Generation Y & Generation Z

Two weeks after everyone else, I finally had a chance to read the excellent article written by Sarah Perez on Generation Y changing the office (and the general web). This whole trend is something that has been influencing the venture capital world for a long time, as the big companies of tomorrow will be those that appeal, attract and present real offerings to Generation Y. I am personally amazed when I hear of companies (JC Penny?) that still don't allow free internet browsing for their employees. I am sure that is going to change for this generation.

Anyway, check Sarah's article on Read Write Web.

Generation Y is defined as the children that do not remember the Cold War. On a more personal level, I am starting to think about the next generation (my own kids). In US terms, Generation Z is defined as the children born post 9/11. In global terms, Generation Z will be the 1^st generation in a "globally warmed" planet. I think there should be an Israeli version of that (like always) – kids born post Nov. 4^th, 1995 – The Rabin Assassination.

How are these kids different? Hard to say, but at this point I will call them the iPhone generation. They can't imagine a world without a personal, mobile, triple play connection with 100% availability. Just a few days ago, my daughter asked me: "How old were you when you got your first mobile phone?" – I think I was 31.

One small thing bothers me regarding these definitions. What will come post Gen Z? Maybe we should have started Generation X with the letter A, giving room for a lot more generations.

Comments

[Jeff K]

Outstanding. My 7 year old checks her email (with adult supervision almost every morning) and gets frustrated when she sees "page loading" :-)

[Sara Goldstein]

"Maybe we should have started Generation X with the letter A, giving room for a lot more generations."

...Or maybe we should find a better way to describe the current crop of young adults than 'the one after the one before'.

Perhaps it's an Australian thing, but I've heard young people say they'd prefer that this generation be called the 'Net Generation'. I really like that.

My entire working life has been online, bar the first couple of part-time jobs I had in my teens. The majority of contact with friends and colleagues happens through the 'net or my cell phone; even if we meet in person, it's lined up through one or both of the above. I find it frustrating when any organization fails to be as open and free as the best internet companies.

That said, I'm not sure that I'm really 'Gen Y'. I'm either X or Y depending on the definition used re the changeover, so I guess I'm on the cusp. So I don't claim to speak for 'Gen Y' -- but then, very few 'real' Gen Y people do either ;)

[forg toflr]

i was born on the 27th of april 1995,am i in generation y or z??some say z starts from 1995,others say it starts from 2001...which am i in??

[Michaela]

haha i'm born on the 27th of april 1996