generation
Generation (from the Greek γενεά), also known as procreation, is the act of producing offspring. It can also refer to the act of creating something inanimate such as electrical generation or cryptographic code generation.
A generation can also be a stage or degree in a succession of natural descent as a grandfather, a father, and the father's son comprise three generations.
A generation can refer to stages of successive improvement in the development of a technology such as the internal combustion engine, or successive iterations of products with planned obsolescence, such as video game consoles or mobile phones.
In biology, the process by which populations of organisms pass on advantageous traits from generation to generation is known as evolution.
Length
A generation has traditionally been defined as “the average interval of time between the birth of parents and the birth of their offspring."[Dictionary.com] This makes a generation around 30 years in length. However, while this rule of thumb has served sociologists well in analysing generations up to and including the Baby Boomers, it is less relevant for recent generations.[ McCrindle Research 2006, New Generations at work, retrieved November 30, 2007. ]
Firstly, because generational cohorts are changing so quickly in response to new technologies, changing career and study options, and because of shifting societal values, their characteristics can change in less than two decades.
Secondly, the time between birth of parents and birth of offspring has stretched out from two decades to more than three. Looking at Australian statistics, the median age of a woman having her first baby was 24 in 1976, while today it is just over 30.[ So, while the Boomers are the children of the Builders or Veterans, Gen Z are often the younger siblings of Gen Y – or the children of the late-breeding Gen X. In recent years, the median age of first-time mothers throughout the western world has reached record highs.]
 USA - 25.2[ U.S. Census Bureau 2007, Facts for features: Mother's Day, retrieved November 30, 2007. ]
UK - 27.4["More women have a late pregnancy", BBC News, December 17, 2004, retrieved November 30, 2007. ]
So, today a generation refers to a cohort of people born into and shaped by a particular span of time (events, trends and developments). And the span of time has contracted significantly.
More so than ever, the commonalities of today’s generations cut through global, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries. Due largely to globalisation made possible through the various technologies of today, a youth from Australia, the US, UK, Germany or Japan is shaped by the same events, trends and developments: they are witnessing unprecedented declines in their national birth rate, they are concerned by global warming, and more of their generation are tertiary-educated than their parents and grandparents. Likewise, those living on Government pensions are aware of and shaped by global trends no differently than are celebrities and high-flyers.[ Zemke, R. et al 2000, Generations at work, AMACOM books, New York. ]
Generation Table
Please note that these years that have been noted are quite vague and may differ slightly (in some cases quite substantially) from country to country. This table corresponds with the table given by Strauss and Howe.
See also
List of generations
Intergenerational equity
Generation Z
Strauss and Howe
The Baby Boom Generation took place from 1946-1964, roughly in between those times 76 million babies were born in the Post WWII era.
External links
Generations and Population
Resources on the Generations
References
[William Strauss and Neil Howe (1991) Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584-2069, ISBN 0-688-11912-3]
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