Many roads lead to Rome: Educational and work trajectories of middle managers in Sweden and Portugal

Abstract

In this article we analyze the educational and work trajectories of middle managers at the same multinational company in Sweden and Portugal. Based on the analysis of the company’s documentation and on qualitative interviews with middle managers in both countries, results show four different types of trajectories in this group of professionals: linear specialist, linear generalist, reoriented and disrupted. In the Portuguese establishment, all interviewed managers had a higher education degree in areas related to management, and most of them had a reoriented type of trajectory. In Sweden, the educational levels and fields of study were more diversified and most of the interviewees had a disrupted trajectory. The article discusses the co-existence of different educational paths leading to similar professional outcomes and the effects of the institutional context in shaping individual trajectories and company strategy.