Values and career choice at the beginning of the MBA educational process

Purpose With the change in global and local markets and the emergence of new types of careers such as protean careers (which are values‐driven), individual values (i.e. citizenship behaviors, altruistic standards, and helping activities) seem to have a growing effect on decisions people make about significant choices in their lives such as the choice of a career. The authors apply a theory of protean career and citizenship/altruistic behavior to study career choices and career development amongst an international sample of MBA and MPA students. It is expected that values may lead to career choices in early stages of vocational search, but career choices and development may also affect one's values during the training process, especially during educational and professional schooling. This paper aims to focus on the issues surrounding career choice. Design/methodology/approach The study focuses on the first stage of the process of career choice at the beginning of MBA/MPA studies. A quantitative research design was applied by using a survey instrument that draws on a cross‐national study. Findings A positive relationship is found between good citizenship of altruistic behavior and protean career. This relationship is solid and generic beyond the effect of gender, age, or culture/national setting. Originality/value The findings point to some meaningful relationships amongst the studied variables and emphasize the need to direct MBA/MPA students to a value‐oriented educational program in their fields of expertise. The paper ends with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications for future studies in career development.