PERSONAL TIME CAPITAL IN THE DIGITAL SOCIETY: AN ALTERNATIVE LOOK AT SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AMONG THREE GENERATIONS OF HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS IN ESTONIA

Abstract

This article aims at analysing how highly educated professionals cope with technological and social acceleration. To explore the emerging patterns of time-based stratification we use an empirical model of personal time-use capability based on the data from a representative survey conducted in 2014 among the Estonian population aged 15–79 (N=1,503) and focus groups conducted in 2017–2018 among three generations of academic professionals (n=24). The mixed-method analysis revealed a multidimensional pattern of socio-demographic, life-course and agency-related factors influencing individual time-use capability and the related set of practices and attitudes. Our findings confirm the assumed importance of age-related factors: the youngest professionals (born 1989–1994) tend to be most flexible, and the middle-aged (born 1969–1974) most efficient, in developing timeuse strategies to cope with social acceleration, while the oldest (born 1949–1954) win the least from rapid developments. In general, highly educated professionals collectively serve as agents of social acceleration.