The generation game: Governing through bio-politics. Issue 1 (February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reed, Cara; Thomas, Robyn
• Is Part Of: Management learning. Volume 52:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 47
• Page End: 64
• Publication Date: 2021-02
• Subjects: Age -- bio-politics -- governmentality -- management-by-generation; Industrial management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Executives -- Training of -- Periodicals; Organizational learning -- Periodicals; Knowledge management -- Periodicals; 302.35
• DOI: 10.1177/1350507620938926
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-7307

Abstract

An increasingly popular management tool is to stratify a workforce along generational lines, to distinguish its qualities and differentiate orientations to work. From this, a range of organisational practices, ranging from leadership styles to reward systems are tailored to fit specific generational characteristics. We term this practice 'management-by-generation' and examine how it has the potential to govern as a bio-political technology. The article develops nascent work within organisation studies on governmentality and bio-politics to demonstrate the powerful potential of management-by-generation to govern in contemporary organisations. In line with other Foucauldian studies on ageing, it also contributes to the research on generations in demonstrating how a bio-political construction of generation allows management-by-generation to govern effectively, while more sociologically informed conceptualisations of generation could be a source of contestation to this emerging technology.