

Keywords:

• human capital and demographic variables
• Malaysia
• objective and subjective career success
• public sector managers

Acknowledgments

The paper was based on the first author's PhD dissertation. She would like to thank Universiti Putra Malaysia for the scholarship and study leave given to her from 2006 to 2009. She also wishes to thank Associate Professor Dr Jegak Uli and Associate Professor Dr Sidek Mohd Noah as her supervisory committee members for their helpful comments and suggestions throughout the study.