Emeritus Professor Polly Parker

Polly researches in the fields of career management and development, peer coaching, leadership development and human resource development.

Polly has established a national and international reputation in the fields of career management and development, peer coaching, leadership development, and human resource development. This is based on a successful research program and international publications in Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Organization Behavior, Academy of Management Learning and Education (all ERA -A*), Human Relations & IJHRM (ERA – A). Her international reputation is demonstrated in several ways: invitations to deliver keynote addresses at national and international conferences such as the most recent, to the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Research in Careers, entitled “New work, new employment, new careers”. (Bordeaux, May 2010); journal reviews including Journal of Vocational Behavior, Human Relations; Editorial Board membership for International Association of Education and Vocational Guidance, University of Auckland Business Review; sustained experience as convenor of the careers sub-theme of European Group of Organisation Studies (EGOS) conferences; invitation to participate in the 5Continents International Careers Research, and as one of three members of the international steering committee to include the Careers sub-theme as a Standing Working Group at EGOS. These examples reflect the integration of teaching activity, service to the profession and research outputs. Specifically, she has developed a systematic and coherent research program around the following overlapping themes:

• Peer Coaching
  Examining the nature of peer coaching as a developmental tool that accelerates career learning and facilitates leadership development. Peer coaching is distinguished from mentoring while providing many of the psycho-social benefits.
• Intersection of career and leadership development, and Intelligent Career Management
  Career development and leadership development are complementary fields that both emphasise holism, learning from experience and meaning–making for the actors concerned. The connection between the two is an underdeveloped area of research yet one that has the potential for mutual advantage.