Ageism in Work and Employment

Abstract

This collection of papers is derived from an international conference on 'Ageism, work and employment', held at Stirling University, Scotland in July 1996. Ageism is defined for the purpose of this discussion as 'unreasonable prejudice and discrimination based on actual or perceived chronological age'. The collection examines the nature and causes of ageism and age discrimination in work and employment in the UK and, to a lesser extent, in other countries. It also seeks to describe and explore the experience and practice of age discrimination in work and employment, and compare and contrast some of the main solutions proposed within the context of relevant economic, political and social trends. The main focus is on the effects of ageism on older employees and job seekers. The papers are: Introduction: the challenge of longer and healthier lives / Ian Glover and Mohamed Branine. Part two, 'The problem and its causes', contains the following papers: Ageism, early exit, and the rationality of age-based discrimination / Colin Duncan; 'Do not go gentle into that good night': some thoughts on paternalism, ageism, management and society / Ian Glover and Mohamed Branine; The plateaued: the anatomy of an ageist stereotype / Peter Herriot; Discrimination by age: the organizational response / Ann E. McGoldrick and James Arrowsmith; Is retirement sustainable? / Philip H. Bowers; Ageism without frontiers / Ian Glover. Part three, 'The experience and practice of age discrimination in employment', contains: Ageism in retailing: myth or reality? / Adelina Broadbridge; Ageism, young academics and the buffalo stance / Karen Rodham; Ageism and arm's length management: the voice of experience / David Jenkins interviewed by Ian Glover; Anti-ageist legislation: the Australian experience / Jenny Hamilton; Old enough to know better: age stereotypes in New Zealand / Darren J. Smith; Ageism and the work in the EU: a comparative review of corporate innovation and practice / David Parsons and Lesley Mayne; Ageism in the 'Quarter Acre, Pavlova Paradise' - will she be right? / Graham Elkin. Part four, 'Remedies and prospects', contains: Older workers and the cult of youth: ageism in public policy / Philip Taylor; Fitness for work: the effects of ageing and the benefits of exercise / Alan Nichols and Wendy Evangelisti; Ageism and unemployment: practical remedies from secondment programmes in small and medium-sized enterprises / Colin Bottomley; Managing the third age workforce: a review and agenda for research / Christine Tillsley and Philip Taylor. Part four, 'Conclusion', contains: Therefore get wisdom / Ian Glover and Mohamed Branine.