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New world order: First Ophiuchus, now Gen Y doesn’t exist?

It was cosmically odd enough when I first heard news reports that, due to lunar shifts over the last several centuries, there are actually 13 zodiac signs, including a new one called Ophiuchus.

Now, French business professor Jean Pralong has concluded that according to his research, Gen Y does not exist. Rather, that when it comes to workplace attitudes and career ideas, Gen X and Y essentially are the same.

What the …? Yes, I know how to text and tweet, and admit I’ve worn flip-flops to work a couple times, but that does not — I repeat, not — mean Gen Yers and I are the same.

But according to Pralong — who conducted an inter-generational study of 400 French participants with similar educational backgrounds, ranging from students to salaried workers in their 60s — more similarities were found in workplace attitudes and approaches between Gen X workers (born 1960-1977) and Gen Y workers (born 1978-1994) than between Gen Y students and Gen Y workers.

Thus, Pralong, concluded, context creates a more significant link between these groups than generation.

"For economists, a generation is constituted of people who confront the same conditions at work. The study showed that no difference exists between 25-year-olds and 45-year-olds at work. This shows that on a scientific level, Generation Y doesn’t exist," Pralong says.

Interesting, but I don't buy it. What do you think? Do you see a defined difference between Gen X, Gen Y and other generations in the workforce? Or, do you think professor Pralong is on to something? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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