Intergenerational Differences Research Articles

Strategic transitions: unraveling the impact of socioemotional wealth and generational cohorts on succession planning in family SMEs

PurposeThe complexity of succession in family firms is multifaceted and can sometimes lead to turbulence. While structured succession strategies offer a roadmap for smoother transitions, intergenerational differences in family small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can lead to varied interpretations of an effective succession blueprint. This study synergizes the strategic entrepreneurship framework with the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective to probe into how formalized succession planning impacts performance in family SMEs. Furthermore, it delves into the mediating role of succession satisfaction, especially in family firms characterized by pronounced SEW and helmed by CEOs from different generational cohorts.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a comprehensive dataset from 1,833 global family businesses, this research utilizes bootstrapping regression models to discern the intertwined effects of mediator and moderator variables and their statistical significance.FindingsThe main findings suggest that succession satisfaction does matter for a good succession process and that succession plans work only in family firms with a high degree of SEW and that are led by older family CEOs (e.g. baby boomers).Practical implicationsThe results offer fresh perspectives on succession processes, with a particular focus on how to improve the satisfaction of millennial family CEOs.Originality/valueThe study uniquely combines strategic entrepreneurship and SEW to offer a holistic view of succession planning, highlighting satisfaction’s mediating role and SEW’s moderating influence. Additionally, it pioneers the incorporation of generational cohorts into the succession discourse.

FEASIBILITY OF USING SMARTPHONES AS A TOOL TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Smartphones have potential to allow asynchronous education, individualized feedback and coaching around physical activity (PA) though it’s unclear if older adults make use of these capabilities. We conducted anonymous, semi-structured interviews/surveys on current PA levels, and experience with mobile technology and PA programs with a convenience sample of older adults, and family members/caregivers receiving care at a large geriatrics academic practice over a 3-month period. Data included demographics, experience with smartphone and PA applications. Current levels of PA were measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Comparisons of PA levels based on mild vs moderate vs vigorous activity. 25 completed surveys, most of whom were female (67%) and identified as non-White (68%), with a mean age of 80.8 years, range 67-96. The majority (84%) reported owning smartphones, 8% reported using PA apps, and 8% used wearable activity trackers (WATs). 44% walked at least 10 minutes per day, but only 32% reported attaining moderate PA, and 12% vigorous PA. Average time/day walking 1.1-hour, average time/day moderate activity 0.74 hours. Both younger (age≤80 years) and older (age>80 years) adults were similar in owning Smartphones (85% vs. 83%) and using WATs (8% vs. 8%). Only the younger group used PA apps (15% vs. 0%). The ubiquity of Smartphones especially among such a demographically heterogeneous group suggests this may be a viable tool for increasing PA among a wide range of older adults. Next steps should address low rates of PA app use, intergenerational differences, and the possibility of incorporating socialization with technology.

What and how influence the safety knowledge sharing of new generation of construction workers in China: a study based on DEMATEL and ISM

PurposeNew generation of construction workers (NGCWs) who were born in the 1980s and later have gradually become the main workforce of Chinese construction industry. They may behave differently when dealing with knowledge-related activities due to divergent characteristics caused by generational discrepancy. To provide a theoretical foundation for construction companies and safety managers to improve safety management, this research explores the factors and paths impacting the NGCWs' ability to share their safety knowledge.Design/methodology/approachBased on literature review, main factors that influence the safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs were identified. Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory and Interpretive Structural Modeling were applied to identify the hierarchical and contextual relations among the factors influencing the safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs.FindingsThe results showed that sharing atmosphere ranked first in centrality and had a high degree of influence and being influenced, indicating itself an extremely important influencing factor of safety knowledge sharing of NGCWs. Six root influencing factors were identified, including individual characteristics, work pressure, sharing platform, incentive mechanism, leadership support and safety management system.Research limitations/implicationsThe number of influencing factors of safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs identified in this study is limited, and the data obtained by the expert scoring method is subjective. In future studies, the model should be further developed and validated by incorporating experts from different fields to improve its integrity and applicability.Practical implicationsThe influencing factors identified in this paper can provide a basis for construction companies and safety managers to improve productivity and safety management by taking relevant measures to promote safety knowledge sharing. The research contributes to the understanding knowledge management in the context of the emerging market. It helps to answer the question of how the market can maintain the economic growth success through effective knowledge management.Originality/valueThis paper investigates the influencing factors of NGCWs' safety knowledge sharing from the perspective of intergenerational differences, and the 13 influencing factor index system established expands the scope of research on factors influencing safety knowledge sharing among construction workers and fills the gap in safety knowledge sharing research on young construction workers. Furthermore, this paper establishes a multi-layer recursive structure model to clarify the influence path of the influencing factors and contributes to the understanding of safety knowledge sharing mechanism.

Entropy Change of Historical and Cultural Heritage in Traditional Tibetan Area of China Based on Spatial-Temporal Distribution Pattern

The traditional Tibetan area of China is an ethnically and culturally significant region with a historical geographical connection. This study investigates the spatial-temporal distribution patterns and entropy changes of historical and cultural heritage by examining the association between cultural heritage and socio-historical factors. It utilizes analytical methods such as information entropy and incorporates temporal, spatial, and typological information from the data obtained in the Third National Cultural Relics Census. The findings are as follows: (1) The three major regions in the Tibetan area of China alternately serve as development cores for the traditional Tibetan area, exhibiting a fluctuating “dispersion-aggregation” trend of historical and cultural heritage, which also displays notable regional variations. (2) The quantity and entropy change of historical and cultural heritage exhibit correlations between different periods, but there are also some intergenerational differences. (3) The spatial-temporal distribution pattern of historical and cultural heritage demonstrates an inter-era correlation, indicating that socio-historical development is a nonlinear process characterized by both “transition” and “accumulation”. These findings are of significant importance for further understanding the social evolutionary process of human settlements in high-altitude areas and for the comprehensive protection of cultural heritage in ethnic regions.

Expressed emotion in the South Asian diaspora living in the UK: A qualitative study.

'Expressed Emotion (EE)' captures ways in which emotions are expressed within a family environment. Research has found that EE in families has an impact on psychiatric illness, in particular psychosis, such that it increases risk of relapse. EE was conceptualised by research conducted in the UK. Thus, behaviours defined as pathological were largely based on white samples adhering to UK norms. Cross-cultural variations have been found in EE and its relationship with clinical outcomes. A more culturally appropriate understanding of norms surrounding the EE across cultures is required. This study aims to use a bottom-up approach to provide a culturally specific understanding of family relationships and EE across 'non-clinical' UK-based South Asian families. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 South Asian participants to explore their relationships with a significant other. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were generated: expression of love, setting boundaries, inter-generational differences and acceptance. The findings indicate considerable cultural variability within EE and highlight the need to interpret EE in the context of socio-cultural norms. Whilst certain domains of EE that are considered pathological in Western contexts are present in the UK-based South Asian diaspora, these are perceived as less problematic, indicative of varying cultural norms.

The Impact of ChatGPT on University Teacher-Student Interactions

ChatGPT technology came into being in the era of artificial intelligence, and its impact on the field of education has attracted wide attention from the academic community. Among them, the participation of ChatGPT will promote the transformation of the interaction between teachers and students, from the traditional dual structure to the teacher-student-machine ternary human-computer cooperation model. This paper aimed to explore the influence of ChatGPT technology on teacher-student interaction in university. Status, opportunities, and challenges of ChatGPT participation in teacher-student interaction are found to be the main part of the findings. Through interviews with university teachers and students who used ChatGPT to participate in interaction. It is found that ChatGPTs involvement in teacher-student interaction can provide a large number of high-quality information resources for teachers and students in real-time according to their individual needs. At the same time, it can also be used as a medium for teachers and students to better and equally communicate, bridge intergenerational differences, and help to achieve benign teacher-student interaction. On the other hand, the teacher-student interaction has become more complicated. Indirectly, the traditional authority of teachers has been threatened. In addition to the lack of supervision means of ChatGPT in the education field currently, some students rely on AI to replace themselves to complete academic tasks. Besides, academic misconduct also occurs frequently, which challenges teacher-student interaction. Given the above research results, relevant suggestions are put forward to meet the challenges.

Eliminating Intergenerational and Intercultural Communication Problems in Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises

Abstract Tourism and hospitality is a versatile and multicultural industry that comprises collaboration between members of different generations and cultures in creating and selling a tourism product. Business communication, including tourism and hospitality, does not refer only to business etiquette but is strongly rooted in culture, which influences people’s interaction and way of speaking. Hence, intergenerational and intercultural communication problems are inevitable. The current research presents the main findings of an exploratory research conducted in tourism and hospitality enterprises in Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden in the period of 2020–2023. To discover intergenerational and intercultural communication differences leading to communication problems, semi-structured expert interviews with top-level management representatives in twelve tourism and hospitality enterprises were conducted. The paper analyses intergenerational and intercultural communication problems in tourism and hospitality enterprises, in particular those concerning the use of different languages and ways of communication to suggest means of eliminating the existing problems. The research findings confirm that differences between generations had an impact on the communication process. However, the cultural background and languages influenced people’s behaviour even more, and a great majority of conflicts arose because of difference in cultures, not generations. Suggestions for staff training to develop their intercultural communication skills taking into account generational differences have been proposed.1

Intergenerational Ambivalence and Negotiations: Malaysian Chinese Family Dynamics in the Film The Journey

The millennium is witnessing the emergence of several key feature films produced by Malaysian producers-directors of Chinese ethnicity. Such Malaysian Chinese films comprise a majority of ethnic Chinese as lead actors, who converse predominantly in the Chinese language and consist of narratives that focus on the experiences of the Chinese community in Malaysia. This article seeks to analyse one such film, “The Journey”, directed by Chiu Keng Guan in 2014. In particular, through the film’s narrative, it aims to explore the extent to which this film visualises the possibilities of intergenerational negotiation and engagement as well as the implied issues of intergenerational and cultural differences. Using a conceptual framework that incorporates selected Confucian virtues, namely filial piety, benevolence and propriety, the discussion highlights the significant moments of intergenerational dialogue and engagements within the domestic context of a family. It concludes that the film provides a significant space to reflect on Malaysian Chinese intergenerational reciprocity through the negotiation of cultural differences between older and younger family members in the form of meaningful dialogue and engagement that lead to the realisation of Confucian ideals of intergenerational harmony intertwined with conjugality.

Racial, Ethnic, and Immigrant Generational Disparities in Physically Strenuous and Hazardous Work Conditions

Despite the importance of work in adult life, research on the social determinants of health often ignores its effects. We examine race/ethnic, immigrant generational, and gender differentials in exposure to work conditions associated with poor health outcomes, using a nationally-representative sample of adults. On average, Latino 1st generation workers are more exposed to strenuous and hazardous work conditions than other workers, even after adjusting for sociodemographic differences. Exposure is lower for 2nd and 3rd generation Latinos. In contrast, Asian 1st generation men often have the lowest exposure levels of all groups and Asian 2nd and 3rd generation men have higher levels of exposure than the first generation, primarily due to intergenerational differences in education. Asian 1st generation women have higher exposures than those in the 2nd or 3rd generation. These results illustrate the importance of considering work conditions in research and policy related to the social determinants of health.

Factors Driving Sustainable Consumption in Azerbaijan: Comparison of Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z

The importance of sustainable consumption requires understanding and studying the factors that influence consumer preferences. This study contributes to the understanding of intergenerational differences in the factors that drive consumers toward sustainable consumption in Azerbaijan. In this research, 200 sustainable consumers were first interviewed and the factors that pushed them to sustainable consumption were listed. According to the answers received, these factors were ecological concerns, health concerns and subjective norms. Based on these approaches, a survey was conducted among 1380 sustainable consumers in 2022 and analyzed which of these factors had the greater impact among Generations X, Y and Z. The results obtained using ANOVA revealed that ecological and health issues differed across generations, while subjective norms did not vary across generations.

Intergenerational exploration of traditional practices affecting child health: A phenomenological study

BackgroundAll over the world, various traditional practices affect child health. The aim of our research was to explore the changes in traditional practices that affect child health between generations and to investigate the life experiences of generations in depth. MethodsUsing a phenomenological design, this study was conducted with semi-structured interviews with families of both generations (mothers and daughters). The study was written based on the COREQ checklist. FindingsFour themes (traditional practices and intergenerational differences, beliefs/emotions related to traditional practices, influence factors in traditional practices, traditional methods in child care) and fourteen sub-themes (change in practices between generations, intergenerational transmission of traditional practices, beliefs in perceived benefits, skepticism and disbelief attitude, emotional reactions and perceiving as unnecessary, mother/mother in-law, traditional knowledge from mothers and grandmothers, family elders, the role of the internet and social media, spiritual practices, use of herbal products, alternative applications to medicines, relaxing applications, health consequences of traditional practices) were generated from the data. DiscussionAccording to the findings, some harmless traditional practices are still relevant across generations, while harmful practices are mostly abandoned by new generations. The level of education and access to information has led the new generation to question traditional practices and show more interest in scientific knowledge-based methods. Application to practiceThis research can contribute to advances in child health by helping us understand beliefs, feelings, and influencing factors related to traditional practices. Maternal education and community awareness-raising campaigns can be used to reduce harmful traditional practices.

The COVID-19 pandemic as an existential threat: Evidence on young people's psychological vulnerability using a Multifaceted Threat Scale.

Research offers evidence that younger generations suffered the most psychologically from the COVID-19 crisis. In this article, we look at the onset of the pandemic to understand the reasons for this increased vulnerability. We use the COVID-19 Multifaceted Threat Scale to explore potential mechanisms underlying generational differences in psychological well-being. In a sample of 994 individuals (+18) obtained in the USA and India, we first assess levels of perceived psychological well-being across the generations. Thus, we measure cross-generational differences in the perceived levels of financial, relational, existential, health and lifestyle threats experienced by respondents seven months after the pandemic broke out. In accordance with earlier findings, the results confirm that people from Generation Z and Generation Y reported worse levels of psychological well-being than older adults. Our results suggest that the heightened existential threat, as reflected in a loss of meaning and feelings of being "trapped", mediate the association between younger generations and worse psychological well-being. No substantial intergenerational differences were found for other threat dimensions. The observed effects were consistent across both national contexts, hence stressing the importance of existential concerns as a mechanism underlying the psychological vulnerability of younger people in the historical contingencies of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Language Shift or Maintenance? An Intergenerational Study of the Tibetan Community in Saudi Arabia

The present study provides the first-ever report on the language shift from Tibetan to Arabic among descendants of Tibetan families who migrated from the Tibet region to Saudi Arabia around 70 years ago. The aim of this study was to determine whether three age groups had adopted different practices in terms of maintaining Tibetan or shifting to Hijazi Arabic. To this end, 96 male and female members of the Tibetan community responded to a questionnaire in which they were asked about their code choice in different domains (home, neighbourhood, friends and relatives, expressing emotion, and performing religious rituals). The data revealed significant intergenerational differences between members of the community in terms of the extent of the shift to Arabic, with Tibetan rarely used by younger members and older members making only slightly more use of it. The difference between the three age groups was significant, at a p-value of .001.

The influence of the parental child-rearing gender-role attitude on children’s social adjustment in single- and two-parent families: the mediating role of intergenerational identity

Family is an important system that influences children’s social adjustment. Parents are an important member of the family system, and their parental child-rearing gender-role attitudes (PCGA) will have a significant impact on their children’s social adjustment. This study used a sampling method to compare the intergenerational differences between family members’ PCGA, identity with parents and social adjustment in single- and two-parent families through 931 single-parent families and 3732 two-parent families in Suzhou, China. The study explored the mediating role of children’s identity with parents on parents’ PCGA and children’s social adjustment in different family structures. The results showed that: (1) parents’ masculinity rearing, femininity rearing of PCGA and children’s social adjustment in two-parent families were significantly higher than those in single-parent families; (2) children’s identity with parents mediated the relationship between femininity rearing of parents’ PCGA and children’s social adjustment; (3) the mediated model of children’s identity with parents was found to be significantly different between single-parent and two-parent families.

Depression and Associated Factors among Family Caregivers of Children with Disabilities: Analysis of Intergenerational Differences.

Family caregivers of children with disabilities might face high risks of depression, whereas the existing literature focused more on parents neglecting grandparents. This study investigated 380 parents and 108 grandparents of children with disabilities to identify depression and associated factors. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and multivariable logistic regression were performed to describe the participants' characteristics and risks of depression and identify significant factors. Results showed that parents (35.5%) had higher risks of depression than grandparents (32.4%), but statistical differences were not found. Children's sleep problems (AOR = 1.751, 95%CI = 1.019, 3.008), harmonious family relationships (AOR = 0.694, 95%CI = 0.569, 0.846), and better barrier-free construction (AOR = 0.742, 95%CI = 0.568, 0.970) were significantly associated with depression among parents. As for grandparents, higher education (AOR = 4.108, 95%CI = 1.526, 11.057) and caring for children who experience frequent mood swings (AOR = 2.242, 95%CI = 1.161, 4.329) were associated with higher risks of depression. Further, house ownership (AOR = 0.167, 95%CI = 0.031, 0.887), higher family cohesion (AOR = 0.545, 95%CI = 0.297, 1.000), and better barrier-free construction (AOR = 0.401, 95%CI = 0.185, 0.869) were associated with lower odds of depression. Therefore, both parents and grandparents of children with disabilities had high risks of depression and thus required urgent attention. Healthcare providers and policymakers should develop and implement interventions considering intergenerational differences to reach optimal efficiency.

A sociophoentic study of intergenerational differences in Kemie language

Previous sociophonetic studies have primarily concentrated on European languages or other dominant languages, with Chinese dialects and minority languages receiving less attention. This article aims to examine the phonetic variations of vowels, stops and tones emerged owing to age differences in Kemie Language, an Austroasiatic language in China. 18 speakers were categorized by age into young, middle-aged and older groups with 6 speakers in each group. Acoustic parameters such as formants, VOT, f0 and duration were extracted, and linear mixed effects model and repeated measures ANOVA in R were employed to test whether the above parameters were significantly different across the groups. Results show that: (1) The monophthongs /ɛ/ /a/ /ɔ/ manifest significant variations through tongue height or frontness or both. (2) VOT values of /b/ in the above three groups are significantly different and inverse with age, while no consistent conclusions can be reached in terms of /d/ /ɡ/. (3) Low-rising (13) and high-rising (35) tones with stop codas (cu yun wei) haven’t merged across the groups, but pitch range of the two tones become narrower with decreasing age; Low-rising (13) and mid-level (33) tones with sonorant codas (shu yun wei) have merged across groups.

Image-Based Social Media Usage, Holiday Preference, Conspicuous and Status Consumption: Intergenerational Differences

Social media refers to the platforms that were introduced during the advent of Web 2.0. These platforms permit users to create and manage their own content. Additionally, social media has been instrumental in transforming our understanding of identity. It has become mandatory for social media users to demonstrate and authenticate their identity to others. This responsibility has spurred some users to cultivate a new persona or augment their current one by sharing unrealistic content with the intention of receiving recognition, adoration and esteem. Moreover, social media has a significant impact on consumption patterns. Historically, consumption was solely about fulfilling basic needs, whereas today it has taken on more of a symbolic meaning. Two examples of this phenomenon include conspicuous consumption and status consumption. The research aims to identify distinctions in social media usage, conspicuous and status consumption trends, and holiday preferences between generations as potential tourists, with the purpose of creating a desirable image. The study analyzed data derived from 697 potential tourists and concluded that there are variations in the use of image-centric social media, conspicuous consumption, and holiday preferences across X, Y and Z generations. No differences in terms of status consumption were found. However, these variances do play an important role in the consumption habits of various generations and the technological opportunities available during their formative years. Marketers can positively affect the effectiveness of their marketing activities through careful analysis of generational consumption patterns and the development of targeted marketing approaches for specific generations.

A near-mint view toward integration: Are adolescents more inclusive than adults?

The increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of contemporary societies has raised the importance of integration policies for people with a migrant background. Tools like the Migrant Integration Policy Index have been developed to evaluate different countries' integration approaches. If, on the one hand, focusing on what governments are doing to promote integration is necessary, on the other hand, it is of utmost importance to consider individuals' attitudes toward these policies. Study 1: A pilot study with 356 adolescents (41.1% female, 58.9% male; Mage = 15.38) and 200 adults (69% female, 31% male; Mage = 47.43) was conducted to test the psychometric proprieties of the Attitudes Toward Migrant Integration Policies scale. Study 2: A total of 1,156 adolescents (51.6% female, 48.4% male; Mage = 15.69), 1,288 parents (56.9% mothers, 43.1% fathers; Mage = 49.39), and 284 teachers (68.3% female, 31.7% male; Mage = 45.55) were involved in a study to evaluate how attitudes toward integration policies differ within generations (e.g., ethnic majority and minority groups), within families (e.g., adolescents vs. their fathers), and across generational groups (i.e., adolescents, parents, and teachers). Latent mean comparisons indicated that attitudes toward integration policies varied significantly across sex (for adolescents and parents), ethnic background (parents only), and school track (adolescents) groups. Regarding differences within family dyads, adolescents reported more positive attitudes toward integration policies than their fathers and mothers. Finally, teachers showed more positive attitudes compared to adolescents and their parents. Overall, this study highlights nuanced intergenerational differences, with adolescents standing in between the different positions of their parents and teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Intergenerational differences in healthy eating beliefs among British Pakistanis with type 2 diabetes.

There are growing concerns on how to prevent, slow down and induce remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recent evidence has found diet and lifestyle interventions can cause remission of T2DM, however, there are challenges for diverse groups such as British Pakistanis who are four times more at risk of T2DM. There is a need to understand the food behaviours of different generational groups to develop culturally appropriate strategies to support diabetes prevention programmes. This study explores beliefs about healthy eating and food practices related to T2DM among British Pakistanis to understand the challenges they face in implementing healthy diets. We carried out 26 semi-structured qualitative interviews via telephone and face-to-face. The sample included T2DM British Pakistanis living in Bradford (UK), aged between 18 and 71 with a mean age of 50 (SD = 17.04). Among the participants, 14 were women (54%) and 12 were men (46%), with interviews conducted in both English (76%) and Urdu (24%). Participants were grouped under three generation groups based on age (first generation 65+; second generation 40-64; younger generation 18-39 years). There was no biological link between the generational groups, and they were not part of the same family. Data were analysed using qualitative reflexive thematic analysis. Findings were categorised into three themes: knowledge and awareness of diabetes symptoms; social and family context of food practices and making sense of healthy eating. The family was the fundamental unit of understanding food-related health behaviours. Eating traditional food was perceived as healthy and deemed practical for first generations who were the initial members of their family to settle in the UK as well as the second generations who had parents born in Pakistan. Younger British Pakistanis were born in the UK and reported that they struggled to eat alternative foods within the home and manage their T2DM. These findings improve our understanding of how three generations of British Pakistanis with T2DM negotiate healthy diets. There is a need for culturally tailored diet modifications and interventions, where different generational needs can be specifically targeted to adopt healthier diets which should be shared and encouraged.

Masculinity Crisis or Intergenerational Perceptual Biases? Explicating Public Acquiescence to the Media Regulation on Effeminate Masculinity

Abstract By drawing on the perspective of the third-person effect (TPE), this study explains Chinese men’s general acquiescence to the nation’s recent media regulation on effeminate masculinity. Data were collected among Chinese male netizens through an online cross-sectional survey (N = 735) and processed using a paired samples t-test, regression analysis, and mediation test. The statistical results demonstrate that public silence is not based on their perception of a masculinity crisis but rather a generation gap in self-other perceptual biases that conceive the younger generation as more susceptible to the influence of effeminate male media figures. Furthermore, the study found that media exposure, perceived desirability, critical media literacy, and gender ideology significantly predicted respondents’ related perceptions through the mediation of social distance. While frequent media exposure and positive media portrayals have demonstrated a potential for reducing prejudice against nonconventional gender performances, the recent official restriction on effeminate masculinity may perpetuate this prejudice. Overall, this study enriches the literature on the TPE by comparing intergenerational differences in perceptual biases regarding the social implications of media portrayals of effeminate masculinity.