Dissertation_Paula Aleksandrowicz_12 ... - Jacobs University
Dissertation_Paula Aleksandrowicz_12 ... - Jacobs University Dissertation_Paula Aleksandrowicz_12 ... - Jacobs University
fulfilled the Stockholm criteria, there will be fewer barriers to a continuance of the reversal of the early exit trend than in Poland. 8 Adapted to my study, the path dependence thesis entails that institutional regulations on old-age pensions, disability pensions and labour market policies in both countries proceed on a certain path and have created beneficiaries which renders a dismantling of those policies difficult. However, as Germany has for a longer time made endeavours to reverse the early exit trend (first starting in 1992, which was however counterbalanced by the introduction of ATZ), and as it has already reached the Stockholm target, I assume that it will be easier for Germany to proceed on that path further than it will be for Poland, which has not yet made much progress towards that target. The second part of the hypothesis (regarding personnel policy) is based on the neoclassical labour market theory and the concept of alternative roles, which postulate particular employment problems of older workers (see section 2.2.). Moreover, literature shows that companies with a higher percentage of older workers consider them as more capable than younger workers (Bellmann et al. 2003: 143). Possibly, once the firm has learnt to deploy older workers in line with their capacities and generates positive returns this way, it continues on that track. Operationalisation: Based on the results of my analysis of developments at institutional and at organisational level, I will provide an outlook into the future. The first part of the hypothesis will be supported if two conditions are fulfilled: 1) For both countries, there will be the more institutional inhibitors than facilitators to the prolongation of working life, and 2) Germany will have more facilitators than inhibitors than Poland. The second part of the hypothesis will be supported on condition that the personnel policy of Polish and German firms does not allow a prolongation of working life, but the position of older workers in that respect is better in German firms. Besides of formal institutions (the industrial relations system, labour market laws and related benefits, pension policy laws and benefits, legalised rules in general), informal institutions play a role in the framework of early exit. Those are - expectations and interests of employees, subcontractors, customers, financiers, the society in whole, social partners (Walgenbach 1998), 8 The hypotheses are not numbered in chronological order but in an order following the original conceptualisation. 15
- retirement ages/age limits (Kohli 1988; Rosenow/Naschold 1994: 263), - life styles pursued by persons in pre-retirement age, which depend on national settings, the economic situation and health status (Szatur-Jaworska 2006: 61ff), - opinions on what life style is appropriate and feasible for an older person (disengagement vs. activity theory), - social norms – early exit has been accepted by workers and employers as a right or normality (Casey 1998: 20-21) and related retirement preferences, - practices and unwritten norms of action (e.g. norms of ´socially acceptable´ labour shedding meaning that persons with alternative income sources are selected, social pressure by co-workers to make room for the young), - cultural norms (e.g. economic culture, work ethos). Those informal institutions can be viewed as cultural factors. Sorge (2004) relates culture to a “mental program” and institutions to “system characteristics” (ibid: 121). Other authors do not draw dividing lines between culture and institutions (e.g. Heidenreich 1991). In my work, I will take into consideration informal institutions as explanatory variables by recurrence to literature, as they are hard to grasp and would require additional, more focused qualitative or quantitative anal. 2.2. Explanations at Company Level The push thesis studies early retirement under the aspect of the exclusionary mechanisms of the labour market. It argues that older workers are pushed out of the labour market either by structural factors (globalisation, demographic change, unemployment; Rosenow/Naschold 1994: 33) or by factors inherent in the employment relationship. Ebbinghaus (2002) singles out age-related health impairments, discrimination against older and disabled persons in hiring, training and firing, unemployment, social pressure by peer groups, corporate and financial governance, sectoral changes, production systems and legislative protection systems of older workers as relevant push factors. While economic analyses mostly centre on pull factors and stress the voluntary character of early exit, sociological analyses point to push factors and the coerced mode of early exit (Wurm et al. 2007: 49ff). In her analysis of the possible effects of pension reforms and labour market reforms on activity rates of the 55-64-year-olds in EU-15, Norway, Switzerland, Baltic countries and CEEC, Kotowska (2003: 31) pointed out that reforms which aim at prolonging working lives and reforms which aim at better working conditions and job prospects for older 16
- Page 1 and 2: Chances and Barriers for the Prolon
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- retirement ages/age limits (Kohli 1988; Rosenow/Naschold 1994: 263),<br />
- life styles pursued by persons in pre-retirement age, which depend on national settings,<br />
the economic situation and health status (Szatur-Jaworska 2006: 61ff),<br />
- opinions on what life style is appropriate and feasible for an older person<br />
(disengagement vs. activity theory),<br />
- social norms – early exit has been accepted by workers and employers as a right or<br />
normality (Casey 1998: 20-21) and related retirement preferences,<br />
- practices and unwritten norms of action (e.g. norms of ´socially acceptable´ labour<br />
shedding meaning that persons with alternative income sources are selected, social<br />
pressure by co-workers to make room for the young),<br />
- cultural norms (e.g. economic culture, work ethos).<br />
Those informal institutions can be viewed as cultural factors. Sorge (2004) relates<br />
culture to a “mental program” and institutions to “system characteristics” (ibid: <strong>12</strong>1). Other<br />
authors do not draw dividing lines between culture and institutions (e.g. Heidenreich 1991).<br />
In my work, I will take into consideration informal institutions as explanatory variables<br />
by recurrence to literature, as they are hard to grasp and would require additional, more<br />
focused qualitative or quantitative anal.<br />
2.2. Explanations at Company Level<br />
The push thesis studies early retirement under the aspect of the exclusionary<br />
mechanisms of the labour market. It argues that older workers are pushed out of the labour<br />
market either by structural factors (globalisation, demographic change, unemployment;<br />
Rosenow/Naschold 1994: 33) or by factors inherent in the employment relationship.<br />
Ebbinghaus (2002) singles out age-related health impairments, discrimination against older<br />
and disabled persons in hiring, training and firing, unemployment, social pressure by peer<br />
groups, corporate and financial governance, sectoral changes, production systems and<br />
legislative protection systems of older workers as relevant push factors. While economic<br />
analyses mostly centre on pull factors and stress the voluntary character of early exit,<br />
sociological analyses point to push factors and the coerced mode of early exit (Wurm et al.<br />
2007: 49ff).<br />
In her analysis of the possible effects of pension reforms and labour market reforms on<br />
activity rates of the 55-64-year-olds in EU-15, Norway, Switzerland, Baltic countries and<br />
CEEC, Kotowska (2003: 31) pointed out that reforms which aim at prolonging working<br />
lives and reforms which aim at better working conditions and job prospects for older<br />
16
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