Culture and Values
Values are desirable states or behaviors that shape the people’s preferences whether they are aware or not. People’s actions are guided by their values (Hultman, 2002). Therefore, values at a personal level are the behaviors or actions of an individual according to the ability to choose for oneself. At an organizational level, values are personally and socially desirable actions, states, or behaviors that are directly shared by members of an organization. These values impact the evaluation of decisions in an organization. `Leaders should have the values that guide their professional and personal lives. The required values for a good leader include influence, vision, honesty, and integrity. Other values include empathy, dedication to their professions, and respect. On the other hand, for a successful organization, values such as boldness and trust are required. Other values that help organizations to achieve their goals include integrity, commitment to customers, passion, and fun within an organization.
From Hultman’s book and the journal of human value, the similarities and differences in the values of Indians, Americans, and Japan are evident. Indians value relationships, security, self-control, and proximity to power. Under the relationship, Indians value family as the most important institute. They also value high thinking karma as they believe that contributes to happier rebirths. On the other hand, Americans value freedom, material possession, risk-taking, and competition. Japanese are also known to value group harmony, hard work, and belonging in general life. The similarities of the three cultures above are that both value peace and material possession. Indians’ values such as proximity to power can be categorized as Old Testament values since they value required to obtain security. An example of New Testament Indian value is self-control. They believe that through self-control, they can achieve Karma. American values such as risk-taking and competition are Old Testament values. Japanese values such as group harmony are New Testament believes.
Rokeach Notion identified the two types of values. That is the terminology (those that are end-state) and instrumental (specific modes of behaviors). Therefore Indians’ values are both terminals and instrumental (Tuulik et al., 2016). For instance, Indians need self-control (instrumental) to achieve high thinking Karma (terminology). American Values are also both instrumental and terminology. That is risk-taking and competition (instrumental) and risk-taking and material possession (terminal). On the other hand, Japanese values are all terminal. That is group harmony and belonging.
Shonte defines values as desirable state, object, or behaviors to judge and choose among alternative modes of behaviors. He further states that every action is guided by our values. According to Hultman (2002), as he states that values evaluate a person’s decisions. Shonte also relates the Old Testament with instrumental values. This is true because, just like instrumental values, Old Testament values are required behaviors to achieve certain goals.
References
Hultman, K. (2002). Balancing individual and organizational values.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318254710_Unleashing_the_power_of_values
Tuulik, K., Õunapuu, T., Kuimet, K., & Titov, E. (2016). Rokeach’s instrumental and terminal values as descriptors of modern organization values. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 5, 151-161.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331508651_Rokeach%27s_instrumental_and_terminal_values_as_descriptors_of_modern_organisation_values
Ganghian, M (1946): Harijan Guidelines for managing an institution
Journals of human values 17, 2 (2011): 145-160.