I am not Gen X or Y. I am a digital Visitor! Listen to me' (special issue 'Building Diverse Organizations)

Description

I am connected to Wi-Fi all the time; my smartphone, iPad and laptop are synchronised. All data is stored on the cloud. I can access anything you send me at any time. I am active on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, but only when I choose to be. My HR department thinks I need a physical copy of all the documents." – Anwar, a 56-year-old bank employee. The respondent quoted above inspired this article. Diversity conversations across the globe have increasingly been dominated by the gender agenda. In countries like India, where diversity is ubiquitous, such conversations risk overshadowing broader issues of inclusion. Other forms of diversity—linguistic, religious, caste and class-based—require equal attention, as they often intersect and intensify societal disparities. Amidst this, technology usage has become pervasive, and digital generations and emerging “digital generation gaps” require closer examination. In India, internet penetration and access to smartphones have grown exponentially over the last decade, yet literacy levels remain low and underemployment is widespread. Given the country’s GDP growth and the large number of young people entering the workforce, a linear, Anglo-Saxon model of generational understanding may be inadequate. The objective of this article is to examine digital generations in the Indian context. The article is divided into three sections: first, it reviews current generational literature and argues for a context-specific understanding in India; second, it introduces the concept of digital generations as a framework for thinking about diversity in organisations; and finally, it explores the implications of digital generations on work-related behaviours.

Publication Date

1-1-2016

Publisher

National HRD Network

Keywords

Technology, Information and communication technology, ICT, Digital generation

Source Link URL

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0974173920160212

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