Arthur is among one of the most cited scholars in the area of the contemporary career theories. With this paper, Arthur
laid the foundations for the new theoretical field of the boundaryless career. This concept is, to date, one that most of us would refer to describe career transitions occurring across organisations and across departments or hierarchies. Put simply, the boundaryless career is a career type whereby the individual is supposed to be in control of his or her destiny. And, at a time where many of us would unfortunately experience layoffs and redundancy, it could not be more timely to review this concept over again. For if this paper is almost 15 years old, it is still relevant and still applies to how many of us sees the way to manage a career, especially in troubling times.
In the paper, Arthur describes a career theory that is supposed to provide an alternative to the overwhelming and traditional view of career within a single organisation over an individual's lifetime. This new theory is termed boundaryless because it transcends traditional boundaries and offers individuals with flexibility and opportunities to experience more roles than in a traditional career. This general idea is where Arthur and his colleagues usually base their theory around. To them, the boundaries of an organisation can be blurred and individuals are more likely to become more knowledgeable about everything as they move across boundaries of an organisation. These principles are useful and for anyone trying to become more knowledgeable about this topic, this paper would be a good start. However, it should be noted that this paper is perhaps as optimistic as the rest of the literature and should not be taken at face value, especially if you are living outside the US or working in a professionalised context (such as healthcare).
Overall, it is a paper you shoud read to then read the criticisms usually associated with it.