That's right Barbara, there are people older than 66 who: use the word "mail" when they mean "snail mail", reconcile their check book against their bank statement every month, attempt searches on "the Google" by typing queries into the URL box.
On the second one, I think younger generations are increasingly likely to use POS debits without recording them on an ongoing basis. This could be part of a general tendency to defer responsibility for safeguarding data to e-institutions, but not sure that's a generational trend.
I've been wondering if generations prior to the Baby Boomers experienced the rate of change in technology that we experience today. My son is studying the Industrial Age, but that was a slow transformation. Then we had the assembly line, but again, that stuck around for awhile. Many of us boomers can remember 8-track tape; vinyl records and backpack-sized cell phones. Then there was computer programming via punch cards....
There was a short-lived show in the US, --Life on Mars--adapted from the British version, whose main character was sent from the 2000s to the 1970s. In one episode, he was trying to prevent man from comitting suicide. The guy had invented a phone that you could carry with you; and the response--"why would anyone want a phone you can carry with you?" prompted the guy to jump.
"It seems to me that there really are generational differences that can impact business success."
That is right. We are all born to consume, no matter what the generation is. The only difference is how we have access to goods (or how the goods are delivered to us). Businesses have evolved with all the generations and have studied their features in order -as they say-to fill their needs, but actually it is to make them consume more and more.
As a universal phenomenon, in any group of people whether it is gen-x, gen-y or baby boomers, there are some leaders and there are some followers.
In my organization , as in-charge of the IT dept , I have seen the Leader type adapt to the new technologies very fast whereas the followers stick to the older ways of doing things till they are forced to adopt the new things .
When, about 15 years back, I introduced email in our organization, our 74 year old chairman was the first person to start using it whereas the executive director who was in his fifties preferred his secretary to take the printouts of the emails received and would prefer dectate his replies to the secretary to be typed and emailed by her.
If I may, I would like to report my personal experience; as reported by Bruce, mentioned genereations have developed different attitude in managing relationship or style of life. Basically, it is not so easy for example to try a virtual meeting schedule using technology, because younger people at work love a lot Internet tools, aged people prefer physical presence. Another point not easy as it should be, is about telecommuting. Telecommuters for example are still not a lot in Western and there isn't any official contract labour for them.
Mark, yes the opinion, taste, vision etc may change from generation to generation. This is most because of technological developments. Old peoples are brought up in a different environment, where technological influences are very less, but at the same time new born babies are playing with Smartphones, laptops, tablets etc. So such technologies have a great impact in their way of thinking and the work gets done.
@Ariella, the generation Z might experience absolute different world. Should i say luckiest generation - so many conceiveable innovations would probably make life easier to leave and living better life style. May be switching off home electric or gas meter via phone with text messages.
TaimoorZ if you wish reply to the Blog post then you have to click at the "post message" and not the "reply" otherwise you press reply to the comment you want to answer .
Great post, Mark. I think the generation category of the top executives is greatly reflected in the organization's culture as well. In companies where the senior management comprises of aged people (Baby boomers or Gen-Y), the organization tends to lack innovation and the work environment tend to be manual and paper-oriented. Organizations that have a majority of young people in the lead-team tend to focus more on automation and paperless cultures. The latter also seem to be more flexible in terms of work timings, dress codes in the office etc.
@Flyingscot, you anticipated what I was going to comment on. My children's generation would fall under the letter Z, according to this. Then we'll have to start the alphabet again.
Seriously, though, generation Z favors texts and live chat to emails and calls. But some of their teachers, who come earlier in the alphabet also like texts and even text the students their grades on tests.
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