SUCCESS AT OLD AGE: EXCEPTION TO THE RULE

Abstract

The goal of this paper is an attempt to examine if it is possible to talk about success at an old age when success is defined as a prosperous business realization through gaining financial and social power. Defined in such a way, success at an old age is not on the line of the successful old age concept that is developed by gerontology; it is more on the line of one of the possibilities of defining success regardless of the age guidelines. The analysis consists of the study of three autobiographies and one biography of people who in the world of American and world business stand successful. These are the autobiographies of Carnegie, Ford and Buffett and the autobiography of Iacocca. These are the autobiographies of Carnegie, Ford and Iacocca and a biography on Buffett. The main emphasis is on the analysis of their attitude towards their own age and that of others through the detection of the key characteristics of their work that had an impact on the older population, as well as those characteristics that marked the latter period of their professional engagement which, actually falls under old age.