Gen Z Effect: The Six Forces Shaping the Future of Business - Hardcover

Thomas Koulopoulos is the founder of the Delphi Group, which for 25 years has been providing thought leadership to global organizations on the intersection of business and technology. Named one of the industry’s most influential information management consultants by InformationWeek magazine, he is a recognized author on the subject, frequently appearing in national and international print and broadcast media, including BusinessWeek, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Economist, CNBC, CNN, and NPR. Tom is the author of nine previous books, including Cloud Surfing. Said the late Peter Drucker, father of modern day management theory, Tom’s writing makes you question not only the way you run your business but the way you run yourself.” For the past two decades, his books have forseen major shifts in business and technology, from the rise of internet search engines, to the advent of social media, to the impact of the cloud on businesses and consumers. Gen Z follows that trajectory, providing a prescient view of how tectonic shifts in generational behavior, demographics and technology will forever change the way we live, work and play. Visit him at www.TKSpeaks.com.

Dan Keldsen is a Senior Business Strategist at NFP Health, where he leads the company's outreach and engagement with the market, and serves as an internal business and technology strategist. He has over 20 years of experience working as a technologist, consultant, and analyst with clients in health insurance, financial services, pharmaceuticals, big box retail, loyalty marketing, mobile commerce, life insurance, with companies from the Fortune 50 to federal and state government agencies. Dan co-led groundbreaking research on attitudinal differences and alignment between boomers and millennials in one of the earliest Enterprise 2.0 research projects (2007-2008) and was noted as one of the Most Influential Enterprise 2.0 Writers of 2009 by SeekOmega. He is a frequent speaker and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, InformationWeek, CMSWire and FierceContentManagement, among other publications.

"... an easy read but with depth, so that you learn a great deal and, more important, start seeing things in a different way." -Geoffrey James, contributing editor at Inc. magazine

For years, I have experienced enterprises losing the wisdom of generations because of generational divides. This book offers hope and prescription for stemming that loss. It comes at a critical time in the evolution of organizations.” Jim Champy, author of Reengineering the Corporation

Working with some of the world's largest retailers I see first hand how critical it is to understand and integrate The Gen Z Effect into an organization's strategy for growth. Tom and Dan provide a clear view of the disruptive force that Gen Z is already having on our businesses and our world, as well as the sort of future we can all look forward to." Stephanie Fischer, president & CEO of the Global Retail Marketing Association

A superb book that exemplifies a critical skill for the present and future: bridging the generational chasms across knowledge workers. The stories of leadership role models are inspirational, and reinforce the idea that success is based on unique ways of thinking and being not just age.” Bruce Rosenstein, managing editor, Leader to Leader; author of Create Your Future the Peter Drucker Way

"The Gen Z Effect is an inspirational showcase of ideas where learning, gaming, technology, and age collide." Nicholas Bonardi, Lead Audio Designer for Rocksmith and Rocksmith 2014 at Ubisoft

Dan and Tom provide a timely, pragmatic alternative to the polarized perspectives that promote division and deny progress at a critical time in world history. The Gen Z Effect offers a mindset that will immediately appeal to those who prefer the roles of playwright or actor, to that of the critic.” Robb Webb, Chief Human Resources Officer, Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Who’s influencing who? That’s the needling question of The Gen Z Effect, a must-read for built-to-last Boomers and build-it-again Gen Z alike. The insight of Koulopoulos and Keldsen that influence will trump affluence makes it clear that privilege and power are no longer the levers that move minds, mouths, and markets.” Alan Kelly, founder & Executive Director, Playmaker Systems, LLC; author of The Elements of Influence

Koulopoulos and Keldsen have the pulse on a critically important sea change in how we think about ourselves, society, and the forces of change interacting and impacting us all. Read this and slingshot yourself forward to be influential in a multigenerational, hyperconnected, global society.” Blackford Middleton, MD, MPH, MSc, Chief Informatics Officer and professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

This ground-breaking work provides a much-needed framework for corporate strategists and marketing executives to capitalize on the most valuable demographic trend that has ever existed: the Gen Z Effect." Luke Hohmann, CEO of Conteneo; author of Innovation Games: Creating Breakthrough Products Through Collaborative Games

In The Gen Z effect, authors Dan Keldsen and Tom Koulopoulos show us a new model of working, of engaging our customers, of continuous learning and of living. Gen Z is blurring the lines between all of us. It’s about time.” Jill Dyché, author of The New IT: How Technology Leaders are Enabling Business Strategy in the Digital Age

Generational differences impact our values, beliefs and actions. Why? Because that is how we historically defined ourselves. Technology is changing this. The Gen Z Effect provides thought provoking insights about the impact of technology and how simplified accessibility and collaboration beyond traditional boundaries can lead to a civilization that works together to co-create a better world.” Heather Ishikawa, co-author of Now You're Thinking!; National Director at Pearson TalentLens

The Gen Z Effect’s six forces are all about democratization of technology, information access, learning, power, and even identity. This raises the possibility of collective insight into science and humanity, and collective action to improve them. This book not only illuminates how these forces work, but how we, as educators and business leaders, can bring out the best collective action. Kate Pugh, Academic Director, Columbia University Information and Knowledge Strategy; author of Smarter Innovation and Sharing Hidden Know-How

This book shows how the generational’ perspective of human behavior and attitude is dissolving. The generations are increasingly using technology and new perspectives to work together to solve today’s biggest challenges. Here’s my advice: read The Gen Z Effect, understand the six forces that are creating this shift and establishing the last generation,’ and use them to bring your influence into the future.” Chris Goward, author of You Should Test That!; founder of WiderFunnel Marketing Optimization

"Koulopoulos and Keldsen reveal the compelling forces behind Gen Z and their impact on managing, learning, and innovating in the new knowledge economy. Their in-depth investigation into The Gen Z Effect sheds new light on how to design strategies to leverage the best of hyperconnected, hyperdynamic and agile organizations.” Eric Tsui, professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University