Career Development and Systems Theory: Connecting Theory and Practice

Wendy Patton · Mary McMahon

May 2014 · Career Development Series Book 2 · Springer

About this ebook

Career Development and Systems Theory: Connecting Theory and Practice offers practitioners, researchers and students a comprehensive introduction to, and overview of, career theory; introduces the Systems Theory Framework of career development; and demonstrates its considerable contemporary and innovative application to practice. A number of authors have identified the framework as one of a small number of significant innovations in the career development literature. The Systems Theory Framework of career development was developed to provide coherence to the career development field by providing a comprehensive conceptualisation of the many existing theories and concepts relevant to understanding career development. It is not designed to be a theory of career development; rather systems theory is introduced as the basis for an overarching, or metatheoretical, framework within which all concepts of career development, described in the plethora of career theories, can be usefully positioned and utilised in both theory and practice. It has been applied to the career development of children, adolescents and women. Since its first publication, the Systems Theory Framework has been the basis of numerous publications focusing on theoretical application and integration, practice and research, with a growing number of these by authors other than the framework developers. Its application across cultures also has been emphasised. The theoretical and practical unity of the Systems Theory Framework makes this book a worthy addition to the professional libraries of practitioners, researchers and students, new to, or experienced in, the field of career development.

About the author

Wendy Patton Professor Wendy Patton is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at Queensland University of Technology. She has published extensively in the area of career development, including articles, book chapters, conference papers, and a number of co-authored book and co-edited books. She is currently on the editorial advisory boards of a number of national and international career development journals and the Series Editor of the Career Development Series with Sense Publishers. Mary McMahon is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at The University of Queensland. Her particular interests are the career development of children and adolescents, and the application of constructivist approaches to career counselling and assessment. She is especially interested in qualitative career assessment. Mary is the author of a number of books, book chapters, and refereed journal articles.