Journal of Vocational Behavior 13, 229-241 (1978) Mid-Career Change in Academia: The Decision to Become an Administrator ROBERT A. SNYDER University of Alabama ANNHOWARD American Telephone and Telegraph Company AND TOVE HELLAND HAMMER Cornell University This study explored the reasons why professors would leave their teaching/ research occupations to begin new careers as administrators. Valence- Instrumentality-Expectancy theory of occupational preference and choice was used as a framework to examine mid-career change among professors and de- partment chairmen at a major university. Data showed that professors’ intentions to change careers and become administrators could be explained by the theory. Analyses of job characteristics demonstrated that professors who want a mid- career change are primarily attracted by the power and formal authority vested in the administrative position, while professors who prefer to remain in their career paths do so because of the autonomy it offers. The scope of career planning and development research has broadened remarkably during the past several years. Although the study of tra- This research was partially supported by the Personnel and Training Research Programs, Psychological Services Division, Office of Naval Research under Contract No. NOOOl4-67- 0239-0025, Contract Authority Identification Number NR 151-350. Benjamin Schneider and H. Peter Dachler, Principal Investigators. The computer Science Centers of the University of Maryland, the University of Alabama, and the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations partially supported the required data analyses. The authors thank Benjamin Schneider, H. Peter Dachler, Gene Hoffman, Glen Goldmark. Robert Hannan, N. S. Bruning, and Pamela Kline for their assistance. The authors contributed equally to the research reported in this paper. They should be considered as joint authors. Requests for reprints should be sent to Tove Helland Hammer. 387 Ives Hall, NYSSILR, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. 229 OOOl-8791/78/0132-0229$02.00/O Copyright 0 1978 by Academic Press. Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form resewed.