Memories…
•What are the significant
world events that you
remember?
•Please write them down
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Generation Z –
Do they walk amongst us?
Keith Penhall
Red River College,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Marketing Educators Association Conference –
April 2014
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Generation Z –
They walk amongst us…
•Keith Penhall
• RED Forum – May 2016
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Generations…
• Radio Generations – WW2 and Silent generations – pre-1945
• Baby Boom Generation – 1946 – 1964
• Generation X – 1965 – 1980
• Millennial Generation – 1980 – 2005-7
• Generation Y – 1980 – 1991
• Generation Z – 1992 – 2005-7
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Radio Generations – 71+ years old
• 1 man – 1 woman – for life.
• Dad – off to work, at one company till retirement. Could expect to
work for same company or industry… maybe one position higher
• Mom – raised the kids
• Marry young, raise a family – little time for PSE
• Impacted by massive world events – Great Depression, WW2, Asian
Conflicts – proxy for the Cold War
• Significant savers
• Transition from rural to urban lifestyle
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Baby Boomers – 70-52 years old
• Encouraged to “explore themselves” – stay in school longer
• Move for employment, or college experiences
• BCPs – control of fertility changed society
• First generation of significant divorce rates
• Employment opportunities available above the family norm
• Take turns; wait, focus, try… play without adults
• Cause of inflationary interest rates in 80s
• Still able to save
• 1st Generation that was marketed to directly
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Gen X – 51-37 years old
• 1st Generation kids of divorce – latch-key kids
• “The Posse” as family
• Stayed in PSE longer, still had difficulty getting career purchase
• Mistrust of big organizations – governments, businesses, family
• Economic troubles – 70s Oil Embargo, 80s + 90s Recessions
• McJobs – career a series of contracts and experiences
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Descriptors…
• Radio Generation – Loyalty
• Baby Boomers – Self-indulgence
• Generation X – Cynical
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Millennials – the magic of demographics
• Oldest are now 36ish
• Make up approximately 36% of workforce
• By 2025 – 75% of workers will be Millennials
• High school completion rate is exceptionally high – between 1990 and
2010, drop outs decreased by 40% to just 7%
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The bad news…
• 48% of college graduates in work NOT requiring a degree
• Examples of – increases of 60% credit card debt and 85% student loan
debt – year over year
• 4-year school retention rates may be drifting down
• 2-year school at the highest level in many years
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Millennial Split… Gen Y and Gen Z
• Gen Y – 1980 – 1992 or so
• Gen Z – 1992 - ??? ------ likely 2005-07
• Gen A – 2005-07 - ???
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Gen Y – Life events
• Columbine shootings
• 9/11 terrorist attack
• Afghanistan War – 2001+
• Iraq War – 2003 - ~11
• 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and earthquake
• Dot.com Bubble bursting
• China, India, North Korea
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Gen Z – Life events
• 2005 – Katrina Hurricane
• Virginia Tech Shooting - 2007
• Arab Spring – ~ 2010-12
• Ongoing Iraqi and Afghanistan Wars
• Election of first African-American President – 2008
• 2008 – Great Recession
• massive property failures, unemployment rates soaring
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Gen Y – 36 – 25 years old
• Entitled
• Tech savvy
• Digital natives
• Success driven
• Global thinkers
• Community minded
• Enjoy working in teams
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Gen Z – 24 - ??? Years old
• Less “piety” – pray less, but more spiritualism
• accepting of common law relationships
• Live for “today”
• Less savings
• Less thrift
• Less concern for recycling
• More pleasure seeking
• Less concern for “Showing up” … meaningful face time preferred
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Millennial Descriptors – self described
Generation Y
Generation Z
Awesome
Spoiled
Special
Entitled
Technology users
Have to have Technology
Connected
“Must” connect
2016 additions
2016 additions
Lazy
Lazy
Fearless
No work ethic
Impulsive
Want to please
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My Observations of differences
• “Must” respond to technology – texts, FB, etc
• Juggling so much – working, delay starting assignments, lack of
direction sought throughout “down-time” before due date
• 2014
• ~ avg. 18.2 hours a week – 1st year Marketing students (2 sections)
• ~ avg. 16.3 hours a week – 2nd year Retailing Mgnt students (2 sections)
• 2016
• ~avg. 15.64 hours a week 1st year MKTG students – 97.2% cell phones, 8.94
years avg. (36 resp)
• ~avg. 16.87 hours a week 2nd year Interc students - 96.9% cell phones, 10.58
years avg. (33 resp)
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Observations… cont’d
• Require detailed steps, rubrics, conversations for assignments
• Do not connect attendance with need for information, and
expectation that it will be provided
• Laddering seems to work, helping to break down cognitive steps
• Meet one-on-one, makes a difference – collaborate
• Engage with technology…they are going to use any ways
• Help find balance
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Strategies I employ
• Micro quests for information
• More detailed assignment information
• More detailed Outlines/Syllabus – or not….
• 2013 – 14 - Major Marketing Plan Assignment broken down into 3
segments
• Outline, Draft, Final version
• 3 / 9 / 3 = 15%
• 2015 – 16 – Less value for the assignment, changed the focus
• Many quizzes as prep for midterms,
• Greater focus on LEARNING
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The Future… so bad?
• Listen, you know this: If there’s not a rebellious youth
culture, there’s no culture at all. It’s absolutely essential. It is
the future. This is what we’re suppose to do as a species, is
advance ideas.
• John (Johnny Rotten) Lydon, Sex Pistols
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