The Different Conceptualisations of Generations in Literature

Abstract

The presence of employees belonging to many generations in the same workplace has led to the increasing importance of the concept of generations. This concept has caught the attention of academics, practitioners, and media and there is an abundance of literature relating to generations and the differences between generations. While these literary contributions have made significant contributions to both theory and practice, there are also a few challenges which have been highlighted by many scholars. One of the challenges relates to the differences in the conceptualisation of generations and this article highlights the different conceptualisations of generations in literature. This article builds on the contributions of previous scholars and suggests the need for looking at each conceptualisation as an opportunity for further research.