MANAGING CAREERS IN DOWNSIZING FIRMS

The literature on managing careers has traditionally been based on the twin assumptions of organizational growth and increased opportunities for individual advancement. Large-scale layoffs in the 1980s and cont inued downsizing in the 1990s, however, have left organizations questi oning how to develop the careers of their employees under conditions o f diminished resources and have left employees wondering how to manage their own careers under conditions of diminished opportunities. This article examines the issues involved in managing careers in downsizing firms from both the organization's and the individual's perspective. In addition it explores not only short-term tactics for handling caree r disruptions which occur at the time of downsizing but also longer-te rm strategies for managing careers during times of little or no organi zational growth. (C) 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.