The importance of recognizing generational differences in HRD policy and practices: a study of workers in Qinhuangdao, China

Abstract

Amid the success of becoming a market economy and a member of the World Trade Organization, the response to China's economic reform is not the same across generational cohorts. The Cultural Revolution (CR) cohort, a by-product of the history of contemporary China, has been left behind. Based on the results of 384 highly structured interviews, this study found that the CR cohort sampled was the least satisfied with China's recent economic reform. The study calls for future research and collaboration among HRD scholars and practitioners to address generational differences and specifically the needs of the CR cohort.