In this paper, we attempt to incorporate an innovative and more comprehensive view of defamilization into the comparative analysis of real-type welfare state models. The study presents four empirically distinguished welfare state regimes where we consider separately both notions associated with (de)familization and (de)genderization together with other dimensions characterizing different welfare state models. In a multivariate statistical analysis framework, we examine 25 European countries using data covering the period between 2014 and 2017. Our findings suggest that whereas Southern European countries represent various welfare state models, most of the analyzed Central and Eastern European countries form a separate group. Similarly, the Nordic countries, except Iceland, belong to the same cluster. However, CEE countries and Nordic countries represent extremely divergent models in terms of the degree of degenderization, but similar in terms of family policy, the public–private mix, as well as welfare state generosity. The data also show that the extensive welfare state coexists with the state’s predominance in delivering welfare provisions. Moreover, we demonstrate that neither the general size of the welfare state or its public–private mix nor a pro-family policy differentiate the socio-economic situation of women across countries studied. The version of record of this manuscript has been published and is freely available in INNOVATION: THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCEINCE RESEARCH, 12 Apr 2021, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13511610.2021.1909461?src= Research

Many countries all over the world have been facing the problem of deteriorating demographics, forcing reforms of the pension system model as well as its main parameters. An important perspective of the assessment of the financial sustainability of a pension system is the division of current GDP among generations. This results from the macroeconomic rules that determine the pension system functioning. The main factor affecting the sustainability and, therefore, the income adequacy of pensioners in the long run is the relationship between the pension system and the labour market. The timing of retirement determines the border between the working age generation and the generation of pensioners. In this chapter, the author attempts to answer the research question whether empirical data covering European countries confirm that there is a linkage between pension systems design or their selected parameters and the condition of labour markets. This question seems to be crucial for policymakers, especially in countries refraining from a systematic increase in the retirement age or that are even planning to decrease it. The method employed to analyse empirical data is mainly based on selected statistical as well as econometric tools.

This paper aims to use an effective retirement age as a proxy for the borderline between generations and verifies whether deteriorating demographics are a stimulating factor of quantitative relations between generations through retirement age policy. Regression models for cross-sectional time series covering 20 OECD countries in the period 1971–2013 are employed. The results show that an increasing life expectancy, resulting in a growing elderly population, worsens the situation of the working generation as compared to pensioners’ generation. This creates a need to extend duration of working life through efficient retirement age policy and HRM strategies in multigenerational workplaces.

Streszczenie (pl) W niniejszym dokumencie skupiamy się na wieku emerytalnym jako zasadniczej determinancie adekwatności i stabilności systemu emerytalnego w długim okresie. Celem opracowania jest przedstawienie i omówienie wyników zrealizowanych badań odnoszących się do uwarunkowań kształtowania efektywnego wieku emerytalnego oraz aktywności zawodowej osób starszych w kontekście działań realizowanych w tym zakresie w Polsce. Podejmujemy próbę sformułowania wynikających z przeprowadzonych analiz rekomendacji dla polityki emerytalnej oraz polityki rynku pracy wykorzystując doświadczenia wielu krajów europejskich oraz dorobek naukowy w tym obszarze tematycznym. Podkreślamy przy tym, że podniesienie ustawowego wieku emerytalnego, wokół czego toczy się debata publiczna, nie jest celem samym w sobie. Celem jest stymulowanie aktywności zawodowej osób starszych i wzrost efektywnego wieku emery-talnego (czyli wieku, w którym ludzie faktycznie przechodzą na emeryturę), a ustawowy wiek emerytalny stanowi jedno z wielu narzędzi służących realizacji tego celu. Problem jest wielopoziomowy i odnosi do działań podejmowanych na poziomie państwa, przedsiębiorstw-pracodawców, jak i jednostek/gospodarstw domowych. Słowa kluczowe: emerytury; wiek emerytalny; demografia; zarządzanie zasobami ludzkimi; zarządzanie wiekiem, polityka emerytalna; polityka rynku pracy Abstract (ang) In this paper, we focus on the retirement age as a key determinant of the adequacy and sustainability of pension system in the long run. The aim of the paper is to present and discuss the results of the studies conducted with reference to the determinants of the effective retirement age and professional activity of the elderly in the context of policies implemented in this field in Poland. We try to formulate recommendations for the pension policy and the labor market policy resulting from the conducted analyzes, using the experience of many European countries and the scientific achievements in this subject area. We emphasize that raising the statutory retirement age, which is the subject of public debate, is not the ultimate goal. The aim is to stimulate the labor force participation of older people and to increase the effective retirement age (i.e. the age at which people actually retire), and the statutory retirement age is one of the many tools to achieve this goal. The problem is multi-level in nature and refers to actions undertaken by the government, enterprises-employers and individuals/households. Key words: pensions; retirement age; demographics; human resources management; age management; pension policy; labor market policy