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A. Barış Baraz & Hacer Şivil
(1927-1932) conducted during the period of the Neo-Classical Theory of Management
(1930-1950) by Elton Mayo and his associates proved that human beings are sensitive
creatures and organizations should pay attention to this peculiarity if they are expecting
efficiency and effectiveness. Hawthorne studies touched on the significance of organiza-
tions to include mutual relationship. Since 1950s, modern and post-modern approaches
have also increased the importance of human beings. Now, thanks to technological ad-
vancements, life span is longer, so is the tenure in an organization. Together with these
changes, economic, social, and historic events and technological advancements affect
the perception and attitudes of generations.
Not only race, gender, religion, and technology, but also different generations that work
together lead to some conflicts. Almost all generations in history have criticized the ones
following them in many aspects. Socrates (BC. 469-399) by saying ‘The children now love
luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders
and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their par-
ents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyran-
nize their teachers.’ meant generations are different, and he criticized younger generation.
George Orwell (1903-1950), one of the significant authors in 20
th
century, by saying ‘Every
generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser
than the one that comes after it.’ highlighted that the conflict is in progress.
In this study some basic terms related to generations and organizational citizenship be-
havior (OCB) will be mentioned. It is aimed to prove whether the OCB of Gen X and Gen
Y, which are active in business life, differ or not. If so, it is aimed to explain why and how
they do business in a different way. Apart from generations, other variables like gender,
status (employee or manager), sector (state or private company), job experience and
income level will be texted to see whether they show differences regarding OCB or not.
Generations
German Sociologist Karl Mannheim is the first scholar who used the term generation in
literature. Mannheim published an article called The Problem of Generations in 1928 and
1952 and proposed the theory of generation. Mannheim’s ideas were appreciated by
both academic and business world and pioneered some studies in the fields of commu-
nication, behavior, marketing, and human resource management (Taylor, 2008). Then, by
means of the studies by Inglehart (1977) and Strauss & Howe (1991), the theory gained
popularity (quoted by Gürbuz, 2015:41). Accordingly, generations are born as a result of
social interactions and develop common knowledge, ideas, points of view and experienc-
es towards specific phenomenon and events.
