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Explanations for field change have privileged the role of exogenous shocks and powerful strategic actors. In contrast, little attention has been paid to non-strategic and unorganized but cohesive societal spheres as a source of change. We focus on the role of generation cohorts as drivers of change, and take as our empirical context the role of Millennials in disrupting the exchange field of the U.S. automobile industry. Our mixed methods approach combines quantitative analysis of a large nationwide survey (N=2,225) with in-depth qualitative analysis including 40 semi-structured interviews. Our quantitative findings show that Millennials do indeed exhibit significantly different driving behavior than earlier generations. Moreover, contrary to conventional wisdom, these differences are not primarily due to socio-demographic factors, but rather to differences in underlying attitudes. Our qualitative findings allow us to identify mechanisms through which cohort attitudes may drive field change as Millennials challenge current norms, act as a conduit for external field and technological change, and question field values. We discuss the role of generation identity and myth, how change created by generation cohorts differs from other disruptive changes, and implications for managers and policy.
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