Aging and training and development willingness: employee and supervisor mindsets

Summary In this study, we examined individual and situational factors that impact the relationship between age and employee training and development willingness. We proposed that the relationship between age and training and development willingness would be moderated by employees’ entity self-theory and perceived developmental support. Furthermore, we investigated supervisors’ beliefs about the avoidance orientations of older employees and whether these beliefs would moderate the relationship between employee age and training and development willingness. The proposed moderation effects were found. Moreover, it was shown that entity self-theory beliefs, perceived developmental support, and supervisor avoidance orientation beliefs were related to the training and development willingness of older subordinates. Copyright # 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.