Chapter 3:
Values, Attitudes and Their Effects in the Workplace
Instructors: Cathy Aspen
Yajuan (Amy) Du
Sanghwa Kim
Don Sun
MOB Dynamics: MNGT 2030E
23 September 2004
Today we will discuss:
Values
A framework for Assessing Cultural Value
Canadian Social values
Implications for Cultural Differences for OB
Attitudes
The Attitude of Job Satisfaction
Attitudes and Consistency
Attitudes and Workforce Diversity
Values
Defined as:
Fundamental standards of desirability by which we
choose between alternatives, assumptions about the
nature of reality
Values are:
1.Learned early, continue to develop
2.Drive choices and behavior
3.Differ based on culture and environment
Values – Value System
Defined as:
A hierarchy based on a ranking of an individual’s
value in terms of their intensity.
There are two types of personal values:
TERMINAL
Comfortable life
Exciting life
World at peace
World of beauty
Equality
Family security
Etc…
INSTRUMENTAL
Ambitious
Capable
Cheerful
Clean
Courageous
Forgiving
Etc…
A Framework for Assessing
Cultural Values
5 Value Dimensions of National Culture:
1. power distance
2. individualism and collectivism
3. quantity of life and quality of life
4. uncertainty avoidance
5. long-term and short term orientation
5 Value Dimensions of
National Culture
Power distance: China,
Canada, United States
Quantity of life: Canada,
China, Russia
Individualism: Canada,
Japan, Korea
Collectivism: Japan,
Korea, Canada
Uncertainty avoidance:
China, Canada, Mexico
Long-term orientation:
China, Japan, Canada
Internal: Canada United
States
External: Japan, China
Values
Managers




Value: sense of accomplishment, self-respect,
a comfortable life, power & independence
more than others
Highest instrumental value: ambition
Highest terminal value: accomplishment
Tend to be achievement-oriented
Values
Learning style:
An individual’s inclination to perceive,
interpret and respond to information in a
certain way
 Two key dimensions:
1.
manner in which you gather
information
2.
way in which you evaluate and act
on information
Values





Learning styles – Kolb
Concrete experience – learn through
personal involvement
Reflective observation – seek meaning
through study
Abstract conceptualization – build theories
using logic, ideas and concepts
Active experimentation – change situations
and influence others to see what happens
Canadian Social Values
4 Broad Age Groups:
1. The Elders – over 60
2. The Boomers – born between mid-40s &
mid-60s
3. Generation X – born between mid-60s
to early 80s
4. The Ne(x)t Generation – born between
1977 & 1997
Canadian Social Values
The Elders



Core Values: believe in order, authority,
discipline, the Juedo-Christian moral code &
the Golden Rule
“Playing by the Rules”
80% of elders
Canadian Social Values
The Boomers

4 Categories
1. Autonomous Rebels
2. Anxious Communitarians
3. Connected Enthusiasts
4. Disengaged Darwinists

3 of the 4 groups fit in the stereotypes
Canadian Social Values
Generation X

5 Categories that share the same common
values
1.
Thrill-Seeking Materialists
2.
Aimless Dependants
3.
Social Hedonists
4.
New Aquarians
5.
Autonomous Post-Materialists
Canadian Social Values
The Ne(x)t Generation


Also know as the Net Generation
Curious, Contrarian, flexible, collaborative &
have high self esteem
The Application of Canadian
Values in the Workplace





Understanding the value structure helps to
manage better & relate to other generations
The Elders: “Boss-knows-Best”
The Boomers: Workaholics
Generation X: Want more experience
The Net Generation: Communication &
Information
The Application of Canadian
Values in the Workplace


Organization can mould the workplace
Alignment of an individual and an
organization values
The Application of Canadian
Values in the Workplace
3 Broad Cultural Groups



Francophone
Anglophone
Aboriginal
Canadian Cultural Groups
Francophone
 Collective; Achievement
 Managers: Affiliation & extrinsic
Anglophone
 Individualist; Risks
 Managers: autonomy & intrinsic

Similar type of theories
Canadian Cultural Groups
Canadian Aboriginal


Aboriginal values
Non-Aboriginals vs. Aboriginals
Canadian Values and the
Values of NAFTA Partners
United States




Big business
Different values than Canadians
American are comfortable with the unknown
where as Canadians are shy
No safety nets
Canadian Values and the
Values of NAFTA Partners
Mexico




Different managerial style
Employee expect more respect from
managers
Teamwork
Quantity of life
Social Values of other
Business Partners
East and Southeast Asian Values

Guanxi:
“The establishment of a connection
between two independent individuals to
enable a bilateral flow of personal or
social transactions. Both parties must
derive benefits from the transactions to
ensure such a relationship.”
Implications of Cultural
Differences for OB
Values and Workforce Diversity
 Regarding the employment diversity as a part
of annual report and employee information
packets.
 When companies design & publicize
statements about importance of diversity, are
producing value statements.
 Hope to change attitudes of members
because values are harder to be changed
 Focus on attitudes in the workplace and
toward diversity.
Attitudes





Defined as:
Positive or negative feelings concerning
objects, people, or events
Are responses to situations.
Attitudes and values are different but
interrelated.
Attitudes affect job behavior
Employees maybe negatively affected by the
attitudes of co-workers or clients.
Attitudes
Types of Attitudes



Job Involvement
Organizational commitment
Job satisfaction
Types of Attitudes
Job Involvement
 Defined as:


The degree to which people identify with
their jobs, actively participate in them, and
consider their performance important to selfworth.
High levels of job involvement are related to fewer
absences and lower turnover rates.
High job involvement: identifying with the specific job
Types of Attitudes
Organizational commitment
 Defined as:
The degree to which an employee
identifies with a particular organization
and its goals, and wishes to maintain
membership in the organization.
 High Organizational Commitment means
identifying with the employing organization.
Types of Attitudes

3 types of commitment:
1.
Affective commitment: individual’s
relationship to the organization
2.
Continuance commitment: the
perceived cost of leaving
3.
Normative commitment: the
obligation an individual feels to
staying
Types of Attitudes

5 reasons for employee commitment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Are proud of aspirations,
accomplishments, & legacy; share values.
Know expectations, performance
measures & why it matters.
In control of own destinies; savor high-risk,
high-reward work.
Recognized for quality of performance.
Have fun & enjoy the supportive
interactive environment
Types of Attitudes
Organizational citizenship behavior
(OCB)

Defined as:
Discretionary behavior that is not part
of an employee’s formal job requirements,
but that nevertheless promotes the
effective functioning of the organization.
The Attitude of Job
Satisfaction
Job Satisfaction

Defined as:
An individual’s general attitude toward his or her
job.
Job Satisfaction and its affect on 5 areas:
Individual productivity
Organizational productivity
Absenteeism
Turnover
Organizational citizenship behavior
The Attitude of Job
Satisfaction
Satisfaction and individual productivity:
relation between the two is slightly positive
 productivity affected by internal and external factors
 link dependant on level of external constraint
- operator of machine and productivity depend on
machine not satisfaction.
 higher correlation with professionals, white collar
workers and managers
 studies show production level actually influences
satisfaction
The Attitude of Job
Satisfaction
Satisfaction and organization productivity:
relation between the two is much stronger here
 more satisfied employees = more productive org.
 hasn’t received strong support
-many studies focus on individuals not organizations
-doesn’t account for workplace complexities
The Attitude of Job
Satisfaction
Satisfaction and absenteeism:
relation between the two is negative
 ie. Less satisfaction leads to absenteeism
 many factors that affect absenteeism
Satisfaction and turnover:
relationship between the two is negative
 strong relationship
 consider external factors
 must consider employees predisposition to life
The Attitude of Job
Satisfaction
Satisfaction and OCB
previous views have linked satisfaction with OCB
• recent studies show that this relation occurs
through fairness
• if an employee feels they are being treated
unfairly then job satisfaction is negative.
• if an employee feels they are being treated
fairly, then trust is built, thus job satisfaction
increases and then OCR increases
Attitudes and Consistency


people seek consistency between attitudes
and behaviors
- if these don’t match, individuals reconcile
attitudes and behaviors to match each other.
- ensure that attitudes and behaviors are
rational
fix by altering attitude or behaviors or by
finding an excuse
to justify it.
Attitudes and Consistency

Cognitive dissonance:


Any incompatibility between two or more
attitudes or between behaviors and attitudes.
any form of inconsistency is felt as
discomfort.
individuals work to reduce dissonance and
hence discomfort
Attitudes and Workforce
Diversity
 a more diverse workforce is a reality organizations
must face.
- age
- gender
- nationality
 is a managers concern to monitor attitudes and behavior
toward minorities especially after significant events that
influence perceptions
 organizations was to change employee attitudes to a more
diversity oriented
 can’t force change in belief but you can influence behavior
Open Discussion



Do your values affect your attitudes?
How has the change in values changed
the workplace?
Which are more important to you, your
values or your attitude?