An Introduction...

            So what is going on in this comic? Two words: generational differences. What is generational differences and why is it important to me and you?! Well, just so you know this is the first time that American society has four distinct generations. This is called the “power of four”. To retract, generations are defined as a group that shares the same birth years, age, location, and significant life events. Each generation has its own set of related values, influencers, attributes, work ethics, etc. These four generations are classified as the traditional generation containing individuals born before 1945 and some sources have placed the earliest birth year to 1922. This generation is mostly influenced by the great depression and World War II. They are often classified as conservative, disciplined, and a sense of obligation (Niemic, 2002). The Baby Boom generation is classified as people born between 1943-1965. With the greatest babies born during a period, this generation has left a large impact. Boomers are normally raised in an era of prosperity and optimism. They are inspired and believed to have the ability to change the world. Generation X are people born between 1968 and 1979. As children of the older boomers, these people often grew up in an era of financial and societal insecurity. The last generation is Gerneration Y which contains people born as low was 1978 and as high as 2002. This generation is more characteristic of dramatic technological advances especially with computers and the internet age (Kersten, 2002). All these classifications showcase a general overiew of the shared characteristics each generation independently has.

            On a personal level, I’m interested in this topic because of the wide array of areas it affects. Just by observing my parents who still resorts to calling/emailing to stay in contact with friends instead of social networking tools such as Facebook, I can see the increasing role it has on different aspects of life. Especially as a business major, I’ve noticed that generational differences play a center role in the work force.For example, it is becoming common to see younger generations replacing older ones simply because the firms feel like the younger ones have more edge and tech savvy skills. This especially pertains to me because I see myself facing the future dilemma of getting a job at the cost of an older experienced person getting laid off. (Lee, 2006)

            Thus, this blog will explore the topic of generational differences especially taking into consideration the diversity within. The three diversity elements that will be analyzed will include status, race, and gender. I will research how each diverse experience plays a role in generational differences. I feel like the best way to eliminate generational misunderstandings and conflicts is to learn and understand that each generation and diversity sector has its own distinct attitudes, expectations, and values. I look forward to posting more related posts throughout this semester!

1. Niemiec, S. (2002). Finding common ground for all ages. Security Distributing and Marketing, 30

2. Kersten, D. (2002). Today’s generations face new communication gaps. Retrieved January 28, 2012, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/ workplace/communications/200

3. Lee, J. A. (2006). Generational differences in the workforce. Presented at the Career-banding Implementation and HR Innovations Conference. Retrieved januaru 28, 2012, from http://www.osp.state.nc.us/CareerBanding/NC%20HR%20JAL%20