Relacje starzejący się konsumenci – starsi pracownicy na przykładzie rynku dóbr konsumpcyjnych
Relations ageing consumers – older workers on the example of goods and services markets

Summary/Abstract: The process of ageing of societies brings a number of consequences of social and economic nature. The growing importance of older people in a society is often analyzed in the context of threats to public finances, pension systems and institutions of medical and social care, primarily on the basis of an increasing dependency ratio. More often the subject of diagnosis is also an impact of a growing share of working age people on the labour market and a functioning of markets for consumers of goods and services. The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between older workers and ageing consumers in a view of demographic changes. The reference point for the analysis is the relationship existing on markets of goods and services. Ageing consumers are the major challenge both for markets and companies operating on them. The changes include, in particular, the reorientation of growing needs of older buyers, related to their age, but more to their lifestyle. One of the areas of necessary adjustments is an HR policy, relating to take an advantage from a potential of older workers. The reference point for the analysis are relations existing on the market of goods and services. To achieve that objective a study literature and conclusions based on the basic statistical tools have been made. The research focuses on three key areas. The first two: the importance of older people on a labour market and behavioral determinants of older consumers are the basis on which a consideration about links between ageing consumers and the role of older workers in the enterprises were built. Key findings confirm the existence of the described relationships, especially in a perspective of growing needs of older consumers and a desire to satisfy them by producers of consumer goods and services. One of the key conclusions is a high heterogeneity of older consumers, and what is connected – a diversity of their consumer behaviours. In the perspective of ageing of societies companies are under an internal pressure, from a staff, and externally – from consumers. The effective tool for meeting new challenges is the HR policy of enterprises. The article discusses two basic functions of age management: the adjustment function, which is using knowledge and experience of older employees to adapt a companies offer to needs of ageing consumers and the business-promotion function – creating a positive image of the company as a producer, a service provider and an employer, opened to the elderly. The paper is descriptive and starts a discussion of the rarely discussed in studies interdependence between both markets in Poland.

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