ABSTRACT
The way in which the structure of society is changing has placed ageism firmly on the public policy agenda (Employment Department, 1992). Concerns over an ageing population and fewer young people entering the labour market have resulted in some companies modifying their employment policies and practices. The population changes taking place will have considerable impact on the retail industry which has traditionally relied on young people as an important labour source. There have been few academic studies of age discrimination (Laczko and Phillipson, 1991) and relatively few studies specifically examining age in retailing. Those that have addressed this issue (NIESR, 1986; Hogarth and Barth, 1991) have concentrated on shop floor, non-managerial positions. Research into issues regarding age and retail managers is lacking. Using empirical evidence from a survey examining career development within the retail sector, the aim of this chapter is to begin to redress this imbalance.
