Assignment:
Using your knowledge of the stages of life and career development, explain how the career issues of a 27-year-old differ from those of a 45-year-old. What are the organizational implications of the issues you identified?
Based upon my knowledge of the stages of life and career development, a 27-year-old would be in the establishment phase of their career development which would involve issues of finding their place within the organization that they work for. This essentially means that this individual would be seeking to stabilize themselves, and to learn to adapt to their new work environment in order to become a successful employee. This would mean that this individual would be overcoming self-doubts and learning about the variables involved in their work environment, which would differ considerably from the concerns of a 45-year-old individual. The 45-year-old on the other hand would be in the midcareer stage of career development, and this individual's concerns would be more about ensuring that they maintain the progress that has been made within the organization, as well as to continue to gain upward mobility through utilizing their management experience efficiently. In addition, this individual make question their choice of career paths, and consider changing careers if it leads to an acceleration of their upward mobility, satisfaction, and financial gain. The 27-year-old's concerns would also differ. Also the twenty-seven-year old person would be expected to have a work experience of around five years, whereas a forty-five-year-old person would be expected to have a work-experience of two decades.A twenty-seven-year-old person would be expected to be energetic, goal-oriented. The twenty-seven-year-old would have just started his career whereas the forty-five-year old would be expected to finance his children's education, fulfill the demands of the family, manage a particular business unit in a professional manner, etc. The forty-five-year old would be expected to have completed a large portion of his work life.
Explain why management development is one of the most common HRD activities found in organizations today.