Fields of action in relation to demographic change - results of an expert consultation

Anja Schaefer, Universität Potsdam
Madani Roya, Universität Potsdam
Magnus Müller, Universität Potsdam

“Fewer, older, more colorful” – these keywords describe recent developments, which are summarized as “demographic change”. Also Germany is affected by the impact of demographic change, which manifests in almost all areas of life and thus also provides the organizations with new challenges – both in human resources and in terms of the market. Due to this background for organizations opens up new different fields of action to meet the challenges of demographic change. The focus of the presentation is therefore on the identification of specific fields of action for organizations. Within the project “QUP – Qualifizierung, Unterstützung, Professionalisierung zur Gestaltung des demografischen Wandels” (Qualification, support, professionalisation to manage demographic change) at the university of Potsdam 19 guided expert interviews were conducted and evaluated using the method of qualitative content analysis by Gläser and Laudel (2010). Five fields of action have been identified which are necessary for the management of demographic change, as the experts believe. Accordingly, there is need for action in the fields work and health, human resources and recruiting, retention management, further education and knowledge management and market opportunity demography. The knowledge of the importance of these fields of action also provides indications and impulses for the conception of further education courses, to be developed by the “QUP”-project.