This project analyses effectiveness of different age-specific production systems on the outcome variables productivity, turnover, and age structure of the workforce from a human resource as well as an economic perspective. Besides, motivation of firms to alter application of specific production systems shall be addressed. Our first object of investigation are reasons for and the consequences of the introduction of specific measures for the promotion of older employees. In a first step we analyse descriptively how German firms between 2002 and 2006 systematically altered the application of age-specific measures. In a second step we analyse the causal relationship between application of age-specific production systems and the outcome variables. In particular, we want to answer whether age-specific production systems cause changes in the outcome variables or whether the application itself is a consequence of the level of past changes in these variables. Our second object of investigation supplements the analysis of specific personnel measures for older employees with an analysis of further central elements of human resource measures. We investigate the role of training intensity, the existence of works councils, collective agreement contracts as well as financial or organisational employee participation with respect to the outcome variables. We also have information at-hand on changes in the application of these measures over time, so we are able to analyse the relation between changes in the application of production systems and the outcome variables, as well as motivation for adoption and abolition of certain measures. Within the third object of investigation, we analyse the effect of personnel policy with respect to employee retention on the outcome variables. Personnel policy with respect to employee retention means a specific control and configuration of age at employee in- and outflow within a firm. Beyond that, a forth object of investigation will be to test the robustness of the several investigations in a separate analysis for the manufacturing industry.