In “Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World,” Don Tapscott shatters the negative stereotypes of the Net Generation, who currently range in age from 11 to 30. His book says employers underestimate this young generation, who they view as a bunch of spoiled “screenagers,” hopelessly lost in their video games.
 
On the contrary, Tapscott suggeststhat with reflexes honed to use the Web effectively, the Net Generation will change business, media, politics, and culture. This Net Generation, also known as the millennials, has grown up enabled by the Web, and have been trained since childhood to collaborate, to hunt for information, to move fast. He says they've recently shown their incredible power in one form by helping President Barack Obama win his stunning 2010 victory, thanks in part to an innovative online campaign steered by young people.
 
While the older generation may use technology to help them in their work, the Net Generation has actually grown up digital; immersed in technology and its possibilities.
 
He writes in the book: "Sure, you're as cyber-sophisticated as the next person —you shop online, use Wikipedia, and do the BlackBerry prayer throughout the day. But young people have a natural affinity for technology that seems uncanny. They instinctively turn first to the net to communicate, understand, learn, find and do many things."
 
Tapscott, an adjunct professor of management at the University of Toronto, is the author of 13 books on the impact of the Internet on society, including “Growing Up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation.” Its sequel, “Grown Up Digital,” is based on a $4 million project financed by large corporations under his research firm, nGenera Innovation Network.
 
“Not only do video game players notice more, they have highly developed spatial skills that are useful for architects, engineers and surgeons,” says Tapscott.
 
He finds that not only do Net Geners have great hand-eye coordination, but they are collaborative and adaptable. "What do we do with this collaboration geared generation? We stick them in a cubicle, supervise them like they're Dilbert, and take away their tools (blocking sites like Facebook and Youtube)."

Tapscott calls this creating a “generational firewall.” He suggests companies should use tools like wikis, blogs, social networks, jams and telepresence to create the new high-performance workplace.
 
The book shows Net Geners seek out jobs at companies like Google which are transparent – and which offers fuzzy boundaries between work and play – work and fun are rolled into one.  For the older generation there was a time for work and a time for fun. For Net Geners, work and fun are rolled into one.

Tapscott also tells companies to take a leaf out of Infosys’ playbook. The Indian tech giant’s “Voice of Youth” program spots nine top-performing employees under 30, every year, to invite them to discuss their ideas with the CEO. 

Uttara Choudhury is Associate Editor, North America for TV 18’s Firstpost news site. In 1997, she went on the British Chevening Scholarship to study Journalism in the University of Westminster, in London.