We shed new light on the linkages between age diversity and technological innovation, and explore the moderating effect of human resource practices on such relationships. Based on a linked dataset that contains cross-sectional survey data and longitudinal employer–employee data from Luxembourg, we show that the effect of age diversity on innovation depends on the age distribution pattern of employees: positive for firms characterized by heterogeneous age groups (variety), negative for those dominated by polarized age groups (polarization). HR practices such as information sharing mitigate the adverse effects of age polarization on innovation. Practices enhancing development such as training are found to play a significant and negative role in moderating the relationship between age diversity and innovation. We illustrate how academics and practitioners may use HR practices within the context of a heterogeneous aging workforce and the age-related differences in values and abilities between generations.

我们阐明了年龄多样性与技术创新之间的联系，并探索了人力资源实践对这种关系的调节作用。基于包含来自卢森堡的横断面调查数据和纵向雇主-雇员数据的链接数据集，我们表明年龄多样性对创新的影响取决于雇员的年龄分布模式：对于具有异质年龄组特征的公司（不同)，对于那些以两极分化的年龄组（polarization）为主的人来说是负面的。信息共享等人力资源实践减轻了年龄两极分化对创新的不利影响。研究发现，诸如培训之类的促进发展的做法在缓和年龄多样性与创新之间的关系方面发挥着重要而消极的作用。