本研究旨在探討「緣」的特性、「緣」在生涯發展中的功能及其對生涯發展的影響。根據立意取樣邀請六位研究參與者，採用訪談法搜集生涯緣分故事，運用敘事研究法中的「類別－內容」分析法對所得資料進行分析。結果顯示：「緣」的特性可分為「緣即變易」、「緣牽一線」、與「緣來如此」等三大類共十一項特性。「緣」在生涯發展中的功能有「以緣補缺」、「創造轉變」、「維持穩定」、「警醒提示」、「引導成長」、與「整合經驗」等六項。緣對生涯發展的影響主要在「緣分故事促進生涯發展」、「善應機緣陶鑄自我成長」兩類。

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of Yuan, the role of Yuan and its influence on career development. Yuan(緣) refers to a potential relationships between people and people, people and things, people and universe as well. Comparable to the thought of karma in Buddhism, it can be interpreted as destiny, coincidence as conditioned by one's past in the Chinese folk religion. According to purposive sampling method, six participants were invited to tell their Yuan-related stories. Their stories were then analyzed using a category-content analysis in narrative research method. The results were as follows. 1. There are eleven characteristics of Yuan and they can be classified into three main categories, which can be entitled as ＂Yuan as changing＂, ＂Yuan as connecting＂ and ＂Yuan as matching＂. ＂Yuan as changing＂ indicates two characteristics of Yuan. First, Yuan as uncertainty, it cannot be controlled or predicted; Second, Yuan is very complex in its' nature, it always has a personal meaning for the research participant. ＂Yuan as connecting＂ indicates six characteristics of Yuan. First, Yuan can make sense of the causal relationship between seemingly unrelated things in the participant's career path. Second, Yuan happens again and again, which helps the participant to adjust accordingly to the new environment and to stabilize their career development. Third, Yuan can guide participants via different events to become themselves. Fourth, Yuan can directly or indirectly promote the participant's career development. Fifth, Yuan can enlighten participants. Sixth, Yuan happens at the right time and always has a significant influence on the participant. ＂Yuan as matching＂ indicates three characteristics of Yuan. First, Yuan presences by our side unexpectedly with those who has close relationship with us previously. Second, Yuan matches us with people in terms of inexplicable attraction and it has a unique inspiration to the individual. Third, people must first try their best in career, and allow Yuan to do the rest. 2. There has six functions of Yuan in the process of career development. First, it can help us fulfill ourselves as a whole; Second, it can offer opportunities when people are struggling with career frustration; Third, it can stabilize career development by offering a positive emotional experience in working practice; Fourth, it can play a reflexivity role when career adversity is encountered; Fifth, it allows people to be themselves by connecting people and thing in diverse career positions; and sixth, it can integrate experience by enabling adaptation to career change. 3. The Yuan has two main influences on career development, namely, on practical work and on personal growth.