International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management | 2026
Authors: Jacob B.; Mosquera P.
DOI: 10.12821/ijispm140202
Journal: International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management
Year: 2026
Publisher: Universidade do Minho
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Cited by: 0
Considering the high turnover rates in project management due to limited development opportunities, this paper examines the role played by career sustainability in addressing this organizational challenge. Career sustainability is defined as the opportunity and capability of individuals to remain in productive and meaningful work overtime, across the lifespan and in changing career contexts. Drawing on sustainable career theory, a conceptual model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with data from 224 project managers. The model incorporates four dimensions of career sustainability – resourcefulness, renewability, flexibility, and integrativeness – as predictors of career satisfaction, well-being, and both organisational and career turnover intentions. Results indicate that resourcefulness and renewability are the strongest predictors of positive outcomes. Socio-demographic analyses suggest that resourcefulness plays a greater role in reducing career turnover among senior professionals, while renewability more strongly enhances well-being for participants without children. These findings provide empirical evidence on the relevance of career sustainability in project-based contexts and offer practical insights for organisations aiming to retain and support their project management workforce. © IJISPM
career satisfaction; career sustainability; project managers; turnover intentions; well-being