Knowledge transfer in age‐diverse coworker dyads in China and Germany: How and when do age‐inclusive human resource practices have an effect?

• Date: 01 November 2018
• Author: Anne Burmeister,Beatrice Heijden,Jürgen Deller,Jie Yang
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12207
• Published date: 01 November 2018

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Knowledge transfer in age‐diverse coworker dyads

in China and Germany: How and when do age‐

inclusive human resource practices have an effect?

Anne Burmeister

1

|Beatrice van der Heijden

2,3,4

|Jie Yang

5

|

Jürgen Deller

6

1

Institute of Work and Organizational

Psychology, University of Bern, Bern,

Switzerland

2

Institute for Management Research, Radboud

University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

3

Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen,

The Netherlands

4

Kingston University, London, UK

5

Research Center for Innovation and Strategic

Human Resource Management, Jiangxi

University of Finance and Economics,

Nanchang, China

6

Institute of Management & Organization,

Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Lüneburg,

Germany

Correspondence

Jie Yang, Research Center for Innovation and

Strategic Human Resource Management,

Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics,

Yuping West Road 665, Mailu Campus,

Nanchang 330032, China.

Email: yang66@263.net

Funding information

National Natural Science Foundation of China,

Grant/Award Number: 71762013

Abstract

Knowledge transfer between age‐diverse employees is

gaining importance because of demographic change. We

took a relational perspective to examine the indirect effect

of human resource practices on knowledge transfer through

age‐diversity climate in age‐diverse coworker dyads and

contextualised our model by testing country difference

and dyadic age difference as moderators. We used data

from 159 age‐diverse coworker dyads from China and

Germany to test our hypotheses. We found that perceived

age‐inclusive human resource practices were positively

associated with knowledge sharing and receiving through

age‐diversity climate. However, we did not find support

for our hypothesis that these indirect effects differed when

comparing China and Germany as examples of collectivist

and individualist countries. Furthermore, we did not identify

the proposed moderating effects of dyadic age difference as

the indirect effects of age‐inclusive human resource prac-

tices were not significantly different for age‐diverse

coworker dyads in which dyadic age difference was high

(vs. low).

KEYWORDS

age‐diversity climate, age‐inclusive HR practices, dyadic age

difference, knowledge receiving, knowledge sharing

Received: 27 November 2017 Revised: 23 July 2018 Accepted: 24 July 2018

DOI: 10.1111/1748-8583.12207

Hum Resour Manag J. 2018;28:605–620. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltdwileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/hrmj 605

1|INTRODUCTION

Knowledge transfer in age‐diverse coworker dyads refers to the process whereby two employees who belong to dif-

ferent age groups exchange knowledge with each other, for example, via discussion, imitation, and cooperation

(Gerpott, Lehmann‐Willenbrock, & Voelpel, 2017). The topic has recently gained importance because demographic

changes have altered the age composition of workforces (Shultz & Adams, 2007): First, age diversity is increasing,

which means that, in some companies, members of up to four different generations are working side‐by‐side, thus

providing numerous opportunities for interactions between age‐diverse coworkers (King & Bryant, 2017; De

Meulenaere, Boone, & Buyl, 2016). Second, the number of older workers is increasing, requiring organisations to find

ways to retain the valuable knowledge of older workers before they enter retirement (Burmeister & Deller, 2016).

However, while research on ageing in the workplace has been burgeoning (Finkelstein, Kulas, & Dages, 2003),

scholars have only recently begun to examine knowledge transfer in age‐diverse workforces (Burmeister & Deller,

2016). Initial empirical evidence suggests that knowledge transfer between younger and older employees can be

valuable as they can benefit from each other's diverse knowledge (Gerpott et al., 2017; Harvey, 2012). However,

age diversity can also impede knowledge transfer (Williams, 2016) as individuals have a natural tendency to prefer

interactions with peers that are similar to them (Tajfel & Turner, 1986), especially with regard to their

sociodemographic characteristics such as age. Thus, age differences can hamper communication, cooperation, and

knowledge transfer (Ellwart, Bündgens, & Rack, 2013; Lauring & Selmer, 2012). Accordingly, knowledge transfer

among age‐diverse coworkers is a difficult process that needs to be facilitated by organisations.

With our study, we aim to contribute to the current literature in four ways. First, we extend the current

theorising on the mechanisms through which HR practices affect employee behaviour, by building on the relational

perspective of HR practices (Mossholder, Richardson, & Settoon, 2011). We argue that relational climate, more spe-

cifically age‐diversity climate (i.e., shared perceptions of equal treatment of employees from all age groups), explains

the link between age‐inclusive HR practices (i.e., bundles of HR practices aiming to provide equal opportunities for

employees of all age groups with regard to recruiting, training and development, promotion, and managerial support)

and knowledge transfer. Past theorising has primarily employed a social exchange perspective (Blau, 1964) to under-

stand effects of HR practices on employee behaviour (e.g., Allen, Shore, & Griffeth, 2003). Moving beyond current

theorising, we suggest that a context‐specific relational climate (here: age‐diversity climate) that is initiated by HR

systems (Miles & Snow, 1984) can facilitate coworker‐directed behaviour, such as knowledge transfer.

Second, we extend the relational perspective of HR practices (Mossholder et al., 2011) to the dyadic level by

studying age‐diverse coworker dyads. Focusing on the dyadic level is particularly relevant becauseknowledge trans-

fer is a dyadic and relational process (Connelly, Zweig, Webster, & Trougakos, 2012). In situating our study at the

dyadic level of analysis, we focus on the effect of mutually perceived HR practices (Kaše, Paauwe, & Zupan, 2009)

rather than intended or implemented HR practices at the organisational or unit level (Nishii & Wright, 2007; Wright

& Nishii, 2007). Focusing on the effect of mutually perceived HR practices is particularly useful when studying rela-

tional outcomes, such as knowledge transfer behaviour, because such behaviour is more likely to be driven by the

joint experience of one's shared organisational environment (Kaše et al., 2009).

Third, we attempt to contribute to cross‐cultural research on human resource management (HRM), by taking into

account plausible country‐level differences between China and Germany, as two exemplary countries of more collec-

tivist and individualist countries, respectively. In more individualist countries, such as Germany, compared to more

collectivist countries, such as China (Hofstede, 1980; House, Javidan, Hanges, & Dorfman, 2002), individuals value

independence rather than community, are motivated by pursuing their individual goals, and engage in a cost–benefit

analysis before interacting with others (Triandis, 1995). These country differences may be important for shaping

knowledge transfer as an extra‐role behaviour that requires employees to invest time and effort above and beyond

their normal work duties to benefit others (e.g., coworkers or one's work group) by making their valuable knowledge

available (Cabrera & Cabrera, 2002; Kwok & Gao, 2016). The effect of cultural differences can be examined at the

country level or the individual level of analysis (Hofstede, 1980). We focused on the country level of analysis because

606 BURMEISTER ET AL.