What B2B Companies Can Expect From the Millennial Invasion

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Millennial Generation poised to transform the world as we know it within the next five years, business-to-business (B2B) companies must prepare now for the effect they will have. A new research paper, "Engaging Millennials – Time for New Approaches in the Workforce and Marketplace," explores key issues that B2B organizations face in finding ways to engage the largest and most diverse generation ever. Produced by The FORUM, the research arm of the Business Marketing Association (BMA), the paper draws from the study, Millennials in the Workplace, conducted by FORUM researcher Dr. Frank Mulhern, of Northwestern University.

"In today's hyper-competitive world with unrelenting technological advances, shifting markets and the war for talent raging, leaders must take advantage of every opportunity to attract and engage the best talent. Millennials are destined to play a significant and profound role in business, and to be successful, we'll need to understand how to leverage their many talents," said Dr. Mulhern.

Specifically, the paper draws attention to the study's major findings by pointing out that millennials:

• value authenticity and ethics
• are more socially tolerant and altruistic
• expect to succeed using clear guidance
• are technological multitaskers
• prioritize relationships on all fronts
• prefer flexible work environments
• respond to frequent, positive feedback and recognition
• view advertising and marketing very differently, both as participants and consumers.

"With as many as 95 million millennials about to dominate the American workforce, this research prepares B2B companies to understand the impact that they will have in transforming our world," said BMA Chairman Steve Liguori. "These include vastly different expectations such as the pervasiveness of technology to how they integrate and behave within teams."

To download the research report and original study, visit the Knowledge Center area of the BMA website.

About the FORUM
The FORUM at Northwestern University is the strategic original research division of the Business Marketing Association. The FORUM promotes a people-centered leadership approach by: providing relevant, provocative, and actionable academic research; creating a platform for leaders to dialog, network and benchmark practices; delivering ideas for practical action and experimentation; and, building and supporting a community of champions for people-centered leadership.  To learn more, visit http://bit.ly/XwMffj  

About the Business Marketing Association
For more than 90 years, the Business Marketing Association (BMA) has dedicated itself exclusively to the discipline of business-to-business marketing. We enrich the lives of B2B marketer by providing a forum to connect them to learn about new trends and network with peers to exchange ideas. As the largest organization in the world dedicated to B2B marketing, our 18 chapters and 2,500 members represent corporate professionals, agencies, small businesses and suppliers committed to advancing the practice of B2B marketing. To learn more, visit www.marketing.org.

SOURCE Business Marketing Association