Putting successful aging into context
In their excellent article, Kooij et al. (2020) introduce a self-regulatory model of successful aging at work. Their approach defines successful aging as “the proactive maintenance of, or adaptive recovery (from decline) to, high levels of ability and motivation to continue working among older wo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2020
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/CE170100005 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80761 |
| _version_ | 1848764267943165952 |
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| author | Petery, Gigi Iles, Lucinda Parker, Sharon |
| author_facet | Petery, Gigi Iles, Lucinda Parker, Sharon |
| author_sort | Petery, Gigi |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In their excellent article, Kooij et al. (2020) introduce a self-regulatory model of
successful aging at work. Their approach defines successful aging as “the proactive
maintenance of, or adaptive recovery (from decline) to, high levels of ability and motivation
to continue working among older workers” (p. 14). Their model proposes that personenvironment
fit (P-F fit) is a proximal determinant of successful aging. When misfit occurs or
is anticipated, individuals engage in a self-regulation process of proactive or adaptive goal
engagement and disengagement strategies to restore or maintain P-E fit. Although they
identify contextual factors, such as age bias and meso-level (job, team and organizational)
factors, as antecedents of P-E fit and as catalysts for the self-regulation process, the model
assumes these factors have their effects via individual processes. We believe this approach
over-emphasises the role of individuals (i.e., the ‘person’), and understates the role of context
(i.e., the ‘environment’), in achieving and maintaining P-E fit.
In this article, we propose several modifications to the process model of successful
aging at work (see Figure 1). We draw on Johns’ (2006) review of the role of context on
organizational behaviour to describe the way environmental factors facilitate or constrain
successful aging at work. First, we identify opportunity as a proximal determinant of
successful aging at work (Path A in Figure 1) that explains the direct effects of context.
Second, we argue that contextual factors (age bias and meso-level factors1) can moderate the
misfit-self-regulation-fit process described in the model (Paths B1 to B3 in Figure 1). Finally,
we use our proposed expanded model to suggest strategies that organizations can use to
enhance employees’ successful aging at work. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:16:39Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-80761 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:16:39Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-807612024-12-06T01:51:13Z Putting successful aging into context Petery, Gigi Iles, Lucinda Parker, Sharon In their excellent article, Kooij et al. (2020) introduce a self-regulatory model of successful aging at work. Their approach defines successful aging as “the proactive maintenance of, or adaptive recovery (from decline) to, high levels of ability and motivation to continue working among older workers” (p. 14). Their model proposes that personenvironment fit (P-F fit) is a proximal determinant of successful aging. When misfit occurs or is anticipated, individuals engage in a self-regulation process of proactive or adaptive goal engagement and disengagement strategies to restore or maintain P-E fit. Although they identify contextual factors, such as age bias and meso-level (job, team and organizational) factors, as antecedents of P-E fit and as catalysts for the self-regulation process, the model assumes these factors have their effects via individual processes. We believe this approach over-emphasises the role of individuals (i.e., the ‘person’), and understates the role of context (i.e., the ‘environment’), in achieving and maintaining P-E fit. In this article, we propose several modifications to the process model of successful aging at work (see Figure 1). We draw on Johns’ (2006) review of the role of context on organizational behaviour to describe the way environmental factors facilitate or constrain successful aging at work. First, we identify opportunity as a proximal determinant of successful aging at work (Path A in Figure 1) that explains the direct effects of context. Second, we argue that contextual factors (age bias and meso-level factors1) can moderate the misfit-self-regulation-fit process described in the model (Paths B1 to B3 in Figure 1). Finally, we use our proposed expanded model to suggest strategies that organizations can use to enhance employees’ successful aging at work. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80761 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/CE170100005 Cambridge University Press fulltext fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Petery, Gigi Iles, Lucinda Parker, Sharon Putting successful aging into context |
| title | Putting successful aging into context |
| title_full | Putting successful aging into context |
| title_fullStr | Putting successful aging into context |
| title_full_unstemmed | Putting successful aging into context |
| title_short | Putting successful aging into context |
| title_sort | putting successful aging into context |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/CE170100005 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/80761 |