

Tracking the World's Appetite for Innovation - robg
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/tracking-the-worlds-appetite-for-innovation/index.html?ref=technology

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bayareaguy
Their methodology is explained here:
<http://www.iii-p.org/news/iiip-080122.html>

_The IIIP Innovation Confidence Index was developed around three questions
incorporated into the annual GEM survey of individual entrepreneurial activity
worldwide. The questions were added in selected countries representing diverse
size and income in Asia, the Middle East, South East Asia, Europe, North
America and South America. Representative samples of adults between 18 and 64
years old were asked if, over the next six months, they were likely to buy
products or services new to the market, they were likely to try products or
services that use new technologies for the first time, and whether new
products and services will improve their lives._

That last sentence is crucial. If I had to explain the results I wouldn't say
people over 40 have less confidence in innovation. I'd suspect that they have
a better understanding of the things in life that do matter to them and can be
more selective in their choice of innovation.

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Leon
The article's mention towards further research on if the drop in people over
40's innovation confidence is due to exhaustion or wisdom is cool, but I'm
more interested in if those differences will extend over time or will, as more
people who have grown up in the technology generations, push this distrust of
technology up in age.

From my perspective it is generally the older you are the more you don't
understand technology (yes I know there exceptions but in general). Besides 40
seems like a random age for people to start becoming wise to technology
suddenly. I haven't heard of research into brain physiology that fundamentally
changes after your early twenties.

It seems a lot more likely that every one born after forty years ago grew up
with a more technology than older generations, who just never figured out what
the deal is with technology.

