Generational Differences in Work Commitment of Software Professionals: Myth or Reality?

Abstract

The paper explores the generational diversity inherent in the modern organizations. It examines the generational differences between Generation-X (born between 1960-1980) and Generation-Y (born between 1980-2000) professionals working in the software industry. The study attempts to explore whether there are generational differences in work commitment between the two age cohorts or its only a myth. A total of 250 respondents belonging to Software industries were administered a questionnaire. 125 respondents were typically X-Generation and 125 were Y-Generation employees. 50 percent of the respondents in both the cases were males and 50 percent of the respondents were females. The study examined generational differences for the five types of work commitment—work involvement, job involvement, work group commitment, organizational commitment and professional commitment. Organizational commitment and professional commitment in turn had three components each—affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment. Thus, a total of nine factors were examined for the study. The data was analyzed using two-tailed t-tests (pooled variances method). The results reveal that the two generations differed significantly only on three of the nine factors examined. Thus, the generations are more homogenous than heterogeneous in their work values and beliefs. This finding has serious implications for research and practice. It provides the HR managers a useful insight that the observed differences are attributable to other factors (career and stage of life) instead of being an exclusive and true 'generational divide'. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)