Considering Generations From a Lifespan Developmental Perspective

Rudolph, Cort W.; Zacher, Hannes

doi:10.1093/workar/waw019

Cited by 61 publications

(111 citation statements)

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“…2 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 | The concept of generation Generations can be viewed from different perspectives (Rudolph & Zacher, 2017). Generations can be theorized from a sociological perspective looking at generations as social forces facilitating change in societies (Mannheim, 1952), from a cultural perspective claiming that generations shape culture and are not simply shaped by them (Campbell, Campbell, Siedor, & Twenge, 2015), and from a psychological perspective discerning in generations an explanation for behavior (Rudolph & Zacher, 2017). The notions of replacement and temporal succession that are core to generational theory have been applied to various contexts (Alwin & McCammon, 2007;Rudolph & Zacher, 2017), such as "generation as birth cohorts," which is a function of being born at a certain period of time as a formative context; "generation as kinship"; "generation as age-effect" resulting from location in the biological process and in life span development; and "generations as timing of entry into the organization and tenure" pointing to succession in organizations (Joshi, Dencker, & Franz, 2011).…”

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“…These value systems then influence every aspect of a person's life, including how people behave in the workplace (Twenge & Campbell, 2008). This stream of reasoning is referred to as the "individual differences hypothesis" (Lyons & Kuron, 2014) and has been criticized as a black box understanding of the mechanisms of linking generations to work behavior (Rudolph & Zacher, 2017). Joshi, Dencker, Franz, and Martocchio (2010) argued that before differences among generations become clear, an individual must identify with this generation.…”

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Generations as social categories: An exploratory cognitive study of generational identity and generational stereotypes in a multigenerational workforce

Rossem

2018

J Organ Behavior

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Summary Even though the academic press recognizes generational diversity and its consequences, the related findings are fractured, and research is incomplete regarding methodology and theoretical background. In adopting a social identity perspective concerning groups and self‐conception, we argue that the social identity perspective is in line with generational identity theory. Employing a cognitive mapping method (repertory grid technique, mixed methods), the present study taps into three generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y) of Belgian managers' minds and demonstrates how they perceive their own and the two other generations. Our research reveals that perceptions of their own and other generations may direct social categorization and generational stereotypes of the in‐group and out‐group(s), that some of these stereotypes can be enacted, and that generational stereotypes do not necessarily coincide with age‐based stereotypes. Several metapatterns in the stereotypes are revealed as well. Hence, we contribute to the emerging field of research that calls for an identity‐based approach rather than a cohort‐based approach to generations and that validates the argument that generations as a workplace phenomenon must be considered a legitimate phenomenon. Insights into generations as social categories give a richer view of the interrelationships between generations in multigenerational situations at work.

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Generations as social categories: An exploratory cognitive study of generational identity and generational stereotypes in a multigenerational workforce

Rossem

2018

J Organ Behavior

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“…Later, he concludes that “learning matters to individuals and their organizations” (p. 345). Moreover, Burke adopts an uncritical perspective on topics such as generational differences (see Rudolph & Zacher, ). For example, he states that “Each generation has different values, beliefs, expectations, learning styles, and preferences.…”

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“…Part 3 (“Understanding the needs of younger employees”) begins with Chapter 6, in which Ng and McGinnis Johnson argue that organizations should pay attention to the “Millennial generation” because “There is growing evidence to suggest that the Millennial workers espouse different values and attitudes, and form different expectations about work…” (p. 122). Despite a brief acknowledgment of the limitations of generations research (e.g., cross‐sectional designs; Rudolph & Zacher, ), the authors list several unfounded stereotypes about younger workers such as “spoiled and entitled” (p. 123), “a generation who are impatient to succeed and have high expectations with respect to their careers, but those expectations are often not matched by their abilities” (pp. 125–126), and “emphasize material rewards… low work centrality and a preference for leisure over work… and generally have a lower concern for others” (p. 127).…”

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confidence: 99%