Managing knowledge exchange and identification in age diverse teams
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of individual and group-level variables on knowledge exchange and identification in age diverse teams. From a diversity perspective, influences of age-related diversity perceptions and diversity beliefs (level 1) are compared with effects of objective age diversity (level 2). From a management perspective, the paper goes beyond age diversity and investigates the incremental effects of team and individual characteristics from a team learning perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire data of 516 team members and their supervisors in 73 organizational teams were analyzed in a multilevel approach.
Findings
Objective age diversity had a negative effect on knowledge exchange and identification. Beyond that, age-related diversity perceptions and positive diversity beliefs on the individual level predict the effect of objective diversity. Relativizing the impact of diversity, individual characteristics (knowing the team experts, clear understanding of goals) and team characteristics (team climate, time for knowledge exchange) explain the largest proportion of variance in the dependent variables underlining the importance of team learning variables.
Research limitations/implications
Compared to objective diversity, subjective diversity perceptions and diversity beliefs are relevant predictors of processes and attitudes in heterogenic teams.
Practical implications
There are multiple leverages for management strategies beyond the mostly fixed age diversity in teams on the individual and group level.
Originality/value
This paper evaluates the cross-level interplay between objective diversity, perceived subjective diversity and diversity beliefs and revalues the impact of HR-management in age diverse teams.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported in parts by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation and from the Eugen and Elisabeth Schellenberg-Foundation (13DPD3-124662/1; titled “Knowledge transfer in age diverse cooperations: predictors and interventions”). The authors would like to thank Kristin Mock, Margarita Neff-Heinrich, Sigrid Jeske-Wörfel, and Jacqueline Marquardt for personal assistance in preparing the study and manuscript.
Citation
Ellwart, T., Bündgens, S. and Rack, O. (2013), "Managing knowledge exchange and identification in age diverse teams", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 28 No. 7/8, pp. 950-972. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2013-0181
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited