Opportunities in generational change to address complex global challenges including environmental sustainability

1. Harnessing the Technological IQ of
the new generation
Jawad Rachami
3 March 2013

2. Source: Pew Research Center, 2010
Portrait of the New
Generation:
Digital and Mobile
• The new generation is highly adept at use of new communication and
computing technologies
• They are also highly mobile with significantly higher use of WIFI
connectivity and mobile computing
• They are far more likely to rely on cell phones for communication .
• More likely to say that they sleep with their cell phone nearby.
• More likely to use cell phones to send and receive text messages
• They are more likely get their news from the internet (television is the
biggest source of news for Boomers)
• They use networked multimedia tools for various reasons, including:
• Learning
• Entertainment
• Networked advocacy
• Shared experiences
• Millennials are by far more likely to own most mobile devices and also
more likely to take advantage of their full functionality

3. • The demographic make-up of the new
generation is different than preceding
generation
• Millennials are more ethnically and racially
diverse than previous generations
• Age Demographics in West are different than in
a number of emerging and third world countries
• – i.e., Middle East population is mostly young
while West population mostly aging.
• New generation is socially-conscious and is
highly active on social media platforms
• Young women are more active on social networks
than young men (more frequent use)
• Recently, American Psychological Association
study linked higher stress in new generation to
social media
US Demographics
61% 19% 13% 4%2%
62% 18% 12% 6%2%
73% 10% 11% 4%2%
80% 7% 8% 4%1%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Profile on Social Network
Millennials
Gen X
Boomers
Seniors
White Hispanic Black Asian Other
Source: Pew Research Center, 2010
Portrait of the New
Generation:
Diverse and Connected

4. Portrait of the New
Generation:
More Educated
• New generations are more highly educated
than preceding generations at comparable
ages:
• Younger women surpass younger men in the
share graduating from or attending college.
• More likely to be in college than labor force
• Educated for a high tech economy, but pay a
price with effect on career and earnings:
• Student debt puts young people at financial
disadvantage starting off (U.S. student loan debt
has topped $1 trillion)
• Younger people face disproportionately high
unemployment due to economic conditions and
baby boomers staying in their jobs longer
• Per Bureau of Labor Statistics , % of labor force
under 25 decreased 13% and , % over 55
increased by 8%
Male Education Attainment
Female Education Attainment
Source: Pew Research Center, 2010

5. Attitude towards careers
Attitude towards Environment
Source: Pew Research Center, 2010
Portrait of the New
Generation:
Attitudes towards Jobs &
Environment
36%
38%
35%
27%
53%
55%
54%
51%
69%
77%
72%
77%
Recycle from
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
home
Buy Green
products
Buy organic food
• Dynamic careers and Job satisfaction:
• New generations place high importance on being
successful in high-paying career.
• Millennials are significantly less likely to work full
time and twice as likely to work part time than
Gen X or Boomers
• New generation much more likely to say that they
have or will switch careers in their working life
• Planet and Environmental Engagement:
• New generation’s views about planet and green
practices are consistent with older generations
• Millennials lag behind in Green practices,
especially among those who have not attended
college

6. Portrait of the New Generation:
Attitudes towards the Environment
Source: American Psychological Association, 2012
2012 American Psychological
Association Study:
•Civic orientation including taking action to
help environment and save energy declined,
especially from Gen X to Millennials.
•Millennials reported thinking less about
taking actions to protect environment, either
personally or through Government:
•Survey data also showed generational
decline in life goal of “becoming involved in
programs to clean up environment”
•Study conclusion: The notion that new
generation is “more civically concerned” and
“environmentally concerned…is not
supported” by data

7. Debate: Will they OR will they not?
New generation way of thinking will yield helpful results:
• They multitask and cycle quickly through personal- and work- related tasks.
• They learn more and are more adept at finding answers to deep questions, in part because
they can search effectively and access collective intelligence via global info mediums.
• In sum, the changes in learning behavior and cognition among the young generally
produce positive outcomes
New generation way of thinking will yield baleful results:
• They do not retain information; they spend most of their energy sharing short social
messages, being entertained, and being distracted away from deep engagement with
people and knowledge.
• They lack deep-thinking capabilities; they lack face-to-face social skills; they depend in
unhealthy ways on the internet and mobile devices to function.
• The changes in behavior and cognition among the young are generally negative outcomes.
55%
42%
3%
Pew Internet and American Life Survey of Technology and Business
Experts
Source: Pew Research Center, 2011

8. Debate: Understanding Lasting Change
+
+
Technology Globalization Demographics
+
+
Connectivity Mobility Diversity
Reach Access Empower-ment
+ +
• Three major factors driving
lasting change:
• Technology provides greater
connectivity, networked innovation,
collaborative problem-solving, and
access to learning.
• Globalization is providing greater
mobility of people and goods and
greater interactivity and access to
diverse communities
• Demographic shifts both nationally and
globally are spurring diversity and
resulting in the empowerment of diverse
communities
• Attitudes of new generation towards
current and future challenges will be
affected by their experience with
technology; their access and
understanding of other communities,
and ability to embrace ‘difference’ and
‘complexity’

9. Debate: Technological IQ vs. Civic Engagement
• Most experts and surveys on topic agree that new generation possesses unique skills and
qualities, including:
• Public problem-solving through cooperative work (crowd-sourcing and open-source development);
• Ability to search effectively for information and communicate with speed (digital literacy and resourcefulness);
• Multitasking capabilities using multiple mediums and sources of information
• Synthesizing abilities putting together information from lots of sources;
• Independent/DIY capabilities with access to online learning
• BUT there are concerns about:
• Civic engagement including interest in environmental protection
• Ability to work effectively within structured organizations/processes
• Long-term commitments to career choices
• Challenge of networked passions and Polarization in the digital edge

10. Why environmental issues will
fare better with the new generation
• A new generation of technology experts will have access to an increasing level
of networked innovation through:
• Co-creation and crowd-sourcing efforts,
• Powerful data analysis and analytics tools,
• Disruptive innovation concepts and solutions (i.e., 3D printing);
• Advanced communication and IT technologies
• The new generation’s connectivity to the world exposes it to climate change
effects in devastated communities across the world
• Developments in the area of energy security tied to geo-strategic challenges
will contribute positively to environmental goals.
Examples:
• Automotive companies use of co-creation to seek innovative designs that fuel
efficiency standards – i.e.:
• Nissan Innovation Garage
• Local Motors

11. Why environmental issues will
fare better with the new generation
Example:
Government not immune to innovation
• The U.S. Army is embracing innovation-driven
processes and co-creation
concepts to address energy security
challenges in forward military
environments
Army Operational Energy

12. Why environmental issues may continue
to be a challenge for the new generation
• If there is in fact a decline in the new
generation’s interest to address environmental
challenges, then this may result in:
• Decline in future support for government action to mitigate
environmental impacts,
• Insufficient support for climate research,
• Decreased interest by private organization in taking
environmentally-sustainable actions,
• Policy inaction on global climate (without US leadership, no
substantive action can be expected globally)
• The new generation will have to cope with the
paradox and tensions of:
• Collaboration vs. polarization in 24-hour information
environment;
• Global vs. Local in an increasingly flatter world; and
• Strategic vs. Tactical at a time when short term pain is
needed for long-term gain
Examples of tensions/conflicts the new
generation will contend with
Collaboration Vs. Polarization
Egalitarianism Vs. Hierarchy
Innovation Vs. Process
Long-term Short-term
Vs.
Global Local
Vs.

13. QUESTIONS