Global career as dual dependency between the organization and the individual

Modern global career implies not only an interaction between an organization and an individual but also – and increasingly – a mutual dependency between the two parties. Whereas the traditional career concept presupposes that the individual employee to a high extent has to adhere to the conditions and opportunities provided by the organization, organizations increasingly have to accept and match the expectations and demands of the employee. In particular, this is found in knowledge intensive organizations providing immaterial “products” like know‐how, complex problem solving, consultancy service, etc. This kind of immaterial “production” not only requires highly skilled and professional employees but also means that the employees possess the core competence of the company – and can carry it out of the organization if they choose to resign. The paper analyzes the dual dependency in global careers and discusses this interdependency from the viewpoints of both individual and organization. In addition, the paper outlines the implications for practitioners and future research.