Organizations have been confronting many of the demographic changes occurring in the workforce, such as increasing racial and ethnic diversity along with greater numbers of women workers. The workforce is also rapidly aging, though his demographic shift is only beginning to be addressed by many organizations as a strategic and competitive challenge. As the baby boom generation transitions into retirement, organizations must plan for the replacement of this large and knowledgeable cohort of workers. This article addresses the particular risks and challenges that organizations face in ensuring the transfer of the valuable knowledge that older workers possess before they retire.
That the world's population is aging rapidly is indisputable. There is considerable debate, however, on the impact that this shift will have on individuals, on organizations and on societies, both locally and globally. There is even greater debate over what the most appropriate response should be when confronting this growing challenge. Given the many potential risk factors for organizations as a result of this aging population and workforce, organizations must be proactive and creative in adopting organizational responses to effectively manage, utilize and inspire a growing older workforce.
This article examines the changing nature of employee and labor relations in the United States. A significant shift has occurred in the employee relations environment between the public and private sectors. As union representation in the private sector workforce has steeply declined, there had been a sharp and steady increase in third party representation in the public sector workforce. The reasons for these changes are explored. The article goes beyond the issue of labor relations to the broader issue of positive employee relations in the workplace. Exploring employee relations from a behavioral science perspective, the article describes and discusses the psychological contract as an organizing framework for understanding and achieving positive employee relations in the workplace. The article also draws upon the author's professional human resource experiences in the public and private sectors.
The current political debate on the future and funding of social security and the increasing number of private pension plans at risk of bankruptcy has focused renewed attention on the broader issue of retirement, and of the resulting shifts that will occur in cultural, social, economic, public policy, and organizational practices. The statistics and trends are compelling and persuasive. There is a demographic shift occurring, both in the United States and globally, that must be understood and confronted by public policy makers, organizational leaders, and by the professional human resource community. The impact of this shift has made an awareness and understanding of demographic issues a core competency for the human resource professional. In the absence of this knowledge and perspective of demographics, human resource leaders will be unable to confront strategically the impact of demographic changes both on employees and the organizations they serve.
PurposeThe goal of this paper is to better understand affiliation motivation patterns among students interested in pursuing entrepreneurial/self‐employment careers as compared to students less interested in pursuing entrepreneurial careers.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample included 424 college students enrolled in upper‐division business courses in a public institution in the Mid‐Atlantic region of the USA. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of four dimensions of affiliation motivation on entrepreneurial aspirations.FindingsInterest in entrepreneurial careers was negatively associated with the need for emotional support and positively associated with the need for positive stimulation from other persons. Therefore, persons with entrepreneurial interests enjoy interacting with other people, but they are not emotionally dependent upon them. Neither the need for social comparison nor the need for attention varied as a function of entrepreneurial aspirations.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should distinguish among persons seeking different types of entrepreneurial and self‐employment opportunities, as well as compare business students both to students studying fields other than business and persons established in careers.Practical implicationsKnowledge of persons' affiliation motivation patterns may contribute to effective career counseling and career development.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to greater understanding of the distinguishing characteristics of persons aspiring to be entrepreneurs by assessing four subcategories of affiliation motivation rather than treating it as a one‐dimensional concept.
Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to determine whether Chinese and US students differ in preference for group work (PGW) and whether the factors contributing to PGW differ in the two countries.Design/methodology/approach– The sample included 412 Chinese and 423 US college students who completed a survey measuring cultural values and motives. Hierarchical regression and simple-slope analyses were used to examine main effects and interactions.Findings– Overall, the US and Chinese students did not differ in PGW. Although US men exceeded US women in PGW, no gender difference occurred in China. PGW was positively associated with others focus (concern for what others think) and helping others in both countries, but the association was stronger in China. In China, but not in the USA, PGW was positively associated with extrinsic motivation and need for achievement. Therefore, despite the general acceptance of group work in the USA, participation in groups is not seen as critical in attaining rewards as it is in China.Research limitations/implications– Other populations, including practicing managers, should be studied to better represent the workforce of each country. Also, other variables, including personality traits, may impact PGW.Practical implications– Managers and educators should pay attention to how cultural values and motives of group members vary. Business education should offer more opportunities to increase exposure to cultural differences, including experience working in culturally diverse groups.Originality/value– The study supports some traditional assumptions concerning the impact of culture upon PGW, but also suggests that a global business orientation can mitigate the impact of traditional national cultures.
