SummaryDrawing on the perceived organizational membership theoretical framework and the groupvalue justice model, we developed and tested a model predicting older workers' intention to remain with their organization. We hypothesized that human resource practices targeted to older workers would be related to perceived insider status through how older workers perceived their supervisor managed these practices (perceived procedural and interpersonal justice). We also hypothesized that perceived insider status would mediate the relationship between perceived contribution and intention to remain. We conducted two studies to test the hypothesized model. Study 1 participants (N ¼ 236) were a diverse group of older workers and Study 2 participants (N ¼ 420) were older registered nurses. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for the hypothesized model. All of the hypothesized relationships were significant in Study 2 and all except one were significant in Study 1. Older workers will want to remain a member of their organization when their organization engages in practices tailored to the needs of older workers, their supervisor implements these practices fairly, and their organization conveys that it values the contribution of its older workers thereby fostering a strong sense of belonging.

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SummaryUsing a symbolic interactionist methodology, the diverse meanings assigned by employees to wireless handheld technology are investigated. Interviews were conducted with 11 individuals representing three organizations in the public and private sector enhancing our understanding of technology use within an organizational context. Wireless technology practices are examined as they relate to aspects of self-identity, that is, the imaged self, the relational self, the integrated self and the isolated self. Individuals were able to fit the technology into their work and personal roles, and at the same time, adjusted these roles to fit new expectations arising from the technology. Innovative ways of using the technology were shaped by individual needs as users adapted their message contexts, social etiquette, self-impressions, and ways of doing business. A need to self-regulate emerged with high expectations of availability and the blurring of multiple work and personal roles.

We examine organizational ingenuity within the paradox of embedded agency where organizational stakeholders are constrained in their behaviors by institutions, yet also influence and change these institutions. In this study organizational ingenuity represents the agency component and institutional constraints the embedded component. We build theory about ingenuity from a four-year case study of the embryonic Ontario solar industry. There were two major institutional constraints, limited grid access and political uncertainty. These led to four ingenuity strategies that emerged at different times and levels of analysis that challenged, complied with, or escaped the constraints. We combine these findings to develop a process model of the emergence of ingenuity in this embryonic industry. Lastly, we find that extending legitimacy to an ingenuity strategy is necessary for its success.

PurposeThis study aims to test a model of the relationships among older workers' propensity to engage in development activities (development orientation), their perceptions of the development opportunities associated with their job (job development climate), their commitment to their organization, and their intention to remain with their organization.Design/methodology/approachSeparate questionnaires were completed by 395 individuals aged 50 to 70, who were in their career job and 195 individuals aged 50 to 70 who were employed in a bridge job. Both questionnaires included measures of development orientation, job development climate, affective commitment and intention to remain as well as individual characteristics and organizational characteristics.FindingsThe findings supported the proposed model in that development orientation was positively related to job development climate which, in turn, was positively related to affective commitment and affective commitment was positively related to intention to remain with the organization. There were both similarities and differences in the patterns of relationships for career‐job and bridge‐job respondents.Research limitations/implicationsThe question of causality cannot be determined because of the cross‐sectional research design.Practical implicationsTo create a supportive development climate and retain older workers, employers need to foster older workers' development orientation and ensure that their work assignments provide opportunities to learn new knowledge and skills.Orginality/valueThere is little empirical research addressing issues related to the development and retention of older workers. No previous studies have investigated both development orientation and job development climate in the context of older workers.

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PurposeIt is ironic that in stressful economic times, when new ideas and positive behaviors could be most valuable, employees may not speak up, leading to reduced employee participation, less organizational learning, less innovation and less receptiveness to change. The supervisor is the organization's first line of defense against a culture of silence and towards a culture of openness. The purpose of this paper is to ask what helps supervisors to hear prosocial voice and notice defensive silence.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a cross‐sectional field study of 142 supervisors.FindingsThe results indicate that prosocial voice is increased by supervisor tension and trust in employees, while defensive silence is increased by supervisor tension but reduced by unionization of employees and trust in employees. This indicates that, as hypothesized by others, voice and silence are orthogonal and not opposites of the same construct.Research limitations/implicationsThe data are measured at one point in time, and further longitudinal study would be helpful to further understand the phenomena.Practical implicationsThis research highlights the potential for supervisors in stressful situations to selectively hear voice and silence from employees.Social implicationsThis research also has implications for supervisors who work in a unionized environment. Although seemingly counter‐intuitive, there is a value to employee unionization in terms of either reducing the level of actual defensive silence, or at least reducing supervisors’ perceptions of defensive silence.Originality/valueThe paper adds to our knowledge of prosocial voice and defensive silence by testing supervisors’ perceptions of these constructs during difficult times. It provides valuable empirical insights to a literature dominated by conceptual non‐empirical papers. Limited research on silence might reflect how difficult it is to study such an ambiguous and passive construct as silence (often simply viewed as a lack of speech). The paper contributes also to trust literature by identifying its role in increasing supervisor's perceptions of prosocial voice and reducing perceptions of defensive silence.

We conducted and analyzed interviews with 20 executives from the for‐profit sector who had transitioned into second careers in the nonprofit sector. Our qualitative study provides an in‐depth analysis of the critical events that triggered career agency and stimulated the change process. At each stage of transition, the executives revisited their personal brands, deciding how to best position their skills, knowledge, and values within the context of their new nonprofit organizations. This research contributes to academic and practitioner knowledge of new career paths open to mid‐ and late‐career executives and insights for nonprofit leadership, as many nonprofits can anticipate major shortages of qualified executives. Each stage in the career transition process provides opportunities for human resource professionals to contribute to successful nonprofit leadership change: first, by creating opportunities for “chance events” motivating transition, followed by career coaching opportunities before and throughout the transition. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.