A Review of Generations X and Y’ Work Values and Attitudes Across North America and Europe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbnegotia.2024.1.02Keywords:
generational theory, work values, work attitudesAbstract
The Generational Theory, on the other hand, has been used uniformly in numerous studies without taking into account the historical, social, and cultural variations from one place to another. Because Generation X, and Millennials are currently the most significant generational cohorts for the employment market, this study aims to investigate from a historical perspective the fundamental and work value, leadership styles, and work attitudes of these generations, taking into account regional differences between the North America and European nations. The review indicates that an increasing number of studies have adopted the assumption that, regardless differences in social and economic situations of different nations, generational cohorts have the same patterns and biases. The research conducted in this article contributes to enhancing the approach of generational theory in organizational behaviors studies and highlighting the idea of stark disparities across various areas and nations based on various historical occurrences.
Article history: Received: February 22, 2024; Reviewed: March 10, 2024;
Accepted: March 25, 2024; Available online: March 29, 2024.
JEL classification: N30, J10.
References
Albanese, J. (2018). Four ways millennials are transforming leadership. Retrieved November 20th, 2022, from https://www.inc.com/jason-albanese/four-ways-millennials-are-transforming-leadership.html.
Assmann, A., (2018). 1968 in Germany: A generation with two phases and faces. Retrieved November 20th 2022 from Eurozine Anthology:
https://www.eurozine.com/1968-germany-generation-two-phases-faces/.
Bejtkovský, J., (2016). The employees of baby boomers Generation, Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z in selected Czech corporations as conceivers of development and competitiveness in their corporation. Journal of Competitiveness, 8(4), 105 – 123. https://doi.org/10.7441/joc.2016.04.07.
Bencsik, A., Horváth-Csikós, G. & Tímea, J., (2016). Y and Z Generations at workplaces. Journal of Competitiveness, 8(3), 90-106, https://doi.org/10.7441/joc.2016.03.06.
Bennett, J., Pitt, M. & Price, S., (2012). Understanding the impact of generational issues in the workplace. Facilities, 30(7/8), 278-288, https://doi.org/10.1108/02632771211220086.
Bornarova, S., Bogoevska, N. & Trbojevik, S., (2017). Changes in European welfare state regimes as a response to fertility trends: Family policy perspective. European Journal of Social Science Education and Research, 4(3), 50–57. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejser.v11i1.p50-57.
Costanza, D. P., Badger, J. M., Fraser, R. L., Severt, J. B. & Gade, P. A., (2012). Generational differences in work-related attitudes: A meta-analysis. Journal of Business Psychology 27, 375–394, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-012-9259-4.
Coupland, D., (1996). Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. London: Abacus.
D’Amato, A. & Herzfeldt, R., (2008). Learning orientation, organizational commitment and talent retention across generations. A study of European managers. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 23(8), 929-953, https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940810904402.
Deal, J., Altman, D. & Rogelburg, S., (2010). Millennials at work: What we know and what we need to do (if anything). Journal of Business and Psychology 25, 191-199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9177-2.
Deloitte. (2016). The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey. Retrieved November 20th, 2022, from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-millenial-survey-2016-exec-summary.pdf.
Edmunds, J. & Turner, B., (2005). Global generations: Social change in the twentieth century. The British Journal of Sociology , 56(4), 559-577, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2005.00083.x.
Eurostat (2015). Quality of life in Europe - facts and views - overall life satisfaction. (2015, March). Retrieved February 8, 2023, from Eurostat: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Archive:Quality_of_life_in_Europe_-_facts_and_views_-_overall_life_satisfaction.
Farrell, L. & Hurt, A., (2014). Training the Millennial Generation: Implications for organizational climate. Journal of Organizational Learning & Leadership 12(1), 47-60.
Feher, M., (2014). Communist-era legacy still shapes youth values, study says. Retrieved January 18th 2023, from The Wall Street Journal: http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2014/02/11/communist-era-legacy-still-shapes-youth-values-study-says/.
Foot, D.K. & Stoffman, D., (1996). Boom, Bust & Echo. Toronto: Macfarlane Walter & Ross.
Frankel, J. & Orszag, P., (2001). Retrospective on American economic policy in the 1990’s. Brookings. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/retrospective-on-american-economic-policy-in-the-1990s/.
Glass, A., (2007). Understanding generational differences for competitive success. Industrial and Commercial Training, 39(2), 98-103, https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850710732424.
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. & McKee, A., (2001). Primal leadership: The hidden driver of great performance. Harvard Business Review, 79(11), 42-53.
Gomes, L. (2018). The collapse of real socialism in Eastern Europe: linking external and internal causes. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from Munich Personal RePEc Archive: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/87663/1/MPRA_paper_87663.pdf
Graybill, J. O., (2014). Millennials among the professional workforce in academic libraries: Their perspective on leadership. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 40(1), 10–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2013.09.006
Hayes, B. R., (2013). The implications of multigenerational differences within the workforce. Retrieved from Research Papers. Paper 407, available at: http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/gs_rp/407.
Hernaus, T. & Pološki Vokic, N., (2014). Work design for different generational cohorts: Determining common and idiosyncratic job characteristics”,. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 27(4), 615-641. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-05.
King, D. (2001). Defining a generation: Tips for uniting our multi-generational workforce. Retrieved February 1st, 2024 from http://www.meaningfulcareers.com/defining-a-generation/.
Kraus, M., (2017). Comparing Generation X and Generation Y on their preferred emotional leadership style. Journal of Applied Leadership and Management, 5, 62-75, available at: http://www.journal-alm.org/article/view/18130.
Kutlák, J., (2021). Individualism and self-reliance of Generations Y and Z and their impact on working environment: An empirical study across 5 European countries. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 19(1), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.19(1).2021.04.
Lancaster, L. & Stillman, D., (2002). When Generations Collide: Who They Are. Why They Clash.How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work. New York: Harper Collins NY.
Lasierra, J. M., (2019). Generational differences in work in Spain. A review. Revista Brasileira de Gestão de Negócios, 21(4), 953-969. https://doi.org/10.7819/rbgn.v21i5.4024.
Lubinski, D., Schmidt, D. B. & Benbow, C., (1996). A 20 years stability analysis of the study of values for intelecutally gifted individuals from adolescence to adulthood. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(4), 443-451. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.81.4.443.
Lyons, S. & Kuron, L., (2014). Generational differences in the workplace: A review of the evidence and directions for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(S1), S139-S157; https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1913.
Mannheim, K., (1997). The Problem of Generations’, Collected Works of Karl Mannheim,. London: Routledge.
Martin, T. & Otterman, R., (2016). Generatoinal workforce demographic trends and total organizational rewards which might attact and retain generational employees. Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management 16(2), 91-115.
McCrindle, M. & Wolfinger, E., (2009). The ABC of XYZ. Sydney: UNSW Press.
Meglino, B.M. & Ravlin, E.C., (1998). Individual values in organizations: concepts, controversies and research. Journal of Management 24 (3), 351-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(99)80065-8
Melggs, B., (2022). Millenials Leadership Style: What is their style? Retrieved November 20th, 2022, from My Millennial guide: https://www.mymillennialguide.com/millennial-leadership-style/.
Ng, E. S., Schweitzer, L. & Lyons, S. T., (2010). New generation, great expectations: A field study of the Millennial Generation. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25, 281-292, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9159-4
Plunkert, L. M., (1990). The 1980’s: A decade of job growth and industry shifts. Monthly Labor Review, 113(9), 3-16.
Salahuddin, M. M., (2010). Generational differences impact on leadership style and organizational success. Journal of Diversity Management, 5(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.19030/jdm.v5i2.805.
Scott, J., (2000). Is it a different world to when you were growing up? Generational effects on social representations and child-rearing values. British Journal of Sociology, 51(2), 355-376. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2000.00355.x
Smola, K. & Sutton, C., (2002). Generational differences: revisiting generational work values for the new millennium. Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 23(4), 363-382.
Strauss, W. & Howe, N. (1997). The fourth turning: An American prophecy. New York: Broadway Books.
Ting, H., Limb, T.-Y., de Run, E. C., Koh, H. & Sahdan, M., (2018). Are we Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y? A qualitative inquiryinto generation cohorts in Malaysia. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences 39(1), 109-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjss.2017.06.004.
Wiktorowicz, J. (2018 ). The situation of generations on the labour market in Poland. Economic and Environmental Studies (E&ES), 18(2), 995-1015, https://doi.org/10.25167/ees.2018.46.32.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Negotia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.