Margaret Richardson

‘Getting on’: older New Zealanders’ perceptions of computing

This article explores older New Zealanders’ perceptions of the barriers to, benefits and negative consequences of computer-based information and communication technologies (ICTs) through the analysis of focus group discussions involving 98 respondents. Older people engage with computers in a context constituted by discourses positioning them as declining in the ability to learn skills such as computing, but creating a burden on society if they do not. In this paradoxical context, participants identified emotional and material barriers, as well as benefits and negative consequences to computer use that are shaped by age and gender. Significant gaps between the New Zealand Government’s identification of the benefits of computing for older people and the benefits identified by older people themselves are highlighted. The article argues for the need for a more balanced approach acknowledging potential negative consequences, promoting the ‘people-centred’ benefits of computer use over and above the national economic benefits emphasized in the government’s drive to encourage older people’s uptake of computer-based ICTs.

A job, a dream or a trap? Multiple meanings for encore careers:

Governments and activists are interested in the ageing workforce, as both a problem and, potentially, an asset. Terms such as ‘positive ageing’ and ‘successful ageing’ are increasingly used rhetorically to (re)frame the working lives of elders, and demand careful examination. A recent entry in the discursive re-construction of work in later life is ‘encore careers’, which highlights retirement as a time when individuals choose to use their wealth of experience, engaging in work that matters and makes meaningful contributions to society. This article reports on a study that used a multiple perspectives approach to analyse the discourse of elders engaged in encore careers and managers who work with them.

Older People and New Communication Technologies Narratives from the Literature

The chapter reviews the literature on older people and new communication technologies, focusing particularly on their experiences with personal computers and the Internet. The review covers the scholarly literature published primarily between 1990 and 2010. We organize the review around a series of narratives identified as prominent in the literature. Three master narratives dominate the ways in which the relationships between older people and computers have been represented: the enabling machine and isolated elders, the potential divider and marginalized seniors, and the desirable commodity and grey consumers. The chapter is structured as follows: First, we introduce the narrative perspective that guides the approach to this review. We then outline each master narrative in turn, synthesize and present a critical commentary on the literature that supports that narrative. Finally, we identify gaps and limitations in the literature reviewed, and suggest an agenda for future communication research on older people and new communication technologies.

Customer dissatisfaction among older consumers: a mixed-methods approach

ABSTRACT Worldwide, populations are ageing and consequently so are the consumer profiles for most organisations. Understanding how best to ensure satisfaction in interactions with older customers, patients, members of organisations, and so on is therefore increasingly important. This paper examines two research questions: (a) How satisfied or dissatisfied are older people with their customer service experience, and what are the factors associated with dissatisfaction? and (b) What prompts older people to want to change service providers? The research questions are addressed using a mixed-methods approach – quantitative analysis of observation logs, supported by illustrative quotes from focus groups. We find that on the whole older people are generally satisfied with their interactions with organisations, although a substantial minority of interactions lead to dissatisfaction or lower-than-expected satisfaction. Dissatisfaction with interactions is mostly associated with impersonal communications, including interactions that are not conducted face to face, and those that are one-off interactions rather than repeated interactions. Media and communications firms prompted the greatest levels of dissatisfaction among older consumers. Dissatisfied older consumers from our sample are more than 12 times more likely to report an intention to switch providers than satisfied consumers. This highlights the potential costs to organisations of poor customer interactions with older people.

An evaluation of mixed methods (diaries and focus groups) when working with older people

This paper considers the advantages and limitations of using mixed methods, diaries and focus groups in research with older people, specifically research investigating the interaction experiences of older individuals as customers, members and workers with public-, private- and community-based organisations. Drawing on the literature on mixed method integration, five distinct advantages were identified: development, completeness, expansion, offsetting and initiation. Two limitations were also noted: demands of the data collection on the participants and insufficient depth. Each is discussed in the context of the particular research project, with the suggestion that mixed methods be used in future research with older people.

Positive Employment Practices or Reputational Capital? Tensions Inherent in Third-Party Legitimation Processes

In this article, we examine organizations’ discourse around the Best Places to Work (BPTW) initiative in New Zealand. Through interviews with managers of participating organizations, we examined the dialectical tensions presented by participation in BPTW and how participants responded to these. Findings reveal that organizations enter BPTW motivated by a desire to improve human resource practices or organizational image, or both. Improving practice and/or image holds the promise of greater control over outcomes of importance, such as enhanced reputational capital. However, organizations must assess the risks of entering and exiting BPTW, which include a potential loss of legitimacy. From such assessments, the central dialectics emerge: substance–image and risk–control. Organizations manage these dialectics through four discursive responses: selection, separation, integration, and withdrawal.

Interactions at the Elder-Organization Interface Elders’ Experiences

Optimizing opportunities for elders’ participation is a central tenet of active aging policies. This article reports on a qualitative study that examined elders’ interactions with a range of organizations, using a combination of diaries and focus groups, to identify factors that enabled or constrained elders’ participation. Three organizational practices and three elder practices were identified as key influences on positive interactions. Where elders perceived they were seen, listened to, and helped in an appropriate manner, or where they were able to negotiate for these outcomes, their participation was enabled and they enjoyed a sense of satisfaction and well-being. Where elders perceived they or their needs were overlooked, their voices silenced, and appropriate assistance denied them, or they were unable to intervene to change these conditions, their participation was constrained and a sense of dissatisfaction resulted. The findings point to positive interactions as the shared responsibility of elders and organizational representatives.