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Many academic libraries are trying a variety of innovative services to meet net generation users “on their own turf” and “on their own terms”. This paper aims to address the need for academic libraries to determine the wants and preferences of their institution's own net generation students before launching any new service that could be costly and ineffective, and to discuss a method for doing so.

An online survey of undergraduates was conducted at Marywood University to investigate if the net generation profile – being technologically savvy and desiring the quick and easy – applies to help‐seeking preferences at the library. Students were asked to rate their preference for a variety of research assistance options such as e‐mail, IM, Facebook and librarian assistance outside the library.

Results of the study run counter to expectations, and show that certain research assistance options, namely assistance via chat, Facebook, and course management software, are not a favorite among 18‐22 year‐olds at Marywood.

Because of a low response rate of about 10 percent, the library recognizes that it is not possible to generalize these results to all undergraduates at Marywood. However, findings do show an interesting trend that goes against the net generation profile. Another survey is planned in conjunction with focus groups.

The Marywood Library has discovered, through a survey, that one size does not necessarily fit all when catering to the net generation. Time, effort, and expense could be saved if academic libraries conducted a similar study to determine the preferences of their net generation students.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new understanding of the multidimensionality of the knowledge worker of the future, and develop an approach to building the mind/brain infrastructure in support of sustainability.

The many dimensions of the mind/brain are explored as they specifically relate to knowledge work in a changing, uncertain, complex, anxious (CUCA) environment. Along the way four tenets are forwarded that directly impact the knowledge worker, leading to a discussion of building the infrastructure (capacities) of the mind/brain in support of sustainability.

As the close relationship among the characteristics of the Net Generation and those characteristics that support survival in a CUCA world is looked at, it appears that the future of knowledge work is close at hand and in the right hands. There is already a level of co‐evolving with the environment that is occurring in the Net Generation. Four tenets are forwarded and supported: in a CUCA environment capacity is more important than capability for sustainability over time; through continuous connectivity and engagement in conversation and dialogue (a search for meaning), the Net Generation is developing a wide array of shallow knowledge; knowledge workers coming of age in the global world are mentally stimulated by interactions involving diverse views, perspectives, concepts and cultures and are not bounded by local ideas; and thoughts and feelings can nurture, develop, and change the infrastructure of the mind/brain/body system. Eight capacities that support sustainability are introduced.

The paper looks at the new (Net) generation of knowledge workers from the viewpoint of the mind/brain. It introduces the idea of capacities in support of building the mind/brain infrastructure.

The purpose of this paper is to explore generational differences between Generation N (persons born 1980 and after) and previous generations with regard to teaching and learning.

This viewpoint article reviews selected literature, synthesizing those articles with opinions on how to approach Generation N for education and training.

Generation N students and employees possess certain key traits that translate into learning in school and the business world. Generation N employees are often not as independent as their predecessor generations requiring more structure, guidance and regular feedback. They prefer working collaboratively, do not respond well to the lecture, often do not communicate effectively by traditional standards, require information individually tailored to them, and require technology that is available to use. These characteristics of Gen Ns indicate that instructional designers in schools or the workplace should make appropriate adjustments when facilitating the new generation's learning.

With a rather widespread concern by educators and managers that today's graduates do not possess the critical thinking and other skills needed for the business world, this article lends a perspective on how to approach Generation N learners.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss potential challenges learners from different generations may have with current instructional methods using educational technologies in the classroom. The authors hope to create awareness to help improve equity in learning opportunities and assist educators in understanding the needs of multigenerational classrooms.

In a narrative review of the literature, the authors present the current findings of the literature on generations in higher education and concerns for equity in learning opportunities.

It is commonplace in undergraduate programs for learners of multiple generations to attend classes together and research has shown that historical context and generational experiences affect the values, attitudes and learning preferences of each generation. Therefore, higher education institutions should be aware of the demographic profile of their students, as well as the external populations from which they may recruit students, to ensure they are cognizant of the needs of these populations and can provide equality in learning opportunities.

To assist with the needs of this changing student population, university leaders must consider generational characteristics to ensure equity in learning opportunity. Specifically, university leaders and educators in the classrooms will need to adapt and adjust for a changing student population providing instruction that meets the needs of multiple generations of learners, often within one classroom.

Often when we think of diversity in the classroom we think of age, gender, race or even culture. Today we must add diversity in generations. Unlike other equity issues in education such as access (McLaughlin, 2010), educators may not be considering the equity in the design of their instruction to provide equitable learning experiences based on a learners’ knowledge and skills established by their experiences with technology. The lack of knowledge and skills a learner has with technology based on their experiences may create barriers to their ability to understand and complete instructional content involving technology (Wager, 2005). To ensure all learners can be successful, educators should strive to provide equality in learning opportunities when designing instruction including technology.

This chapter will outline the theory behind collaborative learning environments and describe several projects that best exemplify these theories and how best to incorporate them into the learning styles of the Net Generation's way of learning. Through partnerships with the St. Louis science center and the Children's Museum of Manhattan, visuality and interactivity have been incorporated into displays that demonstrate how these sorts of projects encourage students to collaborate in different ways as well as how teachers can introduce material in a variety of multidisciplinary formats.

This paper studies the efficiency of Indian coal-fired thermal power plants (CTPPs) in by-production of electricity and particulates also known as Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM).

A non-radial directional distance function is optimized using data envelopment analysis to enumerate the overall inefficiency of CTPPs and its components in recent times. Further, second-stage regression analysis is conducted to identify factors that affect the inefficiency of plants.

The low inefficiency score for electricity generation suggests that most CTPPs operate close to the good output frontier. A high degree of emissions inefficiency is a challenge for Indian CTPPs. Ever-rising coal use inefficiency is a hindrance to control SPM emissions. The second stage regression analysis concludes that factors like ownership and capacity utilization play vital roles in determining a plant’s inefficiency level. Privately owned CTPPs have performed better in terms of technical inefficiency and emission inefficiency than plants owned by Central and State governments.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the few published works that benchmark the productive and environmental performance of Indian CTPPs.

The paper aims to discuss the expectations and needs of Generation Y students for higher education specifically targeting issues relating to libraries and library management.

The paper provides a brief overview of Generation Y personality traits and characteristics. This is followed by a discussion of organizational culture, explaining how to effectively adapt to meet the expectations of the Generation Y students. Two academic libraries' programs designed to meet the needs of the new learners are discussed.

The paper recognizes the need to address the challenges of the new learners from all levels of library management and provides strategies and programs to enable positive change within the library culture.

The paper highlights generational differences of current higher educational students and library staff and provides practical solutions to enable positive change within library organizational culture.

Argues that a new approach needs to be adopted if organizations are truly to be transformed into ones which could be characterized as diverse.

Considers whether an authentic developmental approach could be undertaken as a means to ensure organizations are authentic, using case material from an authentic development program delivered in the context of a diverse higher-education institution.

Shows that, in order to create and cultivate an authentic organization, the individual life stories of all employees in addition to the organization life story would need to.

Considers that it is imperative, in order to demonstrate courage and commitment, that the program be commenced with the owners, board of directors (including non-executive members), the senior management team, human-resources team and new members to the organization as part of the induction or graduate training. Both direct and indirect resources would require long-term commitment (two-five years) alongside the recognition that employees of the organization may leave as they were either not suited to the corporate approach or there is a mismatch in values, which might necessitate additional cost. The program would be driven by external expertise as a safe environment needed to be created alongside a commitment to confidentiality. Finally, the results of the program would be aligned with the performance-management initiatives and other change initiatives adopted as a result of the outcomes identified.

Claims that today’s talent holds very different expectations of work and possesses a range of dissimilar values. In particular, the millennials – sometimes called generation Y, gen net, Google generation and technology generation – hold very different expectations about the concept of work. Furthermore, if successful organizations wish to remain attractive and retain their talent, they would need to cultivate an organizational-development approach that is best fit for today’s society. In order to achieve this aim, it is crucial that an authentic leadership approach is adopted.

Presents case material primarily based on evidence from a study of millennials/generation Y/gen net/Google generation/tech generation who have explored their values and how these relate to the organization.

The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of generations on information behavior and needs to access and use of library resources and how well academic libraries in Kenya are simultaneously serving both generations. From literature reviewed, a study on the Kenyan scenario on generational behavior and needs was not identified and this study sought to fill that gap.

Data collected were done through mixed-methods research using observation, structured interviews and questionnaires. The sample included 143 students and faculty within different generations, and three library staffs at The United States International University-Africa’s Library. Quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS and Excel, while qualitative data were analyzed according to the theme of this study. Likert-scale responses were used to measure information behavior of users’ needs and preferences.

Findings showed that the library is serving two distinct generations with different needs: out of a mean score of 5.00 of sample surveyed; digital immigrants need information resources mainly for research at an aggregate 3.93 while digital natives need information resources mainly for examinations at an aggregate 4.01. Both generations need to use technology to access and use information resources at 94% of digital immigrants and an aggregate 81.5% of digital natives surveyed. The library is training both user groups accordingly. This answered the research problem this study sought to assess.

The generation of users was known only after administering the questionnaires. Consequently, the researcher targeted them using the status of respondents, faculty or student, to maximize sampling for each generation. Undergraduate and master’s students were used to target digital natives, while the faculty was used to target digital immigrants. PhD students were used to target both digital immigrants and digital natives. This study was done only in one location, USIU-Africa’s Library.

This study assessed how different generations within academic libraries in Kenya could be guided to effectively and efficiently adapt to global changes. This study assessed generational influence on needs and preferences in access and use of information resources, and assessed how academic libraries are concurrently and successfully serving variant user needs in Kenya,

While there are many articles in the popular press and practitioner journals concerning the Millennials (i.e., who they are and what we need to do about them), the academic literature on the subject is more limited. This chapter (1) extensively reviews this literature as published in practitioner, popular press, and academic journals across disciplines including psychology, sociology, management, human resources, and accounting education, and (2) surveys the generational study literature to determine what, if any, rigorous empirical studies exist to support (or refute) the existence of a distinct Millennial generational cohort. While the popular press is voluminous when it comes to avowed generational differences between Millennials and their predecessors, there is a paucity of peer-reviewed, academic, empirical work in the area and most of the latter suffers in some way from the overarching problem with generational research: the linear relationship between age, period, and generation that results in these variables being inherently entwined. However, even absent strong empirical evidence of a unique generational cohort, the literature offers extensive suggestions about what to do about the Millennials in our classrooms and work places. This chapter better informs accounting faculty about the traits of the current generation of accounting students that are supported by empirical research versus claims made in the popular press. It argues for a more reasoned “continuous improvement” approach to Millennials while offering some classroom suggestions for accounting faculty members.