Cover image for Generation blend : managing across the technology age gap
Title:
Generation blend : managing across the technology age gap
Personal Author:
Series:
Microsoft executive leadership series
Publication Information:
New Jersey, NJ. : Wiley, 2008
Physical Description:
xv, 254 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
ISBN:
9780470193969

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30000010185348 HD6279 S45 2008 Open Access Book Book
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30000010214491 HD6279 S45 2008 Open Access Book Book
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Summary

Summary

If you want to engage, motivate, and retain young workers without driving the veteran workers away, Generation Blend can help you. This timely book explores how generational attitudes toward technology affect issues as diverse as recruitment and retention, employee training, management decision-making, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and work/life balance. Looking to solve the puzzle of productivity across the technology age gap? Start with Generation Blend .


Author Notes

ROB SALKOWITZ is a writer and consultant specializing in the social implications of new technology. He has worked with leaders in the IT industry, including Microsoft, to help formulate market strategy and articulate business goals. Rob is coauthor (with Dan Rasmus) of Listening to the Future: Insights from the New World of Work ( published by Wiley). He lives and works in Seattle, Washington.

www.generationblend.com


Table of Contents

Prefacep. xiii
Chapter 1 Introductionp. 1
Technology as the Locus of Conflictp. 4
Technology as the Enabler of Potentialp. 8
Why Should We Care about Generational Attitudes Toward Technology?p. 10
Generation Blendp. 13
Chapter 2 Changing Workforce, Changing Workp. 17
The Looming Skills Shortagep. 18
How Technology Changes Workp. 27
Disruptive Impacts of Technologyp. 35
Outlookp. 42
Chapter 3 Understanding the Generationsp. 45
Life Stages and Generationsp. 45
Generational Analysis as a Forecasting Methodologyp. 48
Generation vs. Generalization: A Few Caveatsp. 50
What Is a Generational Attitude?p. 53
Generational Attitudes and Workstylesp. 56
Outlookp. 61
Chapter 4 Older Workers: Blending Experience with Technologyp. 63
The Silent Generationp. 65
Older Boomersp. 68
Growing Up Pre-Digitalp. 71
Technology Issues Facing Older Workersp. 75
Why It Matters: Capturing Knowledgep. 85
Outlookp. 88
Chapter 5 Younger Workers: With Great Potential Comes Great Expectationsp. 91
Who Are the Millennials?p. 92
Millennials and Technologyp. 96
Millennials in the Workforcep. 102
Why It Matters: Managed Innovationp. 120
Outlookp. 125
Chapter 6 Generation X-ecutive: Leadership from the Outside Inp. 131
Late-Wave Boomersp. 132
Generation Xp. 135
GenX in the Workforcep. 140
Midcareer Workers: Technology Created in Their Imagep. 145
Why It Matters: Becoming Leadersp. 150
Outlookp. 152
Chapter 7 Reintegrating Older Workers into the Connected Information Workplacep. 155
The Digital Age Gapp. 157
Serving the Technology Needs of Older Adultsp. 159
Learning Style of Older Adultsp. 162
First Stepsp. 163
Moving Beyond the Basicsp. 169
Bringing Skills and Experience to the Connected Workplacep. 172
Becoming Comfortable in the Digital Culturep. 174
Navigating Unmanaged Information Spacep. 176
Connecting the Generationsp. 182
Keeping Pace with Rapid Changep. 183
What Other Organizations Can Learn from OATSp. 185
Outcomesp. 187
Chapter 8 Ambassadors of the Future: Turning to Younger Workers for Strategic Insightsp. 189
Microsoft and the Future of Workp. 191
Scenario Planningp. 193
Following Up: Board of the Future 2005p. 197
Technology and Society: The Perception Studyp. 200
Refining the Scenarios: Characters and Narrativesp. 203
Forecastsp. 205
Outcomesp. 208
Chapter 9 Across the Digital Age Gapp. 211
Are You Clearly Explaining the Benefits of Technology?p. 212
Are You Providing a Business Context for Your Technology Policies?p. 217
Are You Making the Technology Accessible to Different Workstyles?p. 220
Does Your Organizational Culture Support Your Technology Strategy?p. 225
Are You Building Bridges, Not Walls?p. 231
Final Thoughtsp. 237
Acknowledgmentsp. 241
Indexp. 245