Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Values, Attitudes, and Their Effects in

the Workplace

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Values, Attitudes, and Their Effects in the

Workplace

• What is the relationship between values and individual behaviour?

• How do values differ across cultures?

Questions for Consideration

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Values• Values

– Basic convictions about what is important to the individual

– They contain a judgmental element of what is right, good, or desirable.•Content: what is important• Intensity: how important•Value System: a hierarchy based on

a ranking of an individual’s values in terms of their intensity.

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Values

– Types of values•Terminal: Goals that individuals

would like to achieve during their lifetime

• Instrumental: Preferable ways of behaving

– Importance of values•Values generally influence attitudes

and behaviour.

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Values vs. Ethics

• Ethics– The science of morals in human conduct– Moral principles; rules of conduct

• Ethical values are related to moral judgments about right and wrong

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

A Framework for Assessing Cultural Values

• Hofstede’s Dimensions– Power Distance– Individualism Versus Collectivism– Quantity of Life Versus Quality of Life– Uncertainty Avoidance– Long-term versus Short-term OrientationExhibit

3-2 Examples of National Cultural ValuesFrancophone and Anglophone ValuesCanadian Aboriginal Values

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Canadian and American Values

• Canadian Values– Protectionist business

environment

– Personality: more shy and deferential, less violent, more courteous

– More rule-oriented

– Peace, order, equality

– Uncomfortable celebrating success, play it down

• American Values– Greater faith in the

family, the state, religion, and the market

– More comfortable with big business

– Intense competition in business

– Individuality and freedom

– More comfortable with the unknown and taking risks

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Canada, the US and Mexico

• Canada and the US – Lower power distance

– More likely to tolerate abrasiveness and insensitivity by managers

– Lower risk takers

– More individualistic

– Less agreeable to teamwork

• Mexico – Higher power distance– Managers more autocratic

and paternalistic– Employees defer more to

managers– Greater uncertainty

avoidance– Managers are greater risk

takers– Greater reliance on

networks and relationships

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

East and Southeast Asian Values

• North America

– Networked relations: based on self-interest

– Relationships viewed with immediate gains

– Enforcement relies on institutional law

– Governed by guilt (internal pressures on performance)

• East and Southeast Asia

– Guanxi relations: based on reciprocation

– Relationships meant to be long-term and enduring

– Enforcement relies on personal power and authority

– Governed by shame (external pressures on performance)

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Attitudes

• Positive or negative feelings concerning objects, people, or events.

• Less stable than values

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Cognitive Dissonance

• Any incompatibility that an individual might perceive between two or more of his or her attitudes, or between his or her behaviour and attitudes. – Inconsistency is uncomfortable – Individuals will attempt to reduce the

dissonance and, hence, the discomfort

Chapter 3, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.

Summary and Implications

• Values strongly influence a person’s attitudes.

• An employee’s performance and satisfaction are likely to be higher if his or her values fit well with the organization.

• Managers should be interested in their employees’ attitudes because attitudes give warning signs of potential problems and because they influence behaviour.

• Managers should also be aware that employees will try to reduce cognitive dissonance.