Age and influence tactics: a life-stage development theory perspective

Abstract

This article provides a life-stage development theory perspective that is used to examine the relationship between age and the motivation to use influence tactics in work organizations. It examines how life-stage development sometimes encourages, and at other times discourages, the propensity to use influence tactics in a workplace. Thus, this article examines the quantitative, more versus less, use of influence tactics, rather than looking at specific tactics used as one grows older. Also, the work setting is extended to include both traditional organizations and distributed work environments. Research propositions, implications for practice and directions for future work are also discussed.

Keywords::

• age
• distributed work
• influence tactics
• life-stage development theory
• virtual work