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PublicationExpanding Insights on the Diversity Climate-Performance Link : The Role of Work Group Discrimination and Group Size(Wiley, 2014-05)
Scopus© Citations 64 -
PublicationSpotlight on age diversity climate: The impact of age-inclusive HR-practices on firm level outcomesThis study investigates the emergence and the performance effects of an age-diversity climate at the organizational level of analysis. Building upon Kopelman and colleagues' (Kopelman, Brief, & Guzzo, 1990) climate model of firm productivity as well as Cox's (1994) interactional model of cultural diversity, we hypothesize a positive influence of age-inclusive HR practices on the development of an organization-wide age-diversity climate, which in turn should be directly related to collective perceptions of social exchange and indirectly to firm performance and employees' collective turnover intentions. The assumed relationships are tested in a sample of 93 German small and medium-sized companies with 14,260 employees participating. To circumvent common source problems, information for the various constructs was gathered from 6 different sources. To test our assumed relationships, we applied structural equation modeling and executed bootstrapping procedures to test the significance of the indirect effects. We received support for all assumed relationships. The paper concludes with practical recommendations on how to establish and make use of a positive age-diversity climate.
Scopus© Citations 230 -
PublicationAge, resistance to change, and job performance : Testing for a common stereotypePurpose - In light of the increasingly aging workforce, it is interesting from both a theoretical and practical perspective to empirically investigate the commonly held stereotype that older workers are more resistant to change (RTC). Thus, the main purpose of this paper is to investigate the age/RTC relationship, considering tenure and occupational status (blue-/white-collar employees) as additional boundary conditions. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between RTC and individual performance, thereby introducing RTC as a mediator in the age/job performance relationship. Design/methodology/approach - Study hypotheses are tested among a sample of 2,981 employees from diverse companies. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping procedures is applied to investigate the moderated-indirect model. Findings - Contrary to common stereotypes, employees' age is negatively related to RTC. Tenure and occupational status are further identified as boundary conditions for this relationship. Moreover, RTC also shows an association with individual job performance, which allows for the establishment of an indirect-mediation mechanism from age to job performance via the intermediation of RTC. These results can be explained using current life span concepts, particularly the Selective Optimization with Compensation (SOC) model. Research limitations/implications - Hypotheses were tested in a cross-sectional data set, which does not allow for conclusions of causality. Originality/value - This study contributes to the age stereotyping literature that has thus far neglected the age/RTC relationship. Furthermore, the age/job performance literature is extended by introducing RTC as an important mediating factor. In sum, this study should help provide a more positive and more differentiated picture of older employees in the workplace.Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 79 -
PublicationOrganizational Performance Consequences of Age Diversity: Inspecting the Role of diversity-friendly HR Policies and Top managers' Negative Age StereotypesThis paper seeks to advance the diversity literature by investigating organizational performance consequences of age diversity. Drawing from social-identity and social-categorization theory, we theoretically argue that, in age-diverse companies, age-based subgrouping processes occur, favoring a shared perception of a negative age-discrimination climate. This perceived negative age-discrimination climate in turn negatively relates to organizational performance. As main contribution, top managers' negative age-related stereotypes and diversity-friendly HR policies are introduced as organizational-level moderators that increase and attenuate, respectively, the social categorization processes affecting performance in age-diverse companies. We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed hypotheses using a multisource data set comprising 147 companies. The results supported all hypotheses, indicating that low negative top managers' age stereotypes as well as high diversity-friendly HR policies are potential organizational factors that can prevent the negative relation of age diversity with organizational performance transmitted through the negative age-discrimination climate. These results are discussed in light of their contribution to the diversity literature and social-categorization theory as well as their implication for practitioners.
Scopus© Citations 131 -
PublicationOrganizational Boundary Conditions to Prevent Negative Performance Consequences of Age DiversityThis paper seeks to advance the diversity literature by investigating organizational performance consequences of age diversity. Drawing from social-identity and social-categorization theory, we propose that age diversity indirectly relates negatively to company performance through the intermediation of the perceived age-discrimination climate. As main contribution, top managers' age stereotypes and organizational efforts to support diversity are introduced as organizational-level moderators of the indirect age diversity/company performance relationship. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the moderated-indirect hypotheses using a multisource data set comprising 63 companies with 17,439 employees. The results supported all hypotheses, indicating that low top managers' age stereotypes and high organizational efforts to support diversity are potential buffering factors that can inhibit the indirect negative effect of age diversity on performance within an organization. These results are discussed in light of their contribution to the diversity literature as well as their implication for practitioners.Type:Journal:Volume:
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Scopus© Citations 287 -
PublicationAge, Resistance to Change, and Job Performance: Testing for A Common StereotypeThe article discusses evidence on the relationship between employees' age and their resistance to change. It considers organizational tenure and occupational status as potential moderators in explaining the age/resistance to change association. Resistance to change is introduced as a potential mediator in the age/job performance relationship. A negative linkage between age and individual resistance to change is observed, which suggests that some younger employees were more resistant to change than older workers. Having a longer organizational tenure and being a blue collar worker are also identified as positive boundary conditions for the relationship between age and resistance to change.Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 4 -
PublicationAge diversity, age discrimination, and performance consequences - A cross organizational studyThe article presents the results of research on the relationship between age diversity in the workplace and corporate performance. It focuses on perceptions of ageism in the workplace. An overview of related previous studies is provided, along with details of the research protocol, which involved a survey of over 18,000 employees and executives. It was found that increased age diversity correlated with higher levels of perceived age-based discrimination. Perceived age discrimination was also negatively correlated with performance.Type:Journal:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 4 -
