Dancing with Digital Natives: Staying in Step with the Generation That’s Transforming the Way Business Is Done

by Michelle Manafy (Editor), Michelle Manafy

Generational differences have always influenced how business is done, but in the case of digital natives, those immersed in digital technology from birth, professionals are witnessing a tectonic shift. As an always-connected, socially networked generation increasingly dominates business and society, organizations can ignore the implications only at the risk of irrelevance. In this fascinating study, a stellar assemblage of experts from business and academia provides vital insights into the characteristics of this transformative generation. Offering an in-depth look at how digital natives work, shop, play, and learn, this resource offers practical advice geared to help managers, marketers, coworkers, and educators maximize their interactions and create environments where everyone wins.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great read, that everyone over 30 should read to help them learn to better understand the next generation.

[Nicola Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed dipping into this book. It suggests that "digital natives" (anyone born since 1983) are adapting new technologies created by older generations and using them differently from the way their creators thought they would! We need to understand this and accept the fact that "once our ideas are in their hands, this generation will make of them what they choose". The development of new technology is a partnership and we can't control it. The various contributers to the book then go on to discuss how we can best support innovation in the areas of business, marketing, entertainment and education.

Mary Ann Bell contributes the chapter headed "Native Knowledge:knowing what they know-and learning how to teach them the rest". She suggests young people need guidance in the areas of -respect for intellectual property, internet searching skills, evaluation of internet information and online safety skills.

However I take issue with her survey of what students currently do as she reports the views of teacher-librarians rather than the students themselves. How do we know the anecdotal evidence of the librarians is robust?. She makes the sweeping statement that, when searching the Internet, students "bounce" from one site to another without close examination or reflection of any site. she says that 90% of teacher-librarians taking her survey "agree" this is the case. I have to say I've observed much more sophisticated enquiry based learning than that!

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book does a fairly remarkable job of making sweeping statements of a generation and then:
1. illustrating them by individual stories
2. trying to generalize those individual stories out by pointing to studies which are not often limited to the generation/age that they are writing about at all

Which really rather nullifies the whole point of the book. Really, my big takeaway? There isn't a digital generation in a age group that uses technology differently. There are people that uses chooses to integrate technology differently, but look around - they are all of all different ages.

Save your time and read something on....I don't know. Anything else.

[Frankdurkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, thought-provoking book. The audience for this is anyone over 30 who deals with anyone under 30 (folks in business, educators, etc.). It does a good job of identifying ways in which digital natives' brains are "wired" differently; and how we can work better with them. The book is actually a series of essays by subject experts (some are a better read than others, and a few wander from the stated task occasionally to get a certain point across). I do recommend.

[Shashi Bellamkonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got the exciting news that the book Dancing With Digital Natives: Staying in Step With the Generation That's Transforming the Way Business is Done, edited by Michelle Manafy and Heidi Gautschi has been honored as a "Award-Winning Finalist in the General Business category of The USA "Best Books 2011" Awards, sponsored by USA Book News"

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from my own chapter in this book (Native in Blue), it offers good food for thought on what we can all expect from the next generation of workers in all sectors. It's well balanced among a wide variety of perspectives about the private sector, public sector, nonprofit sector, and society in general.

[Katherine Blocksdorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having two digital natives in my house, this gave me a better look at the way they think and function. If you are over 30 and need to communicate and work with people under 30, you'll probably have some light-bulb moments.

[Penny Ramirez · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at how businesses, education, and particularly marketing efforts are directed (and need to be reframed and redirected) toward digital natives - those who've grown up with the Internet and other technology. I skimmed many of the essays, but read a few in depth.

[Amy Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some really interesting articles in the book. Each one is engaging and insightful. I'm glad I read this, even if it was for class!

[Jennifer Osbon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the subject but this book was a bunch of disjointed essays that struggled to stay on topic.