In the last article we described the Polish report of Leadersheep Generation “Alpha” (2019) concerning the Alpha generation. This report provided new data, however, it was not free from the errors and ambiguities that we highlighted in the article. First of all, it was developed on the basis of a less standard, rarer approach — a 10-year time cohort, according to which the Alpha generation includes people born between 2000 and 2005. In classical terms, it would therefore be generation Z. The authors of the report explain this choice — somewhat rightly — by intense technological changes and the dynamic development of the world, which tend to include generations in 10-, and not 20-year time cohorts. Although this is a rarer approach, it can be used. Even so, it is worth paying attention to them in order to be aware of which yearbooks we are talking about exactly in the study.
Foreign analysis they are much more likely to refer to classical time slots and describe modern 13-year-olds as the Alpha generation. Today we will look at who the children of this generation are and what we can already infer from the available data.
Generation Alpha, in the most common sense, are the children of representatives of the Y generation, that is, the so-called millennials (born approximately between 1981 and 1996), and the siblings of representatives of the Z generation (1995-2010 or 1997-2012). The Alpha generation is therefore considered to be those born between 2010 and the 20s of the 21st century or 2012 to the 20s of the 21st century. It is the first generation completely born in the third millennium, and one of its most characteristic demographic characteristics is that it was the first to be named the first letter of the Greek alphabet. It is worth adding that every week more than 2.8 million representatives of this generation are born in the world. If this trend continues, by the end of 2025 their number will reach almost 2 billion, making them the largest generation in world history. Who will come after the Alpha generation? The Beta generation, which is already placed today in the range of 2025-2039.
Characteristics of the Alpha Generation (Based on reports: Generation Alpha: the real picture, Understanding Generation Alpha)
Like any generation, the Alpha generation has its own distinctive characteristics that describe it in a short but accurate way. Since this is the youngest generation, we cannot yet fully characterize its representatives - they are still in the development phase, they are not yet defined by the labor market or romantic relationships. However, there are other important factors that influence the formation of their identity.
The longest living generation?
Let's start from the end... Nowadays, we expect a longer and more qualitative, especially when it comes to the state of health, life. This is a trend present throughout human history, which today, thanks to progressive technology, can be implemented on a larger scale, such as the quality of medical services or awareness of the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet. It is estimated that close to one million centenarians live in the world today. A person born in 1981 can expect their life to last just over 61 years. For comparison, The average life expectancy of the Alpha generation born in 2024 is 73.3 years, an increase of almost 20% compared to the oldest Millennials.
Material situation
The material background of the Alpha generation is not so much due to their current and anticipated economic situation — which, as we know, is not always conducive to financial stability — as to the resources accumulated by their parents. It is predicted that representatives of this generation will continue their education the longest, and also much longer, because until the late 20s, they will live with their parents.
On the one hand, it is a generation raised in conditions of relative affluence—in the sense that civilizational and material achievements in many parts of the world provide them with access to care and reduce extreme poverty. On the other hand, they grow up in the realities of increasing economic instability. The goods with which they are surrounded are rather the result of the accumulation of resources by previous generations than the effect of a predictable and stable economic situation.
Technological Proficiency
The technological formation of the Alpha generation is unique. This generation is largely defined by technology — both this automated and the smart devices of everyday use. They grow up in a world of autonomous trains and cars, smart speakers that communicate with users, as well as smartphones, tablets and video games. This is the first generation, which is brought up entirely in the era of high technologies and practically does not know the analog world.
While radio took 38 years to reach 50 million users, television took 13 years, iPod only four, internet three, Facebook only one, and the Pokémon Go phenomenon took just 19 days!
Generation Alpha is growing up in a world where technology is advancing faster than ever before — and they themselves are the first truly digital citizens of this new reality.
education
Changing the way we learn is crucial for the Alpha generation — influenced by technology, the virtual world and digitalization. Their educational needs focus on an engaging model: visual, multimedia and practical, rather than traditional, structural and auditory.
The Alpha generation will have access to more information than any previous generation. Their formal education will reach levels never seen in history, and it is predicted that every second person of this generation will earn a university degree.
Generation Alpha will surpass even the esteemed and well-educated Generation Z in terms of education. It is projected that 90 percent of its representatives will graduate from high school, compared to 80 percent currently, and most will continue their education in some form.
Impact of Covid-19
The Alpha generation are children who have experienced the pandemic at a very early period, usually being cut off from school conditions and, consequently, an important element of socialization. According to research, since 2021 they have been affected by such worries as: loss of loved ones, dropping out and falling behind in school, and uncertainty about the future. On the one hand, the covid crisis has made them resistant and on the other hand it has not made the future seem safe for them.
Consumption/economic footprint
Growing up in the era of individualization and personalization is a key part of the life of the Alpha generation — it affects their future consumer attitudes and how they function in the market reality. Access to the Internet means that their shopping habits can be formed unconsciously at a very early stage — by watching displayed advertisements and by the operation of preferential algorithms.
By 2029, when the oldest members of the Alpha generation enter adulthood and the youngest reach the age of five, their impact on the economy will be more than 5.46 trillion US dollars. This means that organizations should start thinking about the future consumers of this generation today. Economic footprint (Eng. economic footprint) refers to the total impact of a given entity — in this case the Alpha generation — on the economy. This includes their current and future purchasing power, consumption patterns, and their role in shaping market trends.
The Future of Work The professions of the future, which are likely to be carried out by the representatives of the Alpha generation, will be related to new fields such as cybersecurity, application development or cryptocurrencies. They will also be characterized by an approach referred to as Lifelong Learning (we wrote about him in the article Lifelong learning: personal and professional benefits) and professional flexibility They will work in many different professions over the course of their career.
In order to keep up with the changes in the labor market, they will have to demonstrate adaptability, constantly improve their qualifications and retrain. However, it may turn out that their impact on the labor market will completely reverse these trends - for example, as a result of policy decisions that will change the economic and economic situation, shifting it from a growth model to a de-growth model.
Values
The Alpha generation sees the world from a consumer perspective — at least that's what modern research suggests. They are called “upagers” — a generation maturing faster than previous generations, because of their awareness of issues such as fair representation, inclusiveness, assistance to the underprivileged, equal treatment and diversity in the media. Such conclusions follow from American research. In fact, according to the U.S. Census, The Alpha generation will be the most diverse generation in history. summary
Generation Alpha is the first generation to grow up in a fully digital world, with unlimited access to information and modern technologies. Their education, values, consumer habits and the way they function in the labor market will differ significantly from previous generations. They will probably be distinguished by: professional flexibility, social awareness and a strong embedding in the culture of personalization and individualization.
Their economic impact will be incomparably greater than previous generations — their economic footprint will exceed $5.46 trillion by 2029. Organizations that want to succeed in the future should adapt their strategies today to the new reality shaped by the Alpha generation - although the market, under their influence, can change a lot.
Sources:
- https://www.gwi.com/reports/gen-alpha
- https://generationalpha.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Understanding-Generation-Alpha-McCrindle.pdf
- https://explodingtopics.com/blog/generation-alpha-stats
