Is the span of career in corporate life reducing?

I support the argument that life span in the corporate life is decreasing.

yes...they are reducing and it is a natural consequence resulting from the route such senior jobs have taken. In the case of the junior jobs, this has evolved due to job hopping.

In the case of the senior jobs the money involved is so significant and the potential to do damage is so high, companies want their top pros to be contract based and speedily releasable. This has resulted in 1 year or even 2 year contracts with release options at the end. Once the option is there, people exercise it

Yes , one should realise that the corporate ladder is like a pyramid, as you climb the ladder in the corporate,the requirement of the leadership qualities , the ability to manage , centre of influence both political & environmental and the knowledge are the key , as the positions in top are minimum and more competitive.

What one come across in the present context are individuals who dont have the qualities or the Euntre Mangerial capabilities work in the corporate after 50 yrs of age, The able and the resourceful guys quit by 48yrs and take up work to their liking.

In the Indian context propbably the mentality amongst most of the top Corporate Mangers to keep on till their retirement since most of them are comfortable in a secure and paying job hence they tend to face severe competitin from the younger , more knowledgable ,resourceful  guys.I had also seen Indian corporates rewarding individuals around 50 yrs of age with position in the middle/top management for nam ke vaste , this guy is only a stamp paper or a inmovable asset in the corporate for some reason.

There are examples in the corporate that a replacement for a Chairman had not been done for want of a proper successor or a capable person, this corporate cannot or for some reason not willing to rope in a successor from outside their industry probably.

I think yes.

The main reason why, in my opinion, isn't related to the lowering age of the CEO...

I think that this is the result of the continuous changes the corporates' org are subject to.

From one side, the experience in itself isn't no more a value, with excpetions only for very high levels of competence, with clear preference for managerial than "technical" experience.

From another side, the continuous site relocation approach, to follow geographical low cost opportunities (may be you know that some corporation modev away from China, preferring Vietnam, when chinese government introduce last year an 8 hour daily rule...), make it difficult, for a great majority of employees, to be able to cope with their own global mobility level.

My 2 cents

Thanks for the referral Mr.Vikas Bhatnagar. while considering the current situation, you are correct, the span of career in corporate is reducing.

The important asset of any organization is its employees.To grow and thrive in an ever changing business climate, the leaders need great ideas they must use today. The ideas that work come from building the right relationship with right employees/business customers.

There are some reasons for the span of career in corporate life is reducing.

1] The attitude of the leaders/business heads/immediate boss towards their employees. example- the ego or I know, you do what i say.

2] some bosses will never encourage the good ideas/participation of its employees,

3] some bosses are emotional decision makers on a particular issue which will not be supported by his team members, hence they leave the organization.

4] The boss attitude of favoritism/nepotism in certain cases, affect the the employees who have good contribution/better performance of their works.

5] Due to the reasons cited in S.No.4, the top performers leave the organization to have better jobs or to start on their own business.

6] Due to working environment or less salary, employees leave the company.

7] Work place flexibility is also another reason for employees to leave. example- the employees with school age children and ailing parents

8] Very recent important reason is that the companies have taken initiatives of driving cost cutting measures due to the recession in businesses.

9] Certain bosses will not take initiative in resolving the issues related to the customers and applying pressure on the employee who is handling the particular customers. 

I believe it is true to certain extent that the scene is changing.Most of the guys donot want to work beyond 50 years of age...They want to start something on their own or get into consulting / PE/VC Firms. Sanjay Nair Joined KKR,even Jagdish Khattar started Carnation after retiring,list goes on and on.........