Abstract
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Steven H. Appelbaum, Heidi Gunkel, Christina Benyo, Said Ramadan, Fadi Sakkal and Damian Wolff
The purpose of this paper is to study and provide a large national publicly traded company with realistic solutions for succession planning. The name of the actual company where…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study and provide a large national publicly traded company with realistic solutions for succession planning. The name of the actual company where all data were collected has remained anonymous and been replaced with Millennium Dynamics, Inc. As a large number of their workforce consists of “Baby Boomers”, 50 percent of their employees will be of retirement age within the next five years. Having acknowledged the company's concerns about efficiency of new employees and the loss of morale in senior employees, this two‐part article sets out to provide motivational tools for management and suggest solutions to restructure and reorganize in a way to prevent the inevitable – loss of corporate knowledge via succession planning.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey and individual interviews were conducted within the company to measure current job satisfaction and company culture as well as how the different generations of employees view each other and themselves. Employees were also questioned about their legacy in the organization and their thoughts about transferring corporate knowledge from one generation to another. This is a two‐part article. Part 1 covers the background to the case under investigation, a review of relevant literature and the hypotheses to test the problem to be studied and solved. Part 2 will describe the methodology and data related to demographics, the testing of the hypotheses and conclusions and recommendations.
Findings
The study found a correlation between job satisfaction and effective communication and a negative correlation between pre‐retirees and their lack of motivation as they approach retirement. Also, it was found that senior employees possess a willingness to share and transfer knowledge to younger generations.
Research limitations/implications
The article relies on limited survey and interview data of one particular regional department within a large organization. Certain demographic questions were omitted to preserve confidentiality. The selected department and interview subjects were chosen by the organization and therefore the occurrence of a sampling error is possible.
Practical implications
This study monitored the impact that recent retirees will have on the remaining staff of a company. The act of effective succession planning is of paramount importance since the “Baby Boomer” generation is comprised of 76 million North Americans and the threat of the loss of corporate knowledge will inevitably increase as the population ages. This article offers recommendations as to how an organization can better manage the impact of a large number of retirees on the remaining workforce and what it can do to maximize efficiency.
Originality/value
The article offers practical solutions for dealing with the impact of retiring Baby Boomers and identifies models for a proactive approach in dealing with an issue that will affect the North American economy within the next five years.
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This article examines the effect of the customer focus (CF) group of competencies, which includes communication and negotiation skills, on project performance as measured by…
Abstract
Purpose
This article examines the effect of the customer focus (CF) group of competencies, which includes communication and negotiation skills, on project performance as measured by reaching the internal and the overall budget, the quality, and the deadline goals.
Methodology/approach
The multiple regression model was based on a dataset from Trimo, an engineering and production company of prefabricated buildings.
Findings
The inverted U-shaped relationship of the CF group has been proven to exist with all project goals.
Research implications
The present study provides a starting-point for further empirical research on the international construction sector, projects, teams, and competence research.
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Uta Herbst, Hilla Dotan and Sina Stöhr
This study aims to investigate whether a team of females negotiates differently than a team of males, and whether (workplace) friendship moderates the relationship between…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate whether a team of females negotiates differently than a team of males, and whether (workplace) friendship moderates the relationship between single-gender team composition and negotiation outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used two laboratory studies and paired 216 MBA students into single-gender teams of friends and non-friends, and then engaged them in several dyadic multi-issue negotiations.
Findings
The results show that on average, male teams of non-friends reached significantly better outcomes than female teams of non-friends. However, and interestingly, female teams of friends perform equally to male teams of friends.
Research limitations/implications
The authors contribute both to the negotiations and the workplace friendship literature because very little research has examined negotiation among friends at work and in particular team negotiations. In addition, the authors also contribute to the literature on gender differences in negotiations because existing research has rarely examined the differences between all-male and all-female teams and especially the relationship between same-sex teams and their effects on negotiation outcomes.
Practical implications
This research has clear implications to managers with regard to team composition. Specifically, a winning all-female team should not be changed!
Originality/value
This is the first study to examine the relationship between workplace friendship, gender and negotiation outcomes.
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Large numbers of older workers are remaining in the global workforce, raising questions concerning age-related differences in perception and behavior. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Large numbers of older workers are remaining in the global workforce, raising questions concerning age-related differences in perception and behavior. The purpose of this paper is to examine the interplay between employee age, gender and ethnicity on benevolence perceptions of new co-workers.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained through scenario methods from a sample of 215 full-time, team-based employees across nine North American business organizations. Participants evaluated three provocative scenarios depicting initial meetings with new colleagues.
Findings
Workers of greater age perceived significantly less benevolence in all three scenarios. In evaluating a new boss, women perceived lower benevolence than men, and gender moderated the relationship between age and perceived benevolence, where aging was associated with significantly lower levels of perceived benevolence only among men.
Research limitations/implications
Deeper understandings are needed concerning the behavioral and cognitive mechanisms related to age and workplace perceptions.
Practical implications
Older employees, guided by experience, are skeptical of the intentions of a wide variety of newly acquainted colleagues, signaling organizational leaders to customize behaviors and develop programs to encourage awareness and positive relationships across age- and gender-diverse employee groups.
Originality/value
This research uniquely explores age influences, and interactions with gender and ethnicity, on benevolence perceptions of diverse new coworkers. The results are robust, considering that age was related to lower benevolence perception across three disparate scenario interpretations.
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Alessandra Lazazzara and Maria Cristina Bombelli
The purpose of this paper is to explore ageing trends and age stereotypes about older workers, focusing primarily on the Italian employment context.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore ageing trends and age stereotypes about older workers, focusing primarily on the Italian employment context.
Design/methodology/approach
Beginning from a review of the literature on ageing, the paper: outlines ageing trends and discriminatory behaviours against older workers in Italy; identifies patterns in the age discrimination phenomenon based on organisational characteristics; describes training‐based good practices for enhancing the employability of older workers, as implemented by an Italian energy company; presents a range of best practices for age management.
Findings
Despite trends towards an ageing general population and an ageing workforce, there is overwhelming evidence of age discrimination against older workers. This paper reports that the age at which workers may be considered “old” is not clearly defined in the literature and that age discrimination does not follow the same pattern across work contexts. In particular, both organisational characteristics and the particular position held by the employee influence discriminatory behaviour towards older workers on the part of employers. Furthermore, although older workers enjoy fewer training opportunities, training is the most widespread policy for dealing with age discrimination.
Practical implications
This paper points up important implications for human resource professionals and employers with regard to how to optimize an ageing workforce scenario.
Originality/value
The paper provides an in‐depth overview of ageing trends within Italian society and culture and outlines the possible implications for both older workers and organisations.
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This paper seeks to explore how organizations might create flexible work programs to attract and retain older workers.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to explore how organizations might create flexible work programs to attract and retain older workers.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the literature on aging and work, the paper identifies an incoming HR challenge (leveraging an aging workforce), focuses on a strategy (designing flexible work programs) and reviews some innovative programs in Europe and North America.
Findings
The paper identifies three lessons. The first is to adopt a portfolio approach, which means to combine and integrate diverse dimensions of work flexibility (work schedule, number of hours worked and so on). The second is to offer flexible work options to retired employees. The third is to align flexible work opportunities with pension scheme options.
Originality/value
Labor market experts predict a steady increase in the number of older workers who will extend their work life or work during retirement. A number of surveys, in turn, report that people are more likely to seek flexible work options as they age. The paper provides practical advice that will help organizations to prepare for the demographic changes coming and to develop effective flexible work programs for older employees.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore how negotiation teams can rely on social networks to enhance their performance at the table.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how negotiation teams can rely on social networks to enhance their performance at the table.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper examines the impact of social relations on team performance in the negotiation task. It conducts a selective review and integration of negotiation, small group and social network research.
Findings
The paper's main argument is that teams can rely on social relations to locate and get hold of resources that will augment their ability to manage the bargaining process. To tap into the value of social networks, teams need to look beyond their internal processes and develop strategies that actively manage their environment. The paper examines three such strategies: membership change, knowledge acquisition, and ambassadorial activity.
Originality/value
The paper outlines a relational approach to team negotiation. This approach has the potential to improve team negotiation practice by opening up a new way to design and manage negotiation teams.