The dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of the Doctor of Philosophy (Social and Behavioral Sciences, Specialty in “Psychology”) at the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics. 2021. The dissertation describes research problems related to career development in trade. New empirically scientific facts are discussed presenting the psychological factors influencing career development in trade. The purpose of this study was to identify the psychological factors influencing career development in trade. The goal aims to achieve the following objectives: 1) To describe the theoretical problem in the field of trade, 2) To reveal salary stereotypes in trade, 3) To study students’ attitude toward the problem of career development in trade in the Ukraine shadow economy, 4) To present career ambitions and time perspectives of students specializing in trade, 5) To develop a psychological assistance algorithm that facilitates career decision that considers the stereotype of perceiving international specialization as more profitable, 6) To develop an algorithm that forms attitudes to the problem in career development in the Ukraine shadow economy. For the first time, this study presents a scientific novelty that focuses on the classification of career development in trade in both the formal and informal (shadow) economy of Ukraine) (1). For the first time, this study also presents a novel scientific insight that classifies career development factors in trade (personal and environmental factors based on Levin’s formula) (2). The thesis also reveals the stereotype of perceiving international specialization as more profitable. An algorithm is developed to correct this perception providing psychological assistance for making a career decision while considering the stereotype of perceiving international specialization as more profitable (3). In addition, the thesis reveals the peculiarities of career development in the Ukraine shadow economy. Entrepreneurial experience and empathy are factors influencing tax evasion, and the acquisition of legal awareness is a countermeasure (4). At the same time, this thesis demonstrated the influence of the change in the attribution of an actor (effect of neutral, first, and third perspectives) on the student attitude to the career trade development in the Ukraine shadow economy. In this regard, an algorithm was developed to form an attitude toward the problem of career development in the Ukraine shadow economy (5). The dissertation work further developed scientific ideas regarding the “feeling old” phenomena and career-building for young students (6). Four sections cover scientific research and achievements. Six experimental studies and one correlation study were conducted: 3693 students and 116 teachers participated. The dissertation is organized as follows: Chapter I discusses the theoretical aspects of career psychology and different studies focusing on career building in Ukrainian and Western psychology. Chapter 2 discusses “salary stereotypes in trade” considering the problem of perception of international specializations as more profitable. Chapter 3 discusses the “psychological and legal aspects of a career in trade” and defines the students’ attitude of the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics to the problem of career development in the Ukraine shadow economy. Chapter 4 explores the “time perspectives and career ambitions of trade students”. Based on the empirical evidence obtained from scientific facts, 18 factors of career development in trade are identified: gender, course, grade point average, specialization, employment, the stereotype of perception of international specialization as more profitable, salary expectations, time perspective, career ambition to be hired quickly, confidence in professional choice, ambitions to study and work abroad, career expectations of the number of subordinates, the benefits of obtaining a master’s degree. Change in the attribution of the actor (an effect of neutral, first, and third perspectives), empathy, and entrepreneurial experience were factors to form a tolerant attitude to tax evasion; legal awareness has an opposite effect. From a law perspective, the resulting factors influencing career development in trade were classified into two groups: factors of career development in the 1) formal and 2) informal (shadow) economy of Ukraine. The alternative classification from Shatilova identified 1) personal and 2) environmental factors of career development in trade using Levin’s formula.
