[en] Workers face unexpected career events that lead them to reflect on their career paths and potential career changes. One of such changes could be to turn to the world of freelancing. But what are the sources of these career shocks that has led them to this career transition? Using the career narratives of 31 freelancers analysed through a thematic analysis, the authors highlight that individuals face a number of unexpected events related to one major disrupting event which lead to the transition. As a major contribution, the findings reveal that traditional workers deal with major career shocks of multiple sources that lead workers to the career path thinking and to their transition into freelancers: organisational, network-related, individual, market-related, family-related, environmental. The discussion section is composed of two major parts. First, the findings are discussed in light of the career shock theory, and the sustainable career theory. Second, the authors show that workers may be forced to turn to freelancing, thereby challenging the most important and agentic career theories of the 21st century: freelancers may be driven by inner volition, but also strongly pushed by contingent factors in their career transition and construction.
Research center :
LENTIC - Laboratoire d'Études sur les Nouvelles Formes de Travail, l'Innovation et le Changement - ULiège
Disciplines :
Human resources management
Author, co-author :
Sulbout, Jérôme ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Recherche ; U. of Liege
Pichault, François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Recherche > HEC Recherche: Changing workplace and strategic HRM ; U. of Liege
Language :
English
Title :
Why Freelancing? A Qualitative Study to Reveal the Sources of Freelancers’ Career Shocks
Publication date :
06 July 2022
Event name :
Academy of Management
Event organizer :
Academy of Management
Event place :
Seattle, United States
Event date :
9 aout 2022
Audience :
International
Peer reviewed :
Peer reviewed
References of the abstract :
Workers face unexpected career events that lead them to reflect on their career paths and potential career changes. One of such changes could be to turn to the world of freelancing. But what are the sources of these career shocks that has led them to this career transition? Using the career narratives of 31 freelancers analysed through a thematic analysis, the authors highlight that individuals face a number of unexpected events related to one major disrupting event which lead to the transition. As a major contribution, the findings reveal that traditional workers deal with major career shocks of multiple sources that lead workers to the career path thinking and to their transition into freelancers: organisational, network-related, individual, market-related, family-related, environmental. The discussion section is composed of two major parts. First, the findings are discussed in light of the career shock theory, and the sustainable career theory. Second, the authors show that workers may be forced to turn to freelancing, thereby challenging the most important and agentic career theories of the 21st century: freelancers may be driven by inner volition, but also strongly pushed by contingent factors in their career transition and construction.
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
