Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight important aspects of adopting a lifelong learning mindset as a way to improve entrepreneurial employability and self-employment capabilities among older workers, and to examine their practicality in enterprise services. Design/methodology/approach: This paper takes a two-method research approach that synthesizes an original conceptual framework based on current gerontological and work psychology literature with qualitative organizational case study in the Israeli labor market. Findings: The process of lifelong learning and accumulation of employability underpins a fulfilling career in self-employment later in life, through continuous self-acquisition of necessary knowledge and complementary skills. Adopting a lifelong learning mindset may contribute to older workers developing lifelong employability by self-realizing their meaningful life wisdom alongside becoming lifelong learners, and consequently, by becoming protean career owners capable of acquiring entrepreneurial competencies and skills. Program analysis of social and business enterprises established in Israel to meet the demand for the acquisition of later life skills demonstrates the various ways in which they play a role in supporting this process. Research limitations/implications: The need for future research and practice on the conceptual framework presented in this paper is analyzed and discussed in the Israeli context. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on third-age entrepreneurship, by conceptually linking the core concept of lifelong learning to entrepreneurial employability, and demonstrating its application in the Israeli work culture.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 948-966 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Journal of Enterprising Communities |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 29 Nov 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Keywords
- Entrepreneurial skills
- Later life
- Older entrepreneurs
- Training enterprises
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- Economics and Econometrics
- Strategy and Management