PeopleShareNet Pilot Workshops

1
Under the Impact of Demographic Change
Revisiting Strategic Theories for a Competitive
Workforce
Sven Voelpel International University Bremen
Christoph K. Streb International University Bremen
Marius Leibold University of Stellenbosch
Handout for 66th Academy of Management Annual
Meeting 2006 Critical Management Studies
Research Workshop Managing the Aging Workforce
Leadership Towards a New Weltanschauung August
11, 2006
2
Research Goal
In this article we aim to analyse and identify
German automotive companies dominating strategic
mindset with regards to the challenges that might
arise from an aging workforce.() Using
qualitative methods, we analyse how organizations
in this economic environment and industry
perceive, analyse and manage the aging workforce.
It is our ultimate goal to deduce implications
for the development of an appropriate strategic
model for coping with the challenges resulting
from the aging of the workforce.
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Research Approach
Qualitative Case Study Research (Yin, 2003)
Semi- Structured Interviews N19
Participant Observation
Sample Focus on German Automotive Industry N10
Triangulation and Matrix Technique
Model Building
4
Sample
5
Key Research Questions (Examples)

• Is the company affected by the demographic
  alteration?
• If yes, how?
• In which dimensions (e.g. knowledge or
  physical)?
• Who is aware of this topic?
• Who is handling the topic?
• What are the related key-issues and tools?
• Who/What are the key drivers/hurdles in the
  process?
• Is there a long-term strategy? What is the
  strategic goal?
• What is the general perception of older
  employees?
• What is the status of your efforts?

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Research Findings
7
Deductions I
1. In Germany there is a broad awareness of the
topic
2. Small and/or handcrafting manufactures seem
to have less concerns, if any
3. The approaches followed by large manufactures
are quite homogeneous
4. Within the automotive industry there is a high
emphasis on the physical dimension of aging
8
Deductions II
5. Top executives no longer regard aging as a
focus
6. Most companies dealing with the topic have
already completed the analysis and research
7. Nevertheless, the aging workforce has been
insufficiently operationalized
8. The focus is the implementation of key
measures and the projects to be undertaken
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Discussion

• How can we improve and strengthen our
  methodology?
• How should we set about gathering data?
• How can we validate our data?
• How should we proceed with model building?

10
Under the Impact of Demographic Change
Revisiting Strategic Theories for a Competitive
Workforce
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