The inherent ‘gap’ between Millenial and Baby Boomers — Illuminating lessons of social dilemma.

Analysis of HBR and Wikipedia articles on the topic of social dilemma, and generational difference.

Vic Danh

--

Can generational difference be resolved by a shared identity?

Harvard Business Review Article: How Gen Y & Boomers Will Reshape Your Agenda

The authors emphasize the connections between Millenial (Gen Y) and Baby Boomers in terms of workplace references. Baby boomers, more experienced, are the cohorts that will be leaving the workforce in the next decade. Gen Y, young and joining the workforce for the first time, will make a big impact on the new workplace.

From their surveys, the authors describe the similar values between these two cohorts: a drive to contribute to social change, an incline toward more flexible workplaces (i.e: the option to work remotely or to take sabbatical), and a desire to explore passions, and personal fulfillments.

To adapt to the new workplace, the authors suggest that innovative firms of the future will have modularity (chunking of work), flexibility (options for remote working), opportunities to give back (gap year program), progressive policies (toward certain causes such as climate change), and intergenerational mentoring (between Boomer-aged executives and Gen Y employees).

Wikipedia Article: The Social Dilemma

This is a comprehensive article from Wikipedia regarding social dilemma. It describes prominent theories dating back from philosophers Thomas Hobbes, David Hume to Mancur Olson, and Adam Smith. It emphasizes three theories: game theory (prisoner’s dilemma), evolutionary theories (of reciprocity and inclusive fitness) and psychological theories (e.g.: interdependence theory).

Next, the article explains the concept of the public goods, and the tragedy of the common, in which group members run…

--

--

Vic Danh

Senior Research Associate by day and MBA, economically-inclined blogger by night. A life-long learner and observer of technological, health and social trends.