Holland's Theory in an International Context

Holland’s RIASEC theory was designed to meet the vocational needs of people in the U.S. in the mid-twentieth century. This article reviews literature relevant to the applicability of the RIASEC model’s structure and Holland-based assessments in global cultures and contexts for which they were not originally intended. We examined literature produced after a 1996 meta-analysis of a similar topic, which proved to be mixed but somewhat more supportive of the international applicability of RIASEC structure and Holland-based assessments. The discussion includes a commentary on the applicability of Holland’s theory in a post-modern world with its global economy and rapid change.