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Ageing Workforces and Challenges to Human Resource Management in German Firms

In: Human Resource Management in Ageing Societies

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  • Uschi Backes-Gellner
  • Stephan Veen

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the main challenges imposed by demographic change on the human resource management (HRM) policies of German companies. Although many more aspects of business are affected by demographic change, such as changes in consumption or in savings and investment and therefore in capital costs, we concentrate on changes in personnel policies prompted by an ageing workforce. We cover a wide range of HRM policies, starting with recruitment problems, moving on to training issues, wages and incentives, and end with problems concerning innovation and technological change.

Suggested Citation

  • Uschi Backes-Gellner & Stephan Veen, 2008. "Ageing Workforces and Challenges to Human Resource Management in German Firms," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Harald Conrad & Viktoria Heindorf & Franz Waldenberger (ed.), Human Resource Management in Ageing Societies, chapter 2, pages 13-28, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-58275-0_2
    DOI: 10.1057/9780230582750_2
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    1. Benoit Dostie, 2011. "Wages, Productivity and Aging," De Economist, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 139-158, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Simone N. Tuor Sartore & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2012. "Educational diversity and individual pay: The advantages of combining academic and VET graduates in the workplace," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0078, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised Nov 2020.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human Resource Management; Demographic Change; Ageing Society; Personnel Policy; Ageing Workforce;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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