Gen Y 3 - Other Factors Influencing Generation Y & The Generation Y Divide

Drivers that have shaped Generation Y

The two main drivers that have shaped Generation Y have been:

• Parenting - increased focus on family and nurturing of Generation Y by their parents, high levels of parental advocacy, and the living of scheduled and structured lives (see our post on Generation Y parenting)
• Technology - Generation Y are the most technological focused generation in a world technology continues to speed up at a rapid rate (see our post on the impact of technology on Generation Y)

The other drivers that have also influenced Generation Y include:

• Multiculturalism - Generation Y is used to living in a multicultural society where diversity is seen as positive asset and where they are used to mixing socially with a variety of people
• Globalisation - unlike previous generations, Generation Y do not see globalisation as a threat - they see it as a core part of life
• Social consciousness - Generation Y have experienced the rise of Corporate Social Responsibility (companies giving back), the expanding third sector (organisations created to give back), the awareness of unsustainable living (recycling, global warming, the drive to reduce carbon footprints etc), and the awareness of global inequalities (poverty. third world debt etc)
• Terrorism, heroism, patriotism - September 11 and other terrorist activities has also been a key influence for Generation Y

Impact of digital divide and social divide on Generation Y

From our posts on parenting and technology, it is clear that these two drivers have played a very important role in the development of the distinctive Generation Y characteristics and abilities. However, not all the members of Generation Y have had full access to these factors...there are significant numbers of Generation Yers, mainly from the lower socio-economic groups, who have not had full access to the benefits of these drivers....resulting in the creation of a digital and social divide in Generation Y:

• Digital divide - one one side we have the Generation Y members have had the opportunity to have access to the Internet 24/7 and have had access to the new technologies that have come onto the market...on the other side we have Generation Y members who did not grow up with Internet at home and the latest technology products impacting negatively on their developed technology skill levels and technology awareness
• Social divide - on the one side we have Generation Y members have had access to helicopter parents who have nurtured them and build up their self esteem as well providing good professional role models....on the other side we have Generation Y members who have had not had access to high levels of nurturing and limited access to professional role models to raise their aspirations of what is possible for them

The importance of parenting and technology as the main factors that have shaped Generation Y has also intensified the difference between those who had full access to these factors and those who have had limited access. The differences in the members of Generation Y on either side of the divide are stark and are not easy to fix...for example developing high self esteem later on in life is a very difficult achievement to attain even for a very proactive person. On the employment front, this divide could be the cause of significant employability differences and this is currently showing up in the graduate market.

Reference articles

Click on this link to access the links to the following article: (5)

Generation Y articles in this research series (in date order)

• First Steps conference - research background
• Generation Y research strand
• Generalisations & Generation Y
• Generation Y articles used for research
• Gen Y1 - role of Generation Y parents
• Gen Y2 - role of technology
• Gen Y3 - other factors influencing Generation Y & the Generation Y divide
• Gen Y4 -Generation Y characteristics and values in life
• Gen Y5 - the marketing view of Generation Y
• Gen Y at work 1 - characteristics and values at work
• Gen Y at work 2 - Generation Y and intergenerational conflict
• Gen Y at work 3 - Generation Y - vision, good work, work ethics, work-life balance
• Gen Y at work 4 - how employing Generation Y will benefit business
• Gen Y at work 5 - how to manage Generation Y
• Gen Y at work 6 - Generation Y and career
• Gen Y at work 7 - recruiting Generation Y

Posted by: Hina Patel