Aging and Work Organizations

Business firms are an integral part of the age stratification structure of society. Although the age structures of people and roles within the organization are dynamic, these structures yield a fairly stable strata in which norms exist to suggest the various roles expected of certain persons. Those...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Schrank, Harris T, Waring, Joan M
Format Report
LanguageEnglish
Published 1981
Subjects
Age Differences
Age Groups
Aging (Individuals)
Career Ladders
Employment
Labor Force Development
Occupational Mobility
Older Adults
Organizations (Groups)
Personnel
Role Perception
State of the Art Reviews
Vertical Organization
White House Conference on Aging
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Summary:Business firms are an integral part of the age stratification structure of society. Although the age structures of people and roles within the organization are dynamic, these structures yield a fairly stable strata in which norms exist to suggest the various roles expected of certain persons. Those in roles with greater financial rewards, power, and prestige tend to be older. This is true, not only because age suggests knowledge and experience, but also because such a system provides motivation for younger workers to improve performances and stay with one company. Furthermore, older members in the top ranks also ensure turnover in the top ranks. Several organizational practices, such as career paths, serve to maintain the age stratification system. Three observations can be made about formal organizations and the aging process, i.e.,: (1) several kinds of individual aging take place within an organization; (2) aging is a form of automatic mobility; and (3) work organizations need a continual replenishment of the ranks in order to survive. The study of the aging individual cohort and of the succession of cohorts is needed to further the understanding of organizational processes and aging. (NRB)