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Individual employability has become a crucial element in ensuring labor security in flexibilizing labor markets. The importance of agency-side factors as antecedents of employability has been emphasized in the relevant literature, spurring the criticism that some worker groups may be more restricted than others by contextual factors in respect to their employment prospects. The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically how labor market groups differ in what shapes their employability.

The authors used a representative sample of 1,055 employees to detect differences in the impact of career self-directedness (agency-side) and several contextual factors (structure-side) on employability, comparing workers with and without higher education and workers in and outside managerial positions. Confirmatory factor analysis with subsequent tests of invariance was used.

Results confirm that employability is affected both by contextual factors and by self-directedness. No significant differences were observed between the compared groups in the extent to which self-directedness and the contextual factors influence employability. An important finding is that self-directedness itself is affected by preceding career history (career mobility and previous unemployment), which may suggest a vicious-circle relationship between past and future career precariousness.

The findings support the view prevailing in policy circles that fostering agency-side factors such as self-directedness is instrumental toward achieving higher employment security. At the same time, individual agency cannot replace traditional policy measures in tackling structural labor market inequalities.

This study uses robust methodology and a representative respondent sample to statistically disentangle the effects of agency and context on employability. Its key contribution pertains to the explicit comparison of different worker groups, with separate contrasts on each model parameter.

Novice researchers experience difficulties in analysing qualitative data. To develop the skills necessary for qualitative data analysis, theoretical manuals are often insufficient. Supervisors supporting students in analysing qualitative data stress the need for practical guidance, including exercises and feedback. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss QualiBuddy, an interactive online support tool in answer to this need.

An online support tool was developed in answer to existing problems regarding analysing qualitative data. The tool provides a learning trajectory of 11 stages of analysis, which all contain examples, exercises, feedback, verification questions and questions for reflection. This tool is developed from a multidisciplinary perspective and is constructed around various steps. During the development process, internal feedback from the members of the project team, as well as external feedback from an international steering group with experts in qualitative research were taken into account.

The tool QualiBuddy is based on an empirically and theoretically grounded approach to qualitative data analyses. Pilot tests with experienced qualitative researchers suggest that the tool potentially allows novice researchers from various domains to develop and improve their skills in conceptualising interview data, specifically within a grounded theory approach.

QualiBuddy is a newly developed interactive online education tool based on and complementary to existing guides for qualitative data analysis.