Generational Differences

One of the variables being examined in this paper, in relation to the following two variables, is generational differences. This term is used to define the age groups/ categories that people are put into (Costanza et al., 2012). The generations, in order from oldest to youngest, are as follows: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennial. Although there is no clear-cut answer to what the start and end dates are for each generation, there is a general idea as to what they should be around. Using a graph provided by Costanza et al. (2012), one can get an idea of what the cut off points should be. In order to give definition to the generations, Generation X falls in between the years 1960 to 1979 and Millennials fall between the

years 1980 to 1999. Generational differences are important to examine because it is believed that each generation holds different values, attitudes, and other attributes that can affect how they operate within a work environment. Brown & Benson (2011) used a few different definitions of “generation” to come to the conclusion that a generation can be defined as a group of people (cohorts) who share similar experiences, attitudes, and habits. It is believed that due to the differences in age, variables (job satisfaction, for example) can be affected. This paper will delve deeper in order to see if that is an accurate statement or not.