Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on Intellectual Capital

Marzena Świgoń
(number and type <strong>of</strong> available jobs). Although PEM does not include factors that are outside <strong>of</strong>
individual control, it is obvious that <strong>the</strong>se factors influence on individual ability to employability
management.
The notion <strong>of</strong> employability as <strong>the</strong> ability <strong>of</strong> individuals to retain or get jobs is connected with <strong>the</strong>
competence-based approach. According to Van der Heijde and Van der Heijden (2006: 453)
employability is defined as “<strong>the</strong> continuous fulfilling, acquiring or creating <strong>of</strong> work through <strong>the</strong> optimal
use <strong>of</strong> competences”. In this approach to employability five dimensions are pointed out: 1)
occupational expertise; 2) anticipation and optimization; 2) personal flexibility; 4) corporate sense; and
5) balance. The first dimension <strong>of</strong> employability consists <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional knowledge and skills.
Occupational expertise constitutes a substantial element <strong>of</strong> employability and is seen as a significant
human capital factor for <strong>the</strong> vitality <strong>of</strong> organizations. The second and third dimensions concern
adapting to changes (“adaptability”) and developments at various levels (job, career). Anticipation and
optimization concern preparing for future work changes. Personal flexibility relates to adaptability to all
kinds <strong>of</strong> changes in <strong>the</strong> internal and external labour market. Corporate sense is an employee’s ability
to participation and performance in different workgroups, such as working teams, <strong>the</strong> occupational
community and o<strong>the</strong>r networks. Balance is defined as compromising between opposing employers’
interests as well as one’s own work and private employee’s interests and between employers’ and
employees’ interests. Van der Heijde and Van der Heijden (2006) presented a reliable and valid
instrument for measuring employability, based on <strong>the</strong> five-dimensional conceptualization <strong>of</strong>
employability.
Recently o<strong>the</strong>r authors reported on <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> an employability scales. Rothwell and Arnold
(2007) reported on <strong>the</strong> development and validation <strong>of</strong> a self-report measure <strong>of</strong> individuals’ perceived
employability. The scale consisted <strong>of</strong> items which were intended collectively to reflect employability
within and outside <strong>the</strong> person’s current organisation. The authors concluded that self-perceived
employability can usefully be thought <strong>of</strong> as ei<strong>the</strong>r a unitary construct, or one with two related
components – internal and external employability.
Moreover, <strong>the</strong> scale for examining <strong>the</strong> expectations and self-perceptions <strong>of</strong> employability was tested
among students (Rothwell, Herbert, Rothwell, 2008; Rothwell, Jewell, Hardie, 2009). This is
connected with <strong>the</strong> third abovementioned perspective on employability. Student self-perceived
employability scale consisted <strong>of</strong> statements regarding 4 elements: student’s perception <strong>of</strong> university,
field <strong>of</strong> study, self-belief and <strong>the</strong> state <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> external labour market. Ano<strong>the</strong>r model <strong>of</strong> self-perceived
employability regarding graduates was developed by Pool and Sewell (2007). The essential
components <strong>of</strong> this model were: career development learning, experience, degree (subject,
knowledge and skills), generic skills and emotional intelligence. Providing students with opportunities
to develop all <strong>the</strong>se elements will result in development <strong>of</strong> self-efficacy, self-confidence and selfesteem,
<strong>the</strong> links to employability, and - in <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> this paper - to PEM.
5. Skills and competences – a common point <strong>of</strong> PKM and employability
In this section <strong>the</strong>re are compared skills and competences <strong>of</strong> both concepts.
To <strong>the</strong> skills connected with employability (Mallough, Kleiner, 2001: 118-119) belong: management
skills (decision making, problem solving, trouble shooting, conceptualising, analysing, planning, coordinating,
delegating), computer and o<strong>the</strong>r technical skills (ability to utilise computers as an
analytical, decision-making and processing tool, programming), communications skills (speaking,
mediating, negotiation, speaking foreign languages, listening skills), organisational skills (ability to set
goals and utilise time management and resources to achieve those goals, ability to set priorities and
follow through o responsibilities), specific skills (job specific skills: selling, assembly, financial, writing,
budgeting etc.), general (attention to detail, reliability, courtesy, quality <strong>of</strong> work, co-operation),
psychological (self-motivation, initiative, positive attitude, tolerance etc.), interaction and networking
(participation in social clubs, community work or recreational activities), educational and vocational
training (specialised training, level <strong>of</strong> degrees, prestige <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> school), skills gained from <strong>the</strong>
educational process (applied ma<strong>the</strong>matics, locating information, teamwork, research, applied
technology), interviewing and resume skills (self-confident, objectives, job-related interests,
experience etc.).
In <strong>the</strong> aforementioned initial PKM publication (Avery et. al 2001) <strong>the</strong> set <strong>of</strong> seven information skills
was outlined. The similar skills, but connected with “information and ideas”, were described by Barth
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