Les choix managériaux de gestion des ressources humaines «âgées». Une approche comparative

Managerial choices and ageing of human recourses. A comparative approach. When talking about retaining or retiring “elder” human resources in firms, from the viewpoint of business the choice of the theoretical interpretation seems sensible as it involves numerous parameters that are closely related to transfer of knowledge, optimal utilization of abilities and performance criterion, all of them representing important ingredients of a potential competitive advantage. Hence, from an epistemological point of view, the choice of an explanatory theory is also sensible, as the author is quite convinced that the divisions in the scientific-research community and consequently narrow-mindedness of academic approaches impede a productive understanding of relations1 and the managerial engineering of choices. Thus the article deals with the way managerial choices are made on a number of institutional arrangements that occur upon several internal and external factors such as regulations, laws, collective agreements, flexibility and mobility arrangements, ergonomics and individual career planning, at the firm level within specific geographical boundaries, affecting both “aged” workers and the firm.