Motivated by upper echelons research and career research, this doctoral thesis examines which career paths lead to different C-level positions and whether these career paths can be generalized. In doing so, it first aims to derive typical career patterns for three executive positions. Second, it aims to test the proclaimed shift from traditional to more unstable career paths (i.e., boundaryless careers). The thesis is comprised of three empirical studies, which analyze executives’ careers with the help of optimal matching analysis, an innovative form of sequence analysis frequently applied in sociological research. The first study focuses on the second most important actor at the top of the firm, the chief financial officer (CFO), and analyzes a unique dataset of 97 German CFOs from public and private firms. The results show five CFO career patterns, which differ in organizational tenure, international experience, and functional experience of the CFOs. The results further indicate that three early career choices are associated with CFO career patterns: educational level, entry organization, and entry industry. The second study outlines unexplored paths that lead to partner positions, based on the careers of 291 American and German partners of the “Big Three” consulting firms. The results reveal four career patterns that involve multiple moves across organizational and industry boundaries and thus reflect the definition of a boundaryless career. Only one career pattern reflects the definition of a traditional organizational career. The results also demonstrate that American partners, and partners with fewer years of pre-employment education, are more likely to follow boundaryless career patterns. The third study focuses on the careers of a relatively new functional executive: the chief digital officer (CDO). It examines a sample of 61 German CDOs, predominantly from large private firms, and explores their educational backgrounds and career paths. The results indicate that CDOs typically hold non-technical university degrees and that the majority follow a cross-functional career pattern, covering marketing and sales, and the operations function. In summary, these findings support and extend career theory by providing new evidence that boundaryless careers exist in different corporate functions and industries with strict hierarchies and advancement principles, such as consulting. Additionally, the results contribute to the ongoing debate on the roles of senior executives by exploring their educational background and experience. This has implications for corporate recruiting and human resource management, and for future research into top management careers.     «

Motivated by upper echelons research and career research, this doctoral thesis examines which career paths lead to different C-level positions and whether these career paths can be generalized. In doing so, it first aims to derive typical career patterns for three executive positions. Second, it aims to test the proclaimed shift from traditional to more unstable career paths (i.e., boundaryless careers). The thesis is comprised of three empirical studies, which analyze executives’ careers with t...     »