This study examines age differences in non-financial employment commitment in two types of `exit cultures'. Germany and Denmark represent the `early'-exit culture where early retirement has become the norm. Sweden and Norway represent the `late'-exit culture where labour market activity until advanced age is more common. The categorization of countries corresponds to the time for data collection (1997). The main question is whether suggested differences in exit culture are manifested in age differences in non-financial employment commitment.
The claim that age differences in commitment relate to exit culture received some support. In the two early-exit countries, the probability for men to display low employment commitment was found to increase at the age of 43—54. Also women in these countries dropped in commitment but first at 55+. In the two late-exit countries there was no important loss in commitment related to the middle or old age groups.