CAREER PRIORITY PATTERNS AMONG MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN

This research examined antecedents and consequences of managerial and professional women's career priority patterns. Seven hundred and ninety-two women indicated their commitment to career-primary, modified career-family, and career-family orientations. The sample as a whole was more career-family than career-primary. Demographic and situational variables correlated with the operalisation of career priority patterns in predicted ways. Career-family women were more likely to have partners and children, spend more hours on second shift work, work fewer hours per week, and be in lower levels of management. These women also reported significantly lower job satisfaction, job involvement, career satisfaction and future career prospects, and greater intention to quit. However they reported greater life satisfaction. Implications for the career development of managerial and professional women, and for organisations, are offered.