Generation Y and “glocal” working ( Lorenzo Cantoni, Emanuele Rapetti and Stefano Tadini)

In recent years, the very successful metaphor of “digital natives” has been proposed in order to characterize how young generations – also called as Generation Y, connected generation, screen generation, homo sapiens, Millennials… – interact with global information and communication technologies (ICT) and in contrast with the approach of so-called “digital immigrants.” A detailed review of the concerned literature and a presentation of the debate about those terms and concepts, allow framing of this debate within the wider discourse about determinism vs. instrumentalism when it comes to technologies. Moreover, the analysis clearly shows a “US centric” bias which tends to over-generalize results that are applicable only to given groups of people in given areas. Globalization of ICT does not produce automatically a globalization of meanings and practices related to them and at the same time, they cannot be simply reduced to mere neutral tools... The presentation of an empirical research involving young – Gen Y – people in two higher education institutions and in six companies in Tessin (Switzerland) helps better understanding the relevant parameters when it comes to usage of ICT and at the same time helps to value how personal, local and cultural factors do play a major role in this game.