PRIVATE-SECTOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS AND THE TRANSITION TO MANAGEMENT

The authors present and empirically test a self-selection/job matching model of a common transition in the careers of scientists and enginee rs-the move from technical to managerial jobs. Technical and manageria l ability are assumed to be positively but not perfectly correlated, s o that technical job performance provides information about both techn ical and managerial ability upon which to base the decision to become a manager. NSF panel data provides evidence that managerial and techni cal productivity are positively correlated, and that information recei ved while on the job does influence the worker's selection of a manage rial or a technical career path.