The impact of generation diversity on trust within companies
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Abstract
This paper investigates the causes of generational differences at work and their impact on the propensity to trust. We treated propensity to trust as a proxy for social capital, enhancing cooperation and efficiency. We assessed trust variations in a sample of five companies using combined qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate possible differences in the levels of trust among generational cohorts. We conducted 36 in depth-interviews and 24 focus groups and collected 894 valid questionnaires. The qualitative analysis suggests that differences among generations are related to the experience of time and time-flow and uncertainty and vulnerability throughout one’s lifetime. The results confirm that perceived vulnerability negatively affects the predisposition to trust.
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