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Organizations' Environment and Retirement

The Relationship Between Women's Retirement, Environmental Munificence, Dynamism, and Local Unemployment Rate

^a U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Washington, DC
^b Life-Span Development Research Center, Central Michigan University

Thomas A. Stetz, United States Office of Personnel Management, Personnel Research and Development Center, Room 6500, 1900 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20415-9200 E-mail: tastetz{at}opm.gov.

Objectives. Low munificence and high dynamism of an industry's environment and high local area unemployment rates were assumed to indicate uncertainty and influence retirement. It was predicted that, while controlling for personal variables, rates of retirement would vary across industries, that munificence would have a negative relationship with retirement, and that dynamism and unemployment rate would have positive relationships with retirement.

Methods. The study relies on four waves (from 1986 to 1992) of data from the National Longitudinal Survey's Mature Women Cohort, and logistic regression was used to examine the extent of the proposed relationships.

Results. Retirement rate varied across industries and had a positive relationship with munificent environments, but retirement was not related to dynamism or unemployment rates.

Conclusions. The results suggest that environmental factors may influence retirement timing. Additional theoretical and empirical work is suggested to help sort out direct environmental effects and possible moderating third variables.