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Values, Attitudes, and Work Values, Attitudes, and Work
Behaviour
Pushpendra Priyadarshi
What Are Values?
A broad tendency to preIer certain states oI A broad tendency to preIer certain states oI
aIIairs over others.
Values have to do with what we consider
good and bad.
Values are motivational and very general. Values are motivational and very general.
Members oI diIIerent occupational groups
hold diIIerent values.
Values...
Values at individual Level Values at individual Level
Values at Organisational Level
Values Across Cultures
Work Centrality Work Centrality
Values Values
InstrumentaI InstrumentaI - - values that represent
the acceptable behaviors to be used in
Terminal Terminal - - values that represent the goals to be
achieved, or the end states oI existence
Examples: honesty, politeness, courage
the acceptable behaviors to be used in
achieving some end state
achieved, or the end states oI existence
Examples: happiness, salvation, prosperity
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Work Centrality
Work is valued diIIerently across cultures. Work is valued diIIerently across cultures.
There are cross-national diIIerences in the
extent to which people perceive work as a
central liIe interest.
Cross-cultural diIIerences in work Cross-cultural diIIerences in work
centrality can lead to adjustment problems
Ior Ioreign employees and managers.
HoIstede`s Study
Geert HoIstede questioned over 116,000 IBM
employees in 40 countries about their work- employees in 40 countries about their work-
related values.
He discovered Iour basic dimensions along which
work-related values diIIered across cultures:
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance Uncertainty avoidance
Masculinity/Iemininity
Individualism/collectivism
Power Distance
The extent to which an unequal distribution The extent to which an unequal distribution
oI power is accepted by society members.
In small power distance cultures, inequality
is minimized, superiors are accessible, and
power diIIerences are downplayed.
Power Distance
(continued)
In large power distance cultures, inequality In large power distance cultures, inequality
is accepted as natural, superiors are
inaccessible, and power diIIerences are
highlighted.
Out oI 40 societies, Canada and the United
States rank 14 and 15, Ialling on the low
power distance side oI the average.
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Uncertainty Avoidance
The extent to which people are The extent to which people are
uncomIortable with uncertain and
ambiguous situations.
Strong uncertainty avoidance cultures stress
rules and regulations, hard work,
conIormity, and security.
Uncertainty Avoidance
(continued)
Cultures with weak uncertainty
avoidance are less concerned with
rules, conIormity, and security, and
hard work is not seen as a virtue and
risk taking is valued.
Canada and the United States are well Canada and the United States are well
below average on uncertainty
avoidance.
Masculinity/Femininity
Masculine cultures clearly diIIerentiate Masculine cultures clearly diIIerentiate
gender roles, support the dominance oI
men, and stress economic perIormance.
Feminine cultures accept Iluid gender roles,
stress sexual equality, and stress quality oI
liIe.
Canada ranks about mid-pack and the
United States is Iairly masculine.
Individualism/Collectivism
Individualistic societies stress Individualistic societies stress
independence, individual initiative, and
privacy.
Collective cultures Iavour interdependence
and loyalty to Iamily or clan.
The United States, Australia, Great Britain,
and Canada are among the most
individualistic societies.
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Long-term/Short-term
Orientation
Subsequent work by HoIstede with
Canadian Michael Bond resulted in Canadian Michael Bond resulted in
this IiIth dimension.
Cultures with a long-term orientation
stress persistence, perseverance, thriIt,
and close attention to status and close attention to status
diIIerences.
Long-term/Short-term
Orientation (continued)
Cultures with a short-term orientation Cultures with a short-term orientation
stress personal steadiness and
stability, Iace-saving, and social
niceties.
Canada and the United States are more
short-term oriented. short-term oriented.
Implications oI Cultural Variation
Exporting OB theories.
Importing OB theories.
Appreciating global customers.
Developing global employees. Developing global employees.
What Are Attitudes?
A Iairly stable evaluative tendency to A Iairly stable evaluative tendency to
respond consistency to some speciIic object,
situation, person, or category oI people.
They involve evaluations directed toward
speciIic targets.
They are relatively stable. They are relatively stable.
They are tendencies to respond to the target
oI the attitude.
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Component Measured by Example
IIect Physiological indicators I don`t like my
Model oI an Attitude Model oI an Attitude
AAIIect Physiological indicators
Verbal statements about
Ieelings
I don`t like my
boss
ehavioral
Intentions
Observed behavior
Verbal statements about
intentions
I want to
transIer to
another
department
AA
B B
department
ognition Attitude scales
Verbal statements about
belieIs
I believe my
boss plays
Iavorites
C C
SOURCE: Adapted from M. J. Rosenberg and C. . Hovland, "Cognitive, Affective, and
Behavioral Components of Attitude, in M. J. Rosenberg, C.. Hovland, W. J. McGuire, R. P.
Abelson, and J. H. Brehm, Attitude Organization and Change (New Haven, Conn.: Yale
University Press, 1960). Copyright 1960 Yale University Press. Used with permission.
What Is Job SatisIaction? (continued)
A collection oI attitudes that workers have about their
jobs jobs
Overall satisIaction is an average or total oI the
attitudes individuals hold toward various Iacets oI the
job.
The most popular measure oI job satisIaction is the Job
Descriptive Index (JDI). Descriptive Index (JDI).
The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) is
also a popular measure oI job satisIaction.
What Explains Job SatisIaction?
A person`s job satisIaction is
determined by a number oI Iactors: determined by a number oI Iactors:
Discrepancy
Fairness
Disposition
Discrepancy Theory
A theory that job satisIaction stems Irom the A theory that job satisIaction stems Irom the
discrepancy between the job outcomes
wanted and the outcomes that are perceived
to be obtained.
Employees who have more oI their job-
related desires met will report more overall
job satisIaction.
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Fairness
Issues oI Iairness aIIect both what people Issues oI Iairness aIIect both what people
want Irom their jobs and how they react to
discrepancies.
There are two basic kinds oI Iairness:
Distributive Iairness Distributive Iairness
Procedural Iairness
Distributive Fairness
Fairness that occurs when people receive Fairness that occurs when people receive
what they think they deserve Irom their
jobs.
This involves the distribution oI work
rewards and resources.
Equity theory provides a way oI
understanding how people determine what
is Iair.
Procedural Fairness
Fairness that occurs when the process used Fairness that occurs when the process used
to determine work outcomes is seen as
reasonable.
It is concerned with how outcomes are
decided and allocated.
Procedural Fairness
(continued)
Perceptions oI procedural Iairness are more Perceptions oI procedural Iairness are more
likely when the allocator oI rewards:
Gives adequate reasons Ior his/her decisions
Follows consistent procedures
Uses accurate inIormation and appears
unbiased unbiased
Allows two-way communication during the
allocation process
Welcomes appeals oI the procedure or
allocation
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Disposition
The dispositional view oI job satisIaction is The dispositional view oI job satisIaction is
based on the idea that some people are
predisposed by virtue oI their personalities
to be more or less satisIied with their job.
Disposition (continued)
People who are extraverted and People who are extraverted and
conscientious tend to be more satisIied with
their jobs.
Those high in neuroticism are less satisIied.
People who are high in selI-esteem and People who are high in selI-esteem and
internal locus oI control are more satisIied.
People who are optimistic and proactive
report higher job satisIaction.
The Iacets that contribute the most to
Key Contributors to Job SatisIaction
Ieelings oI job satisIaction Ior workers in
North America include:
Mentally challenging work
Adequate compensation
Career opportunities Career opportunities
Colleagues
Mentally Challenging
Work
Work that tests employees` skills and Work that tests employees` skills and
abilities and allows them to set their own
working pace.
Employees usually perceive such work as
personally involving and important.
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Adequate Compensation
Most employees expect to receive an Most employees expect to receive an
adequate amount oI compensation.
Although pay and satisIaction are positively
related, not everyone is equally desirous oI
money.
Career Opportunities
Career opportunities and opportunities Ior Career opportunities and opportunities Ior
promotion are important contributors to job
satisIaction.
Promotions contain valued signals about a
person`s selI-worth.
Consequences oI Job
SatisIaction
Job satisIaction has a number oI consequences: Job satisIaction has a number oI consequences:
Absence Irom work
Turnover
PerIormance
Organizational citizenship behaviour Organizational citizenship behaviour
Customer satisIaction and proIit
Turnover
Turnover reIers to resignation Irom an Turnover reIers to resignation Irom an
organization and it can be very expensive.
Research indicates a moderately strong
connection between job satisIaction and
turnover.
Less-satisIied workers are more likely to
quit. However, the relationship is Iar Irom
perIect.
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Turnover (continued)
There are a number oI reasons why There are a number oI reasons why
satisIied employees sometimes quit their
jobs and dissatisIied ones stay:
Certain 'shocks might stimulate turnover
despite satisIaction with the current job
An employees` dissatisIaction with his or her An employees` dissatisIaction with his or her
job might be oIIset by a strong commitment to
the overall values and mission oI the
organization.
Turnover (continued)
An employee might be so embedded in the An employee might be so embedded in the
community that he or she is willing to endure a
dissatisIying job rather than move.
A weak job market might result in limited
employment alternatives.
PerIormance
Research has Iound that job satisIaction is Research has Iound that job satisIaction is
associated with higher job perIormance.
The most important Iacet Ior predicting
perIormance is the content oI the work.
The connection between job satisIaction The connection between job satisIaction
and perIormance is stronger Ior more
complex jobs.
PerIormance (continued)
Although job satisIaction contributes to Although job satisIaction contributes to
perIormance, perIormance also contributes
to job satisIaction.
When good perIormance is Iollowed by
rewards, employees are more likely to be
satisIied.
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Organizational Citizenship
Behaviour (OCB)
Voluntary, inIormal behaviour that contributes Voluntary, inIormal behaviour that contributes
to organizational eIIectiveness.
Job satisIaction is strongly related to OCB.
Procedural Iairness is a key Iactor in the
relationship between job satisIaction and relationship between job satisIaction and
OCB.
OCB is also inIluenced by employees` mood
at work.
Customer SatisIaction and
ProIit
Organizations as well as units within larger Organizations as well as units within larger
organizations with higher average levels oI
employee satisIaction have more satisIied
customers and are more proIitable.
Responses to Job DissatisIaction
What Is Organizational Commitment?
Organi:ational commitment is an attitude that
reIlects the strength oI the linkage between an
employee and an organization.
There are three diIIerent types oI
organizational commitment:
AIIective commitment AIIective commitment
Continuance commitment
Normative commitment
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Work Attitudes Work Attitudes
Affective Commitment
OrganizationaI
Commitment
The strength of
an individual's
identification with
Affective Commitment
Desire to Remain
Continuance Commitment
Cannot afford to leave
identification with
an organization
Normative Commitment
Perceived obligation to remain
Contributors to Organizational
Commitment
The best predictor oI aIIective commitment is
interesting and satisIying work.
Role clarity and having one`s expectations met Role clarity and having one`s expectations met
aIter being hired also contribute to aIIective
commitment.
Contributors to Organizational
Commitment (continued)
Continuance commitment occurs when people Continuance commitment occurs when people
Ieel that leaving the organization will result in
personal sacriIice or good alternative
employment is lacking.
Continuance commitment increases with the Continuance commitment increases with the
time a person is employed by his or her
organization.
Contributors to Organizational
Commitment (continued)
Normative commitment can be Iostered by Normative commitment can be Iostered by
beneIits that build a sense oI obligation to the
organization.
Strong identiIication with an organization`s
product or service also Iosters normative
commitment. commitment.
Socialization practices that emphasize loyalty to
the organization can stimulate normative
commitment.
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Consequences oI Organizational
Commitment
All three Iorms oI commitment reduce
turnover intentions and actual turnover.
AIIective commitment is positively related to
perIormance. perIormance.
Continuance commitment is negativelv related
to perIormance.
Organizational
Commitment
(continued)
High levels oI commitment can cause
conIlicts between Iamily-liIe and
(continued)
conIlicts between Iamily-liIe and
work-liIe and have been implicated in
unethical and illegal behaviour.
High levels oI commitment to a
particular form or stvle oI particular form or stvle oI
organization can cause a lack oI
innovation and lead to resistance
when a change in culture is necessary.
Changes in the
Workplace and
Employee Commitment
Changes in the workplace have Changes in the workplace have
implications Ior organizational
commitment in three main areas:
Changes in the nature oI employees`
commitment to the organization
Changes in the Iocus oI employees` Changes in the Iocus oI employees`
commitment
The multiplicity oI employer-employee
relationships within organizations