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Call for Papers

Professional Development Workshop

Symposium on Understanding Shifting Career Expectations, Experiences, and Values

Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management

Chicago, Aug 7-11, 2009

Organizers:

Sean Lyons (U. Guelph)

Eddy Ng (California State Polytechnic U., Pomona)

Linda Schweitzer (Carleton U.)

Abstract

There is a great deal of writing to suggest that different generations such as "Baby Boomers," "Generation Xers" and "Millennials" hold different values with respect to their working and personal lives, have different attitudes toward their jobs, careers, and organizations, and have different expectations with respect to their career paths and success.  Current North American demographics have created a unique historical phenomenon in which a large cohort of employees (i.e., post war Baby Boomers) are nearing retirement and a new cadre of younger workers are being recruited to replace them.  The rapid changes in social, technological, and historical events have led to very distinct cultural identities amongst the generations.  This has created a crisis in organizations, as they strive to recruit and retain younger workers who hold significantly different views in terms of values, attitudes, and expectations from the generation of workers that preceded them.

The purpose of this symposium is to explore the different values, attitudes, expectations and experiences among different generations of workers.  We invite papers and presenters that address the generational differences on a wide range of issues such as, but not limited to: career paths and changing career patterns, career choice, generational awareness, knowledge transfer and knowledge workers, and overall implications for HRM and organizational effectiveness.  This project is funded by a Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Grant (SSHRC).

We will require a 2-3 page abstract of your paper or presentation for submission to the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management in Chicago.  Submission deadline: December 15, 2008.

If require additional information, please contact: Ed Ng at esng@csupomona.edu