In a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
There’s a New Book Out About the ‘Zconomy’
Authors Denise Villa and Jason Dorsey break down how to market to, hire and retain members of a generation who think email and Facebook are old, and don’t know life without smartphones.

New York—Two young professionals who make their living researching the differences among generations have a new book out about the next generation of customers and employees—Generation Z.
Jason Dorsey and Denise Villa are the authors of “Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business—and What to Do About It,” out earlier this month from Harper Collins.
Gen Z is the generation that follows the millennials, who are also known as Gen Y. The birth year most often given for the start of Gen Z is 1996, making the oldest among them 24 this year.
Based on years of research, the 288-page book details how business leaders must adapt their employment, sales and marketing, product, and growth strategies to appeal to, attract and retain this generation as both customers and employees.
A few facts to consider about Gen Z:
— They are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in U.S. history;
— They’ve never known what it’s like not to be able to see the person you’re talking to on the phone;
— Many of them don’t remember a time when Alexa didn’t exist;
— Email seems dated to them and so does Facebook;
— Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok are their social media go-tos;
— They buy what their friends buy, or what they see influencers using on YouTube; and
— If a job application takes more than 15 minutes, they won’t apply.
Villa, who holds a Ph.D. in school improvement from Texas State University, and Dorsey lead The Center for Generational Kinetics, a research, strategy and consulting firm based in Austin, Texas.
Dorsey has been featured at jewelry industry events in the past.
He spoke about Gen Y (the millennials) at the Plumb Club breakfast during the 2016 Las Vegas shows, and did an interview on Gen Z with National Jeweler in 2019.
Published Sept. 22, “Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business—and What to Do About It” is available in hardback, audio and e-book formats.
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