ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of research on career failure by bringing together findings from sociology, management studies, labour and organization research. From a sociological perspective, the chapter argues that the emergence of professional careers as well as the concept of career failure is a relatively new phenomenon of modern society and that although failure is mostly experienced as an individual failure, it is a fundamentally social phenomenon. In this context, the chapter highlights the influence of organizations on career failure and success and sheds light on the social groups whose careers do not conform to the career norm proclaimed by society and organizations. Finally, the chapter points out the problematic analytical potential and moral baggage of the career failure concept and gives an outlook on future research topics.
