Older workers and organizational change: corporate memory versus potentiality

Philip Taylor; Libby Brooke; Christopher McLoughlin; Tia Di Biase

doi:10.1108/01437721011050639

Login

Welcome:
Guest

Search for:

Browse:

Product Information:

Resources:

International Journal of Manpower

ISSN: 0143-7720

Online from: 1980

Subject Area: Economics

Content: Latest Issue | Latest Issue RSS | Previous Issues

Options: To add Favourites and Table of Contents Alerts please take a Emerald profile

Older workers and organizational change: corporate memory versus potentiality

Document Information:
Title:	Older workers and organizational change: corporate memory versus potentiality
Author(s):	Philip Taylor, (Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor and President, Monash University, Churchill, Australia), Libby Brooke, (Business, Work and Ageing Centre for Research, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia), Christopher McLoughlin, (Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor and President, Monash University, Churchill, Australia), Tia Di Biase, (Business, Work and Ageing Centre for Research, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia)
Citation:	Philip Taylor, Libby Brooke, Christopher McLoughlin, Tia Di Biase, (2010) "Older workers and organizational change: corporate memory versus potentiality", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 31 Iss: 3, pp.374 - 386
Keywords:	Australia, Case studies, Older workers, Organizational change, Qualitative methods
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/01437721011050639 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Abstract:	Purpose – Drawing on the recent work of Sennett and others who considered the position of older workers in dynamic economies subject to rapid change, this paper aims to examine the perceived fit between employees of different ages and their employing organizations in four Australian workplaces. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis of qualitative data, collected among workers and managers in four Australian organizations, was performed. Findings – Results suggests that potentiality tended to be prized as an asset over corporate memory. While managers were frequently paternalistic towards their older employees, ageing human capital was often devalued as managers tried to balance operational budgets and organizations sought to remain responsive to changing market demands. Originality/value – The paper discusses the implications for the prolongation of working lives.