INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY 252: Occupational Psychology
WEEK 1: Article on Basic Individual Values, Work Values, and the Meaning of Work
Work goals or values are expressions of basic values in the work setting. Basic
values imply four types of work values—intrinsic, extrinsic, social, and prestige.
These four types emerge in re-examinations of past research and in Study 1 of
a representative Israeli sample (N5 999).
Work is defined as a vehicle of work attainment.
For the teachers, work apparently serves to attain social stability and close
social relations. For the students, work is associated with these goals and with
promoting personal interests, independence, and excitement.
1. THE THEORY OF BASIC HUMAN VALUES HAS TWO CORE COMPONENTS
It specifies 10 motivationally distinct types of values that are postulated to be
recognised by members of most societies and to encompass the different types
of values that guide them.
The theory specifies how these 10 types of values relate dynamically to one
another. That is, it specifies which values are compatible and mutually
supportive, and which are opposed and likely to conflict with one another.
Motivational types of values in terms of their goals and the single values that represent
them are in the article.
CHAPTER 1: MEANING OF WORK
The meaning of work has changed through history.
1. WORK IN PRE-INDUSTRIAL TIMES
Three of the meanings that are associated with work in pre-industrial times are:
– drudgery.
– instrumental to spiritual or religious ends;
– intrinsically meaningful for its own purpose
– Greeks and Romans- burden that contaminates the mind
– Hebrews- also saw work as drudgery
– Protestant
viewed work as a duty; no work is superior than the other since all work was
to serve God
Moral Justification for accumulation of wealth
, – Ancient Persian society- work was instrumental. Good vs. Evil. It was good to
keep the land fertile, acquire property, wealth, etc.;
– Eastern views
work was seen as spiritually instrumental and character building;
Islamic – Those who earn an honest living by own labour and not begging
will receive the grace of Allah.
Buddhist – physical labour and spiritual growth instrumental in liberating one
from passions that prevent from finding nirvana.
– The Confucian philosophy of work – originates in China – ethic of diligence
Personal achievement through diligence
Submission of individuality to maintain harmonious relationships
– Cultural groups in South Africa should also be considered
– Renaissance in Europe- work was seen an intrinsically meaningful as the focus
shifted from physical powers to mental powers
2. INDUSTRIALISATION
Mechanistic mass production leads to decline in the will to work. Meaning sought
outside sphere of work.
Looking back at IndPsych 114 with the scientific management and Taylorism, what
happened at this time is that there was manufacturing at a larger scale (mass
production)
Meaning of work became distorted as industrialisation involved mass production and
structural changes in the work process
Characteristics of work in this era involved
a. Division of labour
b. Fragmented work tasks
c. Task became mechanistic
d. Repetitive functions
e. Long working hours – Not a lot of breaks, even children were being used as
labour.
Meaning of work extended beyond the boundaries of work.
3. POST INDUSTRIALISATION ERA
Information technology and globalisation lead to multicultural viewpoints about the
meaning of work.
– Focus was on information rather than on industry
, – Production involves generation of ideas in an office
– Heterogeneity in beliefs and tasks in society due to interaction across cultures;
new technologies in communication and computerisation (That’s why the first
two points were possible)
– Diversity in workforce became recognised and appreciated
– Concerned with employee’s attitudes, as compared to physical and mental
powers (Look back at Hawthorne studies and how they realised that people
become more productive when they felt like they were important and more
attention was given to them)
– Regarded employees as being motivated by five characteristics, namely:
Self actualisation - behaving according to one’s values, focusing on
emotional, intellectual and personal development. (becoming all that you are
capable of becoming)
Hedonism - right to enjoy life and the benefits of one’s work (Work to afford
a salary and treat yourself)
Entitlements - being entitle to certain things like choosing your own dress
code, access to sensitive organisational information. (We have the right to
information, the right to have some power over how we do our jobs)
Anti-productivism - increasing concern over the growth in economic growth
vs. the continued depletion of natural resources (Ensure that we are using
the world in a responsible way)
Anti-authoritarianism - having the right question figures of authority,
complying with a measure of reserve and suspicion (We don’t just want to
do as we are told, we want to critically think about our world and about how
things are done)
4. AFRICAN VS WESTERN SOCIETY’S VIEW OF WORK
WESTERN AFRICAN
Individualism Collectivism
Individual Achievement Working for the collective good
Status Extended Kinship
Community and family take precedence
Learning from others and giving back
, 5. 21st CENTURY WORKPLACE
Shift from national to global markets (borders are open), careers have become
boundaryless, service- driven organisations,
People search for meaning and spiritual sense-making in the workplace
Meaning of work is viewed as peoples’ understanding of what they do;
significance of what they do; beliefs about the value of the function of work in
their lives,
Dynamic changes in organisations, from globalisation, mergers and acquisitions,
re-engineering of business processes, heavy reliance on technology plays a major
part in everything that we do today e.g. online learning, online businesses,
Employees adopt protean, composite careers to keep abreast of volatile business
environment
Work meaning is socially constructed product that is dynamic and fluid and that
expresses itself through the lenses of job meaning, role meaning and self-meaning
in a particular socio cultural context.
Heightened change and uncertain markets lead to a search for meaning, higher
purpose and spiritual sense making through ones work activities and life roles.
6. WORK AS A CENTRAL LIFE INTEREST
Centrality of work- refers to the degree of importance working has in the life of an
individual at any given point in time.
Refers to the value outcomes (rewards of working) relative to the outcomes of other
life roles
High work life centrality - job performance seen as instrumental in obtaining non-
financial / psychological rewards such as self-worth, growth and personal
satisfaction (This is when the work is important to you)
Low work life centrality - perceive job performance as relating only to economic
rewards associated with the job (Only doing your work to earn a salary).
7. WORK VALUES IN THE 21ST CENTURY
– Denotes norms, beliefs, principles, preferences, needs, interests, intentions,
codes, criteria, world- view or ideology
– Work values represent what you want to obtain from work
– Work values relate to career values and include:
Intrinsic: Interest and autonomy
Extrinsic: Income and Prestige
