while i was home for passover i realized some stuff.
1) the older generation as a whole is really unwilling to accept the extreme change in technology and its great effect on business, communication, and collaboration. not only do many of those who are involved in small businesses remain unaware of up and coming technologies, but they don't have the motivation that large corporations do to change.
Large companies such as GEICO or some mentioned in the articles who are utilizing or trying out programs like Basecamp have the departments or employees who are up to date on technology and provide IT solutions which make it possible for these companies to advance and use the new technology available to their benefit. Small businesses and businesses without money available for such allocation do not grasp such new technologies and may be hurt as a result. For these reasons, older generations currently occupying a major sector of the work force is unaware of the abilities that the internet and social networks provide...and are therefore unwilling to accept and adapt to new methods of interaction.
2) there was a couple at my house who met about 2 months ago on craigslist classifieds...who would think to post their profile there compared to a known dating site like match.com or jdate?
amazingly, for such a simple interface, it seems that craigs list really encompasses an plethora of opportunities and information...strange how a website that appears so old and simplistic can still be so effective and useful.
i know this post was short and random....but just some real life issues that I had encountered , and thought about during my few days home.
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7 comments:
i've actually been thinking alot recently about your first point.. as i've been working on site development with "web 2.0" features like user-enabled content and collaboration, i've found some people in the older generation don't understand the benefits of it. they understand the benefit of the internet and can understand the concepts, but sometimes seem to miss some of the bigger points. for example, when i was explaining to my parents about some features on a site i'm working on (blog, user comments), they thought that although these things seemed "cool" they were "unprofessional". this is most likely because the business/corporate sites that they're familiar with don't implement these features. as these things are becoming increasingly more prominent on sites, i wonder if more people will adapt and interact, or if it is a generational thing that the less tech-saavy won't understand...
I couldn't disagree more with your point. The majority of the leaders in the tech industry are in the "older generation". Last time I checked Bill Gates was still with Microsoft and Steve Jobs was with Apple instead of some cool, hip kid. What it comes down to is interests, hobbies, and lifestyle. How many after leaving college will continue to read fiction, non-fiction, or history without a professor forcing it onto them? How many will do math . . . for fun?! How about the details of tax law from your accounting class which will be outdated next year? People will do what they are good at - it is up to the employers to draw upon that talent. I highly doubt that any kid graduating this year will have the stellar knowlege of running a business like a dinosaur at the dinner table. Stephanie
I think these people who would not adapt the new technology will be in bad shape in the future as almost every technology is devolped so fast and at some point of time they might not be able to catch up.
What I realy makes me feel bad when I find young people who know absolutly nothing about simple technologies. Some of them are realy having bad time with the multimedia messaging and other simple cellphones features.
It is interesting to read what different readers have to say on their comments. I agree with your points how it is probably a generational thing since we tend to learn most from our environment. So,if you are surrounded by non-tech savvy 50 years friends, there is no way taht you can maintain technicality while college students are talking about blogs. However, I was also surprised how Tom and other guest speakers are so knowledgeble not only the official hard-core technology but also more pop culture of social networking. I might even have more conservative view on new technology than he does...
You know... I think its funny that you bring up the "older user". My roomate just actually had an experience where during an interview she suggested to a large company that they need a blog to have an additional in with their customers. The response was- it didn't work! Because the target market for this given company is women over 45, their attempt to launch a succesful blog failed. A lot of the older people dont even know what blogging is!
Alex I agree with older people unwilling to go with the new tech but i think its because of time they are so used to using there old equipment and sacred to use new tech...my dad who has a blackberry calls me everyday to ask how to use it and after i tell him he goes ahh its to hard i wont do it so he uses he blackberry as a cell phone and doesnt worry about the other fetaures
Alex,
I was thinking that maybe one of the reasons that a smaller company might be so hesitant to utilize the more recent technologies is that they have more to lose. If a company must spend money to try out a new technology or concept and their current methods are working, it is a risk. If a larger/more established company such as GEICO were to try something, they don't have much to lose if that one thing doesn't work out.
-Ryan
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