Wendy Patton, PhD (The University of Queensland, 1991), is Emeritus Professor at the Queensland University of Technology, author, co-author and editor of more than ten books and more than 150 book chapters and refereed journal articles, and Founding Editor of the "Career Development Series" (Sense, now Brill).Mary McMahon, PhD (Queensland University of Technology, 1998), is an Honorary Associate Professor at The University of Queensland, Australia. She is an author, co-author and editor of more than 15 books, 90 book chapters, and 110 refereed journal articles.

• PrefaceList of Figures and TablesAbout the AuthorsPART 1: Introducing Systems Theory and the Systems Theory Framework of Career Development1 Introducing Career Development and Systems Theory1 History of Career Development2 Terminology3 Philosophical Underpinnings of Our Understandings of Career4 Career Development Theory5 Conclusion2 Systems Theory1 The Development of Systems Theory2 General Systems Theory3 Major Contributors to Systems Theory4 Themes in Systems Theory5 Systems Theory Elements6 Systems Theory Perspectives in Career Theory7 Systems Theory and Related Conceptualisations8 Conclusion3 The Systems Theory Framework of Career Development1 Development of the Systems Theory Framework2 The Systems Theory Framework3 Advantages of the Systems Theory Framework4 Limitations of a Systems Theory Perspective5 Implications of a Systems Theory Perspective6 ConclusionPART 2: Review of Career Theory4 Theories Focusing on Content1 The Work of Frank Parsons2 Differential Psychology3 Bordin’s Psychodynamic Model of Career Choice4 D. Brown’s Values-Based Theory5 Similarities and Differences between Theories of Content6 Conclusion5 Theories Focusing on Process1 The Work of Ginzberg and Colleagues2 Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Approach3 L. S. Gottfredson’s Circumscription and Compromise Theory4 Similarities and Differences between Theories5 Conclusion6 Theories Focusing on Content and Process1 Roe’s Theory of Personality Development and Career Choice2 Law’s Career Learning Theory3 Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory of Career Decision-Making (SLTCDM)4 Social Cognitive Career Theory5 Cognitive Information Processing Model6 Developmental-Contextual Approach7 Similarities and Differences between Theories8 Conclusion7 Constructivist, Social Constructionist, and Systems Theories1 Individualistic Approach2 Career Construction: A Developmental Theory of Vocational Behaviour3 A Contextual Action Theory Explanation of Career4 Chaos Theory of Careers5 Living Systems Theory of Vocational Behaviour and Development (LSVD)6 Psychology of Working Theory7 Similarities and Differences between Theories8 Conclusion8 Complex Status of Career Theory1 The Individual2 The Context of Career Development3 Development4 Philosophical Underpinnings5 Relationship between Variables6 Decision-Making7 Chance8 Interaction Process9 Conclusion9 Theories of Career Development: Social Justice, Culture, and Context1 Social Justice Agenda in Career Development2 Sociological Approaches to Career Development3 Theorising Women’s Career Development4 Theories Related to Career Development of Women5 Theories Related to Racial and Ethnic Groups6 Theories Related to the Career Development of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Individuals7 Theories Related to the Career Development of Children and Adolescents8 Theories Related to Career Development of People with a Disability9 The Renewed Focus on Social Class in Career Development10 Conclusion10 Toward Integration in Career Theory1 Underlying Worldviews2 Stages in Integration and Convergence3 Integrative Frameworks4 Theorists’ Modification of Theories and New Theories5 The 1990s Focus on Convergence6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Convergence7 Bridging Frameworks8 The Present Position of Career Theory9 ConclusionPART 3: Practical Applications of the Systems Theory Framework11 Applying the STF: Systems Thinking and Systems Mapping1 Systems Thinking2 Systems Mapping3 Applying Systems Thinking and Systems Mapping4 System of Career Influences at School Leaving Age5 System of Career Influences 10 Years after Leaving School6 System of Career Influences 20 Years after Leaving School7 System of Career Influences 30 Years after Leaving School8 System of Career Influences 40 Years after Leaving School9 Linking Theory and Practice: Systems Theory Constructs Applied10 The Individual as a Learning System11 Conclusion12 Applying the STF: Context, Career Services, and Career Learning1 The Context of Career Services and Career Learning2 Learning3 Experiential Learning4 Learning Systems5 Conclusion13 Career Practitioner Training and Supervision: Systems Thinking, Systems Mapping and Learning Systems1 Career Practitioner Training2 Creating a Learning System3 Experiential Learning Viewed from a Systems Theory Perspective4 Career Practitioner Supervision5 Conclusion14 Career Learning in School Systems: Applying the STF, Systems Mapping and Systems Thinking1 History of Career Guidance in Schools2 Relationship between Career Learning and Theory3 Implementing Career Learning in Schools4 Career Learning in Schools: Applying the Systems Theory Framework, Systems Mapping and Systems Thinking5 Reflecting on Career Learning in Schools: Applying Systems Thinking6 Conclusion15 Career Counselling Systems1 History of Career Counselling2 The Systems Theory Framework and Career Counselling3 The STF Story Telling Approach to Narrative Career Counselling4 Connectedness5 Reflection6 Meaning-Making7 Learning8 Agency9 The STF, Culture and Career Counselling10 Reflecting on Practice11 Conclusion16 Career Assessment: Systems Approaches1 Overview of Career Assessment2 The Systems Theory Framework and Career Assessment3 Conclusion17 Career Research: Systems Approaches1 Overview of Career Research2 The Status Quo Remains3 Systems Research4 The Systems Theory Framework and Career Research5 Conclusion18 Organisational and Individual Career Systems: New Relationships1 Historical (Dis)connections of Career Theory2 The Context for Change3 Career Responses to Change4 Changing Careers for Young People: Examplar for Change5 Critiques of and Supports for the ‘New Career’6 Integration of Individual and Organisational Approaches to Career Development7 Theory and Practice: Traditional Organisational Careers to New Careers8 ConclusionPART 4: Conclusion and Future Directions19 The Systems Theory Framework: Contributions and Future Directions1 Part 1: Contributions of the STF2 Part 2: Future Directions of the STF in Theory, Research and Practice3 ConclusionReferencesIndex