Inter-generational differences brought about by rapid changes in technology markets

I have studied human processes underlying technology adoption for about 8 years. During this period dramatic changes in the way we gather, provide and use information has occurred; and new emerging differences between human generations, or digital divides, appear to be occurring. Human organization centers on social interactivity. In the old money, face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, letters etc. formed the backbone of knowledge exchange. Until about 20 years ago, this model had been fairly static since the telephone become widely adopted. Then came the internet and email...and the world changed forever. The rate at which technology evolves is dramatic. After all, Facebook launched just 6 years ago and now rules the social world(s) we live in. Facebook, along with other Web 2.0 technologies, has not only changed the way that younger generation socially interact, but probably also how they think. This blog argues that such rapid technology shift's risk dividing generations.

To highlight the point, imagine any industry just 50 years ago. The pace of technical change was much slower which meant that human generational differences were not so apparent. For example, around this time the xerox machine was surpassed by the photocopier. Black and white TV was surpassed by color TV. But neither of these events divided generations by a new way of thinking as the IT revolution has done.

The current technology revolution has taken place over such a short time horizon that we do not truly understand how human inter-generational differences are emerging. To understand how this pattern is emerging we need to look at generational differences within organizations to understand how the effects are manifesting. After all, how are the older generations dealing with requests from younger generations for new ways of working based on their digital 'nativity'? Are our younger generations being forced to adapt to old work practices and is it inefficient to make them do so? Are growth opportunities being missed because older generations who hold the investment keys are unable to grasp the value of the new ways of working or are concerned about upsetting the status quo with approaches they do not fully understand?

I have firm belief that no industry is immune to this problem. To highlight the issue, during a recent study of lecturer perceptions on students' use Web 2.0 to study, only 31% of surveyed staff (survey base of 85 from a single school)reported that their students were using Facebook to assist them with their studies. 16% reported an emphatic 'no' and the remaining group, some 52%, reported that they did not know whether they were using Facebook for this purpose. At the same time and at the same school, the study surveyed students' use of Web 2.0 in their studies and found that 75% of students (survey base of 390) use Facebook to help them with their studies. What this highlights is that many younger generations are adopting Web 2.0 as a standard way of working, yet, older generations are often, although not always, unaware of this. (For those that are interested, the a full report of these findings will be presented via this blog in January).

It is highly likely that all industries will be suffering from inter-generational differences; and worse still is that they may not be aware that it is happening. There are security risks to using public social networks and if no clear organizational strategy is formed, and your younger generations have no guidance on the risks they face on behalf of your organization, then your organization may be at risk. To have no policy or guidelines on Web 2.0 use is not a good strategy. So what is the solution? Older generations need to accept that younger generations will do things differently from now on. Younger generations also need to work with older generations, closely, to see how they can compliment our more experienced workers with the new ways of working. After all, why can't information be carried into social networks by younger generations on behalf of the older generations? It is critical that the knowledge and experience of older generations is passed to the younger generations. Although face-to-face knowledge exchange will always occur, and books will always be read, our younger people have a new way of working that we must now embrace.