| The emerging workforce issues pressing on human resources practitioners currently are the aging workforce and the subsequent tight labor market. The innovative programs used by human resources practitioners that address the workforce issues comprise of flexible retirement programs. The flexible retirement programs inherent in this case study involve innovative non-pecuniary programs focused on phased retirement, modified work roles, and retirees rehire programs. The theoretical base of innovation research involves the diffusion of innovative ideas as described in the diffusion of innovations theory. Nonetheless, the theoretical base fails to present explicit knowledge regarding how human resources practitioners perceive various factors of innovation as being applicable in the satisfactory implementation of innovative programs. The purpose of this study entails an examination of human resources practitioners' perceptions of the applicability of certain factors of innovation and behavioral aspects on the satisfactory implementation of flexible retirement programs. The factors of innovation and behavioral aspects in this study include perceived usefulness of innovations, external factors in an organization, cultures within an organization, and the behavioral aspects of performance Data collection involved a two-phased, explanatory mixed methods study which was foundational to the research. The first phase consisted of quantitative data from 105 cross-sectional surveys, and the second phase included qualitative data gained from 20 standardized open-ended interviews. Data analysis involved a positivist framework, consisting of relying on theoretical propositions supported by pattern-matching logic. A comparison of ANOVA, correlation coefficients, and coded results of keywords derived from the interviews supported the pattern-matching logic and displayed that the factors of innovation should be applied comprehensively to ensure implementation of innovative programs. Furthermore, a null hypothesis held that the innovation factors and behavioral aspects, applied separately, neither increased nor decreased the level of satisfaction of flexible retirement programs implementation in organizations. |
