Generational Cohorts Research Articles

Fostering Resilience: Understanding Generational Differences in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Social Media Use

By analyzing survey data collected from 2,002 participants in 5 generational cohorts in the United States, this study examines generational differences in information and communication technology (ICT) and social media use behaviors. The intersection between digital divide theory and generational cohort theory provides the theoretical foundation for this study. There are two major findings. First, there are significant differences in ICT use among 5 different generations (Generation Z, Generation Y, Generation X, Boomers, Silent Generation). In terms of ICT access and use, the silent generation is left behind other generations. Thus, the grey divide still exists. Second, different generations have different preferences for social media platforms. For example, more Generation Z participants use Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram. This study brings additional insights into generational differences/divide in ICT and social media use. Practical suggestions are provided to narrow the generational divide and to foster communicative resilience among different generations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The role of stigma and spirituality on mental health help-Seeking behavior: an experimental approach

ABSTRACT Background The purpose of this research is to examine how social marketing messages can be developed to reduce the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health conditions. It also explores the role that spirituality plays in an individual’s propensity to pursue help for mental health challenges. Methods A two-factor between-subjects experiment (ad message: destigmatizing and control × spirituality: high and low) between-subjects design was conducted with 275 participants from the millennial generational cohort in the United States. Responses were collected using an online consumer panel. Results Findings indicate that when presented with an advertisement that reduces the stigma associated with mental illness, individuals have a more favorable emotional reaction toward seeking help for a mental health condition. In addition, spirituality moderates the effect of advertising on mental health help-seeking behavior. Individuals with more intrinsic spirituality are more likely to seek care for a mental health issue, whereas those who report less intrinsic spirituality may need the help of destigmatizing messages. Specifically, individuals who report less intrinsic spirituality have more favorable attitudes toward an advertisement that destigmatizes mental illness, and as a result express greater intentions to seek care for a mental health condition. Conclusions This research contributes to discussions centered on better understanding how to break down barriers to seeking aid for mental illness. Messaging which destigmatizes mental illness might start by targeting those who are less inclined to believe in transcendence. Moreover, since spirituality also includes a search for meaning, connectedness, and growth, such messaging might also be beneficial to those who are less likely to engage in activities which link the mind, body and spirit, such as meditation, mindfulness and yoga.

The role of product design in shaping masstige brand passion: A masstige theory perspective

Drawing on masstige theory, theory of consumption values, and generational cohort theory, we examine whether product design influences masstige brand passion (MBP). We also hypothesize product design cues, mass prestige values, and generational cohort as key boundary conditions. Four studies were conducted and the proposed hypotheses were tested using regression, processmacro, and structural equation modeling. Across three studies, we find that product design increases MBP, but this effect is contingent on two theoretically derived, managerially controllable moderators, namely high-level product design cues and high mass prestige values. The findings from Study 4 show that the reflective design had the greatest impact on MBP, followed by affective, cognitive, and ergonomic design characteristics. Study 4 also reveals that reflective design is more capable of capturing the MBP of Generation Z-ers, while the cognitive design is more promising for increasing MBP among Generation Y-ers. Finally, cognitive and ergonomic designs appear to be more salient for Generation Y-ers. Theoretically, this study adds significantly to the literature on product and brand management by demonstrating how design dimensions can strengthen customers' passion for masstige brands. From a managerial standpoint, this study is relevant for B2C luxury brand managers who: (i) are unsure about the importance of product designs, (ii) want to capitalize on product design to enhance brand passion but are unsure which product design dimensions to focus on, and/or (iii) have decided to launch new brands but need guidance on the specific design analytics relevant for generations Z, Y, and X.

Shifting to Generation ‘We’: How Gen Z’s Foci of Ethical Concerns Differ from Previous Generations

As a whole new generation begins to enter the workforce, it is important to understand the ethical concerns of these emerging professionals, who represent the future leadership of organizations. It is particularly crucial because forces such as technology, globalization, and social responsibility are transforming the business environment and impacting the new generations of working professionals. The present study defines ethical concerns as topics of ethics that are important to oneself that are influenced by the social context and affect attitudes and behaviors. This research replicates previous work to examine a four-decade historical perspective of ethical concerns spanning distinct generational cohorts. Our findings indicate that concern for business-related ethical issues remain high among incoming professionals, but the foci of concern have significantly shifted. Consistent with Generation Z cohort shaped ethical ideology, survey participants expressed high ethical concern related to the environment and society. However, reported increased pressure to act unethically to succeed and pressure to overlook ethical concerns related to application of new technologies raise future questions about business ethics, ethical climate, and workplace voice and silence as emerging leaders join company ranks.

Pacific Islands Cohort on Cardiometabolic Health Study: rationale and design

BackgroundPacific Islanders, including those residing in the US Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI), experience some of the highest mortality rates resulting from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide. The Pacific Island Health Officers’ Association declared a Regional State of Health Emergency in 2010 due to the epidemic of NCDs in the USAPI. Obesity, a known risk factor for NCDs, has become an epidemic among both children and adults in Micronesia and other parts of the USAPI. There is some recent information about overweight and obesity (OWOB) among young children in the USAPI, but there is no data looking at the relationship between children and their biological parents. The Pacific Islands Cohort on Cardiometabolic Health (PICCAH) Study aims to collect data on NCD lifestyle factors from two generations of families (n = 600 child-parent dyads or 1,200 participants) living in Guam, Pohnpei, and Palau.MethodsThe PICCAH Study is an epidemiological study using community-based convenience sampling to recruit participants in USAPI of Guam, Palau, and Pohnpei. The goal is to recruit participant dyads consisting of 1 child plus their biological parent in Guam (500 dyads or 1,000 participants), Pohnpei (50 dyads or 100 participants), and Palau (50 dyads or 100 participants). All participants are having the following information collected: demographic, health, and lifestyle information; anthropometry; diet; physical activity; sleep; acanthosis nigricans; blood pressure; and serum levels of fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL.DiscussionThe PICCAH Study is designed to establish the baseline of a generational epidemiologic cohort with an emphasis on cardiometabolic risk, and to better understand the extent of DM and CVD conditions and related risk factors of those living in the USAPI jurisdictions of Guam, Pohnpei, and Palau. This study also serves to further build research capacity in the underserved USAPI Region.

A value-oriented psychological contract: Generational differences amidst a global pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of working conditions world-wide, fast tracking the reality of the digital-driven workplace. Concepts such as remote working, working-from-home and hybrid working models are now considered as the “new normal.” Employes are expected to advance, flourish and survive in this digitally connected landscape. Different age and generational groups may experience this new organizational landscape differently and may expect different organizational outcomes in exchange for their inputs. Accordingly, the study investigated differences regarding the value-oriented psychological contract expectations of employes from different generational groups. An ANOVA test for significant mean differences and a post hoc test for multiple comparisons were conducted on a sample of (N = 293) employes in the services industry in Southern Africa (85%) and other European countries (15%). The observed generational cohort differences regarding value-orientated psychological contract expectations for job characteristics and work-life balance could be utilized to develop interventions and strategies to promote retention of employes in the post-pandemic digital-orientated workplace.

Factors That Influence Consumers’ Sustainable Apparel Purchase Intention: The Moderating Effect of Generational Cohorts

The circular economy is one of the crucial issues in fashion because the fashion industry is a major global polluter. Many consumers are adopting a more sustainable lifestyle and it shows in their buying preferences and behaviors. This study aims to predict sustainable fashion apparel consumption using an extended version of the belief–attitude–intention framework, by investigated the moderating effect of generational cohorts. Particularly, the study emphasizes the rental apparel, second-hand apparel, and recycled apparel markets. Survey data were collected from 135 Generation X consumers, 134 Generation Y consumers, and 139 Generation Z consumers in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling and the bootstrapping method were applied to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings determined environmental consciousness, perceived value, and perceived risk as key predictors of consumers’ sustainable apparel purchase intentions. The findings also showed that the generational cohort negatively moderated the relationship between environmental consciousness and sustainable apparel purchase intentions. Therefore, fully understanding consumers’ purchase intentions regarding sustainable apparel is an indispensable topic for both academia and industry in a circular environment. Moreover, the fashion industry should concentrate more on promoting sustainability and ecologically friendly apparel products as well as developing multi-generational marketing strategies.

Health Benefits of a 16-Week Whole Food, High Fiber, Plant Predominant Diet among U.S. Employees.

To assess improvements in eating behaviors and health measures among adults participating in a whole food plant predominant diet, Full Plate Living (FPL) program. Retrospective, post hoc analysis of self-reported 16-week pre-post participant data obtained over a 3year program period (2017-19). Wellness offering for employees in Southwest U.S. Of 6,820 enrollees, 4,477 completed the program, further segmented by generational cohorts. FPL program materials and weekly online video lessons. Baseline and follow-up measures included eating behaviors, self-perceived health status and energy, body weight, and confidence in healthy eating and weight loss. Paired t-tests were used to examine changes in eating behaviors and health measures. Mixed-effects models were used to examine whether changes among generational cohorts differed. Significant pre-post improvements were demonstrated for all measures, including servings of fruits (1.54 to 2.34), vegetables (2.05 to 2.87), beans (.63 to .99), and weight loss (3.5) (P < .001). Self-perceived health and energy values, and confidence in making healthy food choices and losing weight improved (P < .001). Improvements were observed across generational cohorts (P < .001). The FPL healthy eating approach has a beneficial impact on health measures across generational cohorts, and may be an effective addition to lifestyle medicine and corporate wellness offerings. Longer-term program evaluation is warranted.

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON GEN-Y EMPLOYEES’ WORK PERFORMANCE IN A TELCO, MALAYSIA

Generation-Y (Gen-Y) is the largest generational cohort in the global workforce, surpassing 50 percent in 2020, making them the most influential group to impact work performance. Highly competitive telecommunication companies continuously look for ways to improve employees' work performance. This research focuses on how social media improves the work performance of Gen-Y employees of a telco in Malaysia through social media use, shared vision, network ties, trust, and knowledge transfer. This research discovered an insignificant relationship between social media use at the workplace and work performance. This is because social media is currently not an official workplace tool, and its usage is limited among Gen-Y employees in the telco. It was also uncovered that using social media to act as a tool to gain trust did not influence work performance, even though the telco's primary official communication tool is email and a mobile app for communication and collaboration purposes. Nevertheless, this research uncovered that shared vision, network ties, and knowledge transfer is significant for the telco's Gen-Y employees to enhance their work performance. In conclusion, the telco's management can leverage social media to improve the work performance of Gen-Y employees by developing a social media strategy to provide a suitable framework with proper guidelines, policies, and procedures.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0967/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Generational cohorts and their predisposition toward entrepreneurship in an emerging economy

PurposeThe study investigates the predisposition of generational cohorts toward entrepreneurship in an emerging economy as entrepreneurship has arguably become a panacea for unemployment and sustainable economic development.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts descriptive and cross-sectional survey designs. The study also employs quantitative approach to collect the data from 1,000 workers in 20 selected private and public organizations in Ghana. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and hierarchical regression techniques.FindingsThe results reveal that baby boomers and Generation Z (Gen Z) have a higher predisposition toward entrepreneurship, while Generation X (Gen X) and Generation Y (Gen Y) have a lower predisposition toward entrepreneurship. However, the study found that baby boomers are more predisposed to entrepreneurship than all the generational cohorts. Furthermore, a generation may become entrepreneurs regardless of their gender. Finally, individuals with higher educational qualification (i.e. masters and doctorate) are more likely to become entrepreneurs in a given generation.Practical implicationsThe findings imply that entrepreneurial opportunities (such as ease of doing business, favorable business regulations, access to credit facilities, low interest rate, ease of registering business, start-up capital, etc.) should be created by government and its stakeholders to serve as stimuli for members of these generations (particularly baby boomers and Gen Z) to participate fully in entrepreneurial activities. In addition, the culture of “go to college and graduate with the expectation of government employment” and “job for life” should be discouraged to allow members of Gen X and Gen Y build up entrepreneurial mindsets.Originality/valueThis study contributes to generational cohorts and entrepreneurship literature by providing a perspective from the cultural and socio-economic background of an emerging economy. Additionally, this study demonstrates that irrespective of gender, one may become an entrepreneur and highly educated individuals tend be entrepreneurs.

One Social Media, Distinct Habitus: Generation Z's Social Media Uses and Gratifications and the Moderation Effect of Economic Capital

This study aims at contributing to literature by investigating characteristics of Generation Z's social media uses and gratifications and the moderation effect of economic capital. Specifically, we employed online survey as the main research method to examine the connections between the young generation cohort's online motivations, social media practices, and economic capital. A total of 221 Chinese Generation Z social media users were recruited in the survey. Results indicated that (1) Generation Zs have different social media engagements depending on whether they were connected for daily routine alternatives or socialization; (2) the young cohorts from upper-mid-income families demonstrated a more instrumental-rational habitus to use social media more frequently as a communicative tool than those from low-income families; and (3) motivations and family income interacted to influence Generation Z's social media practices (e.g., social capital accumulating and exchanging and self-expression). Findings here provide empirical reference to deepened understandings of the interactions between social media and digital generations, and their connections with digital social inequalities.

Is age at menopause decreasing? – The consequences of not completing the generational cohort

BackgroundDue to contradictory results in current research, whether age at menopause is increasing or decreasing in Western countries remains an open question, yet worth studying as later ages at menopause are likely to be related to an increased risk of breast cancer. Using data from breast cancer screening programs to study the temporal trend of age at menopause is difficult since especially younger women in the same generational cohort have often not yet reached menopause. Deleting these younger women in a breast cancer risk analyses may bias the results. The aim of this study is therefore to recover missing menopause ages as a covariate by comparing methods for handling missing data. Additionally, the study makes a contribution to understanding the evolution of age at menopause for several generations born in Portugal between 1920 and 1970.MethodsData from a breast cancer screening program in Portugal including 278,282 women aged 45–69 and collected between 1990 and 2010 are used to compare two approaches of imputing age at menopause: (i) a multiple imputation methodology based on a truncated distribution but ignoring the mechanism of missingness; (ii) a copula-based multiple imputation method that simultaneously handles the age at menopause and the missing mechanism. The linear predictors considered in both cases have a semiparametric additive structure accommodating linear and non-linear effects defined via splines or Markov random fields smoothers in the case of spatial variables.ResultsBoth imputation methods unveiled an increasing trend of age at menopause when viewed as a function of the birth year for the youngest generation. This trend is hidden if we model only women with an observed age at menopause.ConclusionWhen studying age at menopause, missing ages must be recovered with an adequate procedure for incomplete data. Imputing these missing ages avoids excluding the younger generation cohort of the screening program in breast cancer risk analyses and hence reduces the bias stemming from this exclusion. In addition, imputing the not yet observed ages of menopause for mostly younger women is also crucial when studying the time trend of age at menopause otherwise the analysis will be biased.

Analyzing Public Transport Mode Share by Generational Cohort in Montreal Canada (1998-2018)

This paper observes generational public transport mode share in Montreal, Canada by age group using five Origin-Destination Surveys from 1998 to 2018. Using total number of trips to work and school by public transport, the findings indicate that younger generations have higher public transport use in early adulthood which corresponds to higher use later in life compared to previous generations. Across generations, public transport mode share decreases significantly for individuals in their late twenties and thirties before stabilizing and, in some cases, increasing after the age of forty. For exclusively school bound trips, the findings suggest that expanding students’ discount for those 25 and older was the most impactful for students in their thirties and that return diminishes with older ages.

Bringing power and time in: How do the role of government and generation matter for environmental policy support?

This study aims to explore the effects of power and time on support for environmental policies. We use the government's interventions and roles to reflect power and intergenerational differences to reflect time. Traditional studies focus on the political and psychological factors that determine support for environmental policies. However, they do not generally consider governmental power and generational preferences embedded in governance context and time. We analyze survey data with a focus on government's role and generational differences. Our findings show that respondents' support for the government's environmental responsibility and spending is affected by their normative perceptions of government interventions and the general role of the government, particularly its facilitative role. Additionally, we find that the significance and direction of the associations vary across generational cohorts. The findings imply that taking different approaches for different generations and establishing the government's facilitative role are necessary to induce support for environmental policies.

Little Lewis and Latin Folk in Chaucer's Prologue to the Treatise on the Astrolabe

Little Lewis and Latin Folk in Chaucer's Prologue to the <i>Treatise on the Astrolabe</i>

Positive Stereotyping Could Be Reasoned to Workplace Intergenerational Retention: A Study of Three Generations in the Health Sector of Pakistan

Purpose: The research on intergenerational work environment has attracted researchers in past decades variously and seems valuable in the present time era. The purpose of the present research is to examine the effect of positive stereotyping on intergenerational retention while organizational commitment plays mediating role in this relationship. Methodology: The sample consisted of 206 nurses from hospitals operating under the Punjab health department and the convenience sampling technique was used based on the cross-sectional design. The quantitative survey was conducted to assess the role of organizational commitment between positive stereotypes and workplace inter-generational retention. Findings: The results of the current study were analyzed on SMART PLS 3.2.2 software to predict reliability, assess the structural model, and hypothesized relationships between variables. Obtained results show that positive stereotyping has a significant direct effect on intergenerational retentions. Further organizational commitment significant positively mediates this relationship. Conclusion: Drawing upon generational cohort theory the research highlights the positive role of stereotyping among various generations at the workplace and recommends to the retention of educators is more positive stereotyping among various age group employees

Robo-advisor acceptance: Do gender and generation matter?

Robo-advice technology refers to services offered by a virtual financial advisor based on artificial intelligence. Research on the application of robo-advice technology already highlights the potential benefit in terms of financial inclusion. We analyze the process for adopting robo-advice through the technology acceptance model (TAM), focusing on a highly educated sample and exploring generational and gender differences. We find no significant gender difference in the causality links with adoption, although some structural differences still arise between male and female groups. Further, we find evidence that generational cohorts affect the path to future adoption of robo-advice technology. Indeed, the ease of use is the factor which triggers the adoption by Generation Z and Generation Y, whereas the perceived usefulness of robo-advice technology is the key factor driving Generation X+, who need to understand the ultimate purpose of a robo-advice technology tool before adopting it. Overall, the above findings may reflect that, while gender differences are wiped out in a highly educated population, generation effects still matter in the adoption of a robo-advice technology tool.

BUSINESS SHIFTING DURING THE OUTBREAK; IMPULSIVE OR CONTRIVED? GENERATION COHORT PERSPECTIVE

Business shifting during the outbreak; impulsive or contrived? Generation cohort perspective. Although the development and adoption of technology in business has long been carried out, there are still many MSME business actors who do not use it optimally, especially those who are engaged in the culinary business. During the outbreak, one by one they shifted their interaction and transaction system from offline to online since the introduction of interaction restrictions. This shifting rose a fundamental question, was it impulsive behavior (emotional planning) or contrived behavior based on rational planning. This study discussed not only the trigger but also compared it among generational cohort (Gen X, Y, and Z). Qualitative research methodology was used in this study with triangulation data technique, one of which was semi-structured interview to 15 MSME actors. The results showed that generational differences significantly affect the different characteristics of business actors, which lead to different ways of adopting technology into their business. With the lack of mastery of technology, Generation X was proven to adopt technology emotionally because of urgency. Meanwhile, generations Y and Z were proven to adopt technology rationally. Generations X and Y adopt technology based on mature technology mastery and precise planning.

Work and Espoused National Cultural Values of Generation Z in Austria

Purpose: Employers face the challenge of preparing for a new, upcoming generational cohort that is different in its expectations of the workplace, which goes hand-in-hand with its values. Therefore, Generation Z in Austria must receive detailed attention because it will make up a significant proportion of the workforce in the future. Questions will emerge about how to recruit this cohort or how to retain them. This research fills this gap by analyzing their espoused national cultural values and corresponding work values while considering the implications of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.&#x0D; Design/Method/Approach: This quantitative research surveyed 137 Austrians from Generation Z.&#x0D; Findings: The results show a low Power Distance score, concluding that Austrian Generation Z does not prefer unequally distributed power; a low preference for Collectivism, a higher preference for Uncertainty Avoidance, and lower Masculinity. In terms of work values, Austrian Generation Z demonstrated the strongest preference for intrinsic and social rewards and emphasized the importance of offering benefits such as remote work opportunities and flexibility in scheduling work.&#x0D; Theoretical Implications: This study shows that espoused national cultural values impact work values in the context of Austrian Gen Z. Thus, both the espoused national cultural framework and the work values framework can be considered suitable for investigating values differences.&#x0D; Practical Implications: Human Resources practices should be adapted to successfully recruit and retain Austrian Generation Z.&#x0D; Originality/Value: This research is among the early attempts to not only understand how espoused national cultural values and COVID impact the work values of Generation Z in Austria.&#x0D; Research Limitations/Future Research: The smaller sample size and the over representation of females impact the extent to which findings can be generalized to all of Generation Z in Austria. Future research should expand the sample within Austria and internationally.&#x0D; Acknowledgments: This paper is the further development of the first author's thesis. Thank you to all of those who contributed to and supported these efforts.&#x0D; Paper type: Empirical

Drawings to explore faculties‘ and students‘ perceptions from different generations cohorts about dental education: A pilot study

Introduction/AimsWe aimed at using drawings as a form of data collection to give voice to older and younger generations in regards to educational practices in undergraduate dentistry.Materials and methodsFirst year dental students (younger generations) and faculty members (older generations) produced drawings depicting their perceptions of the current dental education learning environment. Qualitative analysis was conducted independently by two researchers using the drawings to produce codes, categories and themes.Results15 drawings were produced: 9/34 (26.4%) made by students and 6/20 (30%) made by faculty members. The generated themes indicated that students and faculties found that dental education is going through a challenging time, because of the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; and that they were aware about the evident division between basic/preclinical and applied/clinical courses. Faculties showed hopeful signs that the situation may get better. Students‘ drawings evoked the following topics: digital connectedness, diversity, time goes by, and future aspirations in Dentistry.DiscussionThis study reinforced the validity of visual methods as an approach in research and showed different graphical features (features that might be intentionally or unintentionally represented in the drawings) that gave voice to participants. These voices could have been invisible in more traditional qualitative approaches, such as interviews or questionnaires.ConclusionsAlthough the two groups of participants came from different generation cohorts, they had aligned perceptions regarding challenges in dental education, and mentioned the separation between preclinic and clinic. Drawings were unique, innovative, and an interesting tool to express perceptions regarding today’s learning environment. These insights can consequently help educators to personalize teaching approaches to better meet the needs of the students.