Barriers to intergenerational learning: a case of a workplace in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine barriers to intergenerational learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design is phenomenological, which is a qualitative research method. The study was carried out in a large-scale production facility in the Central District of Kocaeli, Turkey, and the study group of the research consists of 61 participants determined using the maximum diversity technique, one of the purposeful sampling techniques. Significant attention was paid to the examination of employees from all levels and every generation within the hierarchical structure of the company while selecting the working groups for the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and content analysis method was applied in the analysis of the data. Participants were questioned about barriers to their prejudices.

Findings

As a result of the research, it was observed that barriers “to being a leader for intergenerational learning” were gathered under three distinct themes: personal factors, relational factors and managerial factors. The most frequently stated subthemes of these were: “seeing knowledge and experience as a power” and “lack of job commitment and motivation” under personal factors, “communication problems” under relational factors and “insufficient support or not being supported or encouraged by management” under managerial factors.

Originality/value

This study should be of interest to researchers interested in educational organization use of barriers to intergenerational learning: a case of a workplace in Turkey, use of intergenerational learning by organization and management.

Citation

Polat, S. and Yılmaz, Y. (2020), "Barriers to intergenerational learning: a case of a workplace in Turkey", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 41 No. 3, pp. 431-447. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-07-2019-0330