• Capital Requirements: Startup capital/costs/financing

• Market Analysis: Competition/target audience

• Accounting & Taxes: profit taxation/bookkeeping

• Customers: Marketing/sales/visibility

• Personnel Management: Hiring/cost/problems

• Time Commitment: many hours/less holidays

-> leading to differences in communication, learning and social interaction

• Professional Appearance: Dress appropriately

• Punctuality: Arrive a few minutes early

• Confident Introduction: Firm handshake/eye contact/clear self-introduction

• Body Language: good posture;gesture/smile

• Clear Communication: Speak clearly/concisely/confidently

• Highlight Skills & Experience: present your strengths with the job requirements

+ integration of societies

+ access to new cultures

+ increased communication

- loss of languages

- loss of uniqueness of a local culture (identity, diversity)

- exclusion, conflict

- larger market concentration

- fast-food culture

• easier global communication through social media

• Strengthens long-distance friendships for example

• Provides a Plattform for selfexpression and support

Negative aspects:

• social media can create unrealistic expectations

• Online interactions may replace realize connections

• Cyberbullying and social pressure can affect mental health

  
  

• Definition: Groups of people born around the same time with shared experiences, values, and cultural influences.

• Length: Typically spans 15–20 years.

Main Generations

1. The Silent Generation (1928–1945)

• Lived through WWII, Great Depression.

• Values: Discipline, loyalty, hard work.

• Prefers stability, traditional values.

2. Baby Boomers (1946–1964)

• Post-war population boom.

• Optimistic, workaholic, competitive.

• Key events: Civil rights movement, Cold War.

• Digital immigrants—adapted to technology later.

3. Generation X (1965–1980)

• “Latchkey kids” (independent, self-sufficient).

• Pragmatic, skeptical, entrepreneurial.

• Key events: Fall of Berlin Wall, rise of personal computers.

4. Millennials (1981–1996)

• Grew up with the internet, globalization.

• Value work-life balance, purpose over salary.

• Key events: 9/11, financial crisis (2008).

• Digital natives—first generation raised with the internet.

5. Generation Z (1997–2012)

• True digital natives (smartphones, social media).

• Value diversity, sustainability, mental health.

• Independent learners, entrepreneurial.

• Key events: Climate change activism, COVID-19.

6. Generation Alpha (2013–2025)

• Raised with AI, automation, and immersive technology.

• Short attention spans, highly tech-savvy.

• Likely to experience the most digitalized education.

Types:

• Unadjusted – Overall gap

• Adjusted – After factoring job roles/experience/etc…

Causes:

• Fewer women in leadership

• More part-time work

• Salary gaps (Overall)

• Discrimination

Impact:

• Economic inequality

• Career/social disadvantages

Solutions:

• Equal pay laws/contracts

• More women in leadership

• Flexible work/parental leave

✅ Hardworking, disciplined, respectful of authority.

❌ Resistant to change, overly traditional, not tech-savvy.

Baby Boomers (1946–1964)

✅ Ambitious, competitive, financially responsible.

❌ Workaholic, resistant to new technology, “OK Boomer” mindset (out of touch with younger generations).

Generation X (1965–1980)

✅ Independent, adaptable, skeptical of authority.

❌ Cynical, detached, prefers individualism over teamwork.

Millennials (1981–1996)

✅ Tech-savvy, socially conscious, value experiences over possessions.

❌ Entitled, lazy, overly sensitive (“snowflake generation”), addicted to social media.

Generation Z (1997–2012)

✅ Entrepreneurial, digital experts, diverse and inclusive.

❌ Short attention span, socially awkward (due to digital reliance), overly dependent on technology.

Generation Alpha (2013–2025)

✅ Extremely tech-savvy, creative, comfortable with AI.

❌ Completely screen-dependent, lack of patience, struggles with real-life social skills.

• Life: Duty before pleasure, respect for authority, traditional values.

• Work: Loyal to one company, job security is key, hard work = success.

Baby Boomers (1946–1964)

• Life: Work defines identity, value personal achievement, material success.

• Work: Competitive, career-driven, workaholic mindset, dislike job-hopping.

Generation X (1965–1980)

• Life: Independent, pragmatic, skeptical of institutions.

• Work: Work-life balance is important, value flexibility, prefer self-sufficiency.

Millennials (1981–1996)

• Life: Experiences > material goods, socially conscious, mental health matters.

• Work: Purpose-driven, value collaboration, seek meaningful work, prioritize work-life balance.

Generation Z (1997–2012)

• Life: Digital-first lifestyle, focus on diversity, mental well-being.

• Work: Entrepreneurial, prefer remote/flexible work, expect fast career growth.

Generation Alpha (2013–2025) (Future Predictions)

• Life: Highly digitalized, AI-integrated, instant gratification culture.

• Work: Likely to embrace automation, gig economy, expect hyper-flexibility.

• many people- especially teenagers- become addicted to social media and screen time

Misinformation:

• Fake News & manipulated content can spread quickly

Mental health issues

• increased anxiety, depression and loneliness due to online comparisons and digital stress

  
  

• dishes (teriyaki, sushi, ...)

• ingredients (soy sauce, lemon grass, ginger, chili, cinnamon, ...)

• indian, japanese, chinese, ... restaurants

traditions and cultural practices:

• tea culture --> green tea, matcha, bubble tea, ...

• martial arts --> karate, judo, kung fu, ...

• yoga, meditation

anime and manga (from japan):

• dedicated fan communities, conventions, merchandise

• evident in pop culture, fashion, art

• risks of hacking

• Big anonymity

Surveillance:

• authorities can monitor online activities, raising concerns about privacy and freedom

• serves as key to education

• knowledge is a ticket to success and prosperity

• enables intercultural communication

• enables cultural and political participation

• access to the internet

Cons:

• is an instrument of (colonial) oppression

• led to devaluation, even destruction of native cultures and language

• brought about „colonial alienation“

• negative influence on natives‘ self-esteem

politics: official language in 55 states; USA a global superpower; dollar as global reserve currency

education: main foreign language in schools in more than 100 countries; (requirement for) studying at university; (requirement for) reading and producing international literature

entertainment: Hollywood films; American and British pop music; language of entertainment (requirement

for) a maximum international audience; video and music streaming services

science and technology: (requirement for) research and technology; (language of) the internet; Silicon Valley; social media

key figures: Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks

special events: Montgomery Bus Boycott, nonviolent resistance, major civil rights laws, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

impact legacy: ended legal segregation in the USA, inspired later equality movements, changed laws

• immigration central for USA`s economic growth and culture

17th century: immigration of pilgrims

forced immigration of slaves from africa

as result: discrimination

• a mixture of Hindi and English spoken in India

• often spoken among family and friends, i.e. where people feel „more comfortable“

• English is often used in a professional context (study, work, when you need to impress sb.)

• English is more common in cities - greater language mix away from cities

Spanglish

• a mixture of Spanish and English spoken by (Hispanic) immigrants in the US

• Spanglish has influenced English by introducing words such as „vaquero“ and „lasso“

--> sense of a nation as a cohesive whole, represented by distinctive traditions, culture, and language

cosmopolitan

--> being very open to different ideas and ways of doing things, as a result of being exposed to many different people and cultures

--> someone who is free from local, provincial, or national bias or attachment

patriotism

--> devotion to and vigorous support for one's country

cultural misunderstanding

--> when individuals from different cultural backgrounds interpret actions, words, or gestures differently, leading to miscommunication, confusion, or offense

• opportunity for everyone

• upward mobility

• pursuite of happiness

key values:

• freedom and liberty

• equality of opportunity

• hard work and determination

• economic prosperity