Cited by 77Job Satisfaction and Organizational BehaviorGenerational Differences and TrendsRetirement, Disability, and Employment

Younger supervisors, older subordinates: An organizational-level study of age differences, emotions, and performance

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Kunze, Florian, Menges, Jochen I.·2017·Journal of Organizational Behavior

Abstract

Younger employees are often promoted into supervisory positions in which they then manage older subordinates. Do companies benefit or suffer when supervisors and subordinates have inverse age differences? In this study, we examine how average age differences between younger supervisors and older subordinates are linked to the emotions that prevail in the workforce, and to company performance. We propose that the average age differences determine how frequently older subordinates and their coworkers experience negative emotions, and that these emotion frequency levels in turn relate to company performance. The indirect relationship between age differences and performance occurs only if subordinates express their feelings toward their supervisor, but the association is neutralized if emotions are suppressed. We find consistent evidence for this theoretical model in a study of 61 companies with multiple respondents. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Crossref · 10.1002/job.2129

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Authors
Kunze, F., & Menges, J. I.
Affiliations
  • University of Konstanz (DE)
  • WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management (DE)
Corresponding author
Kunze, Florian
Venue
Journal of Organizational Behavior
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-09-04
Volume
38
Issue
4
Pages
461-486
ISSN
0894-3796 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2510241773
Cited by
77
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4
FWCI
12.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Organizational Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • KOPS (University of Konstanz) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Life-span and Life-course Studies › Generational Differences and Trends
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Retirement, Disability, and Employment
Keywords
age differences, intergenerational management, negative emotions, emotional expression, emotional suppression, organizational performance, workplace emotions

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