Opinion Disruption and convergence in 21st century

The Compromise generation (born after 1965); and

The Retro generation (born before 1965).

The eight socio-behavioural clusters we have identified are: (1) Low key (2) Value seeker who gets involved only when a worthwhile payoff is seen (3) Sober,who goes about in quiet efficiency (4) Flamboyant who is an exhibitionist (5) Critical who is a perfectionist (6) Novelty seeker (7) Techy,who goes for the digital mode and (8) the Gizmo lover. These clusters were spun off from Digital Zap but are common to Compromise and Retro generations too.

Connecting to Digital Zap: Venturing into Paris at age 19 to fulfill my dream of becoming an artist,I found a huge difference between me and other 19-year-olds. That was in 1973,and as I came from a poor refugee colony in West Bengal,it was natural that I did not connect with them. But I later discovered that even among people of the same generation in Europe and America,there was a disconnect. Winston Churchill once said it was not easy to get European and American youth of the Allied nations to join World War II. In contrast,the leaders of the enemy Axis powers had impassioned their youth to fight for their new-found ideologies. So,with careful communication,the Allies managed to align their youth to go to war against the enemy.

My business travels to different continents has made me realise that the youth today in every country,more or less,have similar ideas on how to live life. This is the real globalisation,the globalisation of the mind. But management decisions in corporate houses across the globe are often made by the Retro and the Compromise generation. That’s why Digital Zap has a huge disconnect to many industries today. A few exceptions would be Google,Apple,Nike,Microsoft and Cisco— companies that Digital Zap connects to.

Change to disruption and convergence: The change process from 19th (mechanical era) to 20th century (electronic era) was big,but evolutionary. For example,there’s no radical difference in looks,mechanism and functioning of a mechanical gramophone and electronic modern turntable. But in the 21st century came the iPod,breaking every known system for operating a musical player. iPod and the MP3 players are disruptive in every sense. The change they’ve rushed in is entirely revolutionary.

Convergence is the name of the game now. The iPhone incorporates several industries and functions—it’s a camera and a photo album,a bank and a data bank,a post and telegraph office,a writing pad and a pen,an audio and a video player,a calculator and an alarm clock and much more. Do you know how to grab this diverse world of disruption and convergence in the 21st century?

Revolutionary change in the 21st century: Using the music player,let’s illustrate 20th century’s innovation from the tape recorder invention to about 20 years later when the Walkman hit the market. In comparison,21st century’s innovation every 20 days is represented in newer versions of mobile phones,software and digital products. Even the fashion industry has experienced last century’s unsettling detonation but the flow of change was harmonious.

Then bang comes 21st century’s fashion communication. Diesel brand says,“Smart has the brains,Stupid has the balls. Be stupid.” In one of their ads,a boy almost tumbles over a bus window to kiss a girl on the street. Dolce & Gabana shows a woman on the floor,body arched,and four men around her suggesting group sex. An Emanuel Ungaro woman is sensually enjoying hedonistic pleasure. Tom Ford has two nude couples lying on the floor; and Calvin Klein jeans portray an orgy. Such distractions pervade almost every aspect of life globally. What was considered appropriate to be hidden yesterday is out in the open today.

Digital Zap at the cusp of the century: When the 1986 born Digital Zap reached the age of 5 in 1991,they were conscious of,and using,digital technology that had started overwhelming the world. That’s why I consider every one below 30 to be Digital Zappers. Tomorrow there may not be Compromise or Retro generations because Digital Zap will continue to drive future generations. It may become Digital Zap Mature,Digital Zap Ripened and Digital Zap Youth. A century storm is what Digital Zap represents. Engulfed in 21st century’s rapid change,they have no attachment to anything in any sustaining way.

Differences in attitude are clearly visible: To get the news,Retro reads a newspaper at home,Compromise uses the Internet at office,while Digital Zap stays in touch with an iPad while on the go. To communicate,Retro writes letters,Compromise phones and Digital Zapper just texts. The more you think,act and align with them,the more you connect to the happenings in the world. Irrespective of whether they are spenders,Zappers influence purchases in the family. They are a new civilisation of digital connectors.

The way the Baby Boomer generation dominated the second part of the 20th century,Digital Zap is set to revolutionise the 21st century,dictating terms in every sphere. Being in tune with the diverse ways of the world in every aspect,the future of business is with Digital Zap.

Shombit Sengupta is an international creative business strategy consultant to top management. Reach him at http://www.shiningconsulting.com