New Technologies, Workplace Organisation and the Age Structure of the Workforce: Further Evidence Using the REPONSE Survey

This paper investigates the relationships between new technologies, innovative workplace practices, exports and the age structure of the workforce in a sample of French establishments. We confirm and expand results previously found by Aubert, Caroli and Roger (2004). The share of older workers is lower in innovative firms and the opposite holds for younger workers, both in services and manufacturing industries. This age bias is also evidenced within occupational groups (both high-skill and low-skill). Older workers are affected through both lower inflows and higher outflows. However, we also find evidence that some innovative workplace practices, e.g. delayering or decentralisation of decisions, are associated with a higher share of older workers.