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Family Business Forum to address information technology "generation gap"
Oct. 12, 2000
EDITORS: For more information about the Indiana Family Business Forum program, experts on family business issues, or the name of a Family Business Forum member who may be in your area, contact Kimberly Ruff, 812-855-2751.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Information technology is a great tool in gaining strategic business advantages. However, younger and older generations are "wired" differently regarding accepting and using this technology.
Some family business owners may hesitate to use it or feel threatened by the pressure from younger family business managers to change.
On Wednesday (Oct. 18), the Indiana Family Business Forum at Indiana University will explore this topic in a conference, "Re: Generations Workshop."
Mehmet M. Dalkilic, IU visiting assistant professor of informatics, will explore the generational differences of information technology and discuss several dimensions, including legal and ethical concerns, work culture, sense of time, sociological issues and differing business paradigms.
The program will take place from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the offices of the Oxford Group Ltd., 11711 N. Meridian St., Suite 600, in Carmel, Ind.
Following Dalkilic's presentation, Ron and Carol Ernst, founders of Leadership Horizons in Indianapolis, will facilitate discussions between and within business generations.
Companies are invited to bring employees representing differing generations within their businesses. Time will be set aside during the workshop to break into generational groups to discuss the featured topics. For those struggling with family business relationships, these discussions have proven to be very beneficial.
Registration is open to any Indiana family-owned business. For more information or to register, contact Kimberly Ruff, program manager at the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, at 812-855-2521.
The Indiana Family Business Forum, launched in 1998, is a program of the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in IU's Kelley School of Business. It is specifically designed for Indiana family businesses and provides informational seminars and materials on issues unique to the family business, access to business assessment services tailored for family businesses, and networking opportunities.
(Sue Artmeier, 812-855-4248, artmeie@indiana.edu)