One of the interesting things to consider when speaking of generational differences is the fact that these vary outside of the United States, as well as across different groups within the United States. For example, newer immigrants to this country have a new layer put over their generational differences; labels such as “first generation,” “second generation,” and “third generation,” as applied to recent immigrants also refer to the length of time spent by that family in the United States. Those kinds of generations have very different experiences than those whose families immigrated to the U.S. much earlier. Also, many of these generations, such as those groups still struggling out of slavery, segregation, and discrimination, may also have very different perspectives on the major sociopolitical events that are said to influence each of the generations.

Another U.S. group that may have experienced these generational profiles differently consists of those in the lower socioeconomic brackets. The Depression of the 1920s and 1930s hit these classes much worse than the others, and because of the cycle of poverty, many of the technological experiences may not be accessible to these groups, nor were many of the benefits of having parents who were well-off like the profile of the Traditionalists.

In addition, the unique historical events experienced by different generations of U.S. Americans may not be experienced the same by those same generational groups outside of the United States. The Depression was experienced differently in Russia and in China, and access to advanced technology in many countries is still limited by economics. Often, political events, music, the popular media, etc. may bond a generation together who may otherwise have nothing in common across social and cultural borders.

Thus it also becomes important to investigate different cultures and their interactions with age in order to better understand generational differences. For example, having a good understanding of the (Asian) Indian joint family structure may better explain the attitudes of elders toward those who are younger than the relationship between a Traditionalist and a Baby Boomer. The Indian cultural norm is to provide respect to elders and not to argue with their opinions at all, while a Baby Boomer might be more comfortable stating his or her opinions clearly and directly to the Traditionalist. Management styles would thus have to adapt to generational differences based not only on the age but also with the culture of the individual being managed.

Given all this information, try to craft a personal response to the following question: How would you adjust your management style for the different generations, understanding that these profiles would vary across cultural situations? You may benefit from researching this on your own.