Resumo

The global context of accelerated transformation forces society to organize itself to promote development. Therefore, high levels of human capital are vital for competitiveness and are considered a decisive factor for innovative processes and development. In the circumscription of the cities, innovation ecosystems are spaces that foster various capitals, including human capital. Besides that, in the domain of knowledge translated into practical know-how, innovation directly relates to individuals and can enhance work and careers by acting directly in labor markets’ (re)configuration.

The local peculiarities that govern labor relations influence the individual’s agency in their career trajectories. Although work occupies a central place in people’s lives, it is often neglected in the scope of academic discussions involving innovative processes linked to the development of ecosystems and urban centers. Instead, work is seen as a mere organic consequence of society’s other efforts. Therefore, this study aims to analyze how international literature articulates the concepts of careers and cities from the perspectives of ecosystems, innovation, and sustainable development.

The space where individuals experience their careers is shaped and formed by multiple issues, which manifest themselves at different levels in a temporal and locally situated context. Individuals experience the relationship between cities and careers in multiple and multidimensional aspects. Cities considered pleasant to live in and with opportunities for cultural consumption attract people with different skills and talents, amplifying the potential to contribute to the labor market, innovation, local prosperity in economic and social spheres.

Through a systematic literature review in the Web of Science database, we found four pillars for academic discussion of careers in context, considering the circumscription of cities in connection with human, economic, and social development: city livability and attractiveness; labor market and mobility; organizational work and expatriation; and educational system. The discussion promoted through these categories recognizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of each actor – individuals, organizations, and nations/societies – as a complex and dynamic system.

Career management is not just an individual endeavor but is part of a wide ecosystem. It is related to: the understanding of cities from the notion of ecosystems; the contextual notion of careers; the possibilities that involve the workers’ mobility and influence knowledge’s circulation; the concern with people attraction and retention, livability, labor market’s structure, organizational contexts and the educational system; and the realization that innovative processes are directly related to individual and collective well-being.

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