AMERICAN WORK-VALUES

CROSS CULTURE UNDERSTANDING

Parlindungan PardedeChristian University of Indonesia

AMERICAN WORK-

VALUES

REASONS

FOR

WORKING

WORKAHOLICS

LEISURE & SOCIALIZING

WORK-ETHIC

ATTITUDE TO

MANUAL

LABOR

CRATIVITY &

PROCUKTIVITY

REASONS FOR WORKING

WORKAHOLICS

WORK-ETHIC

See slide 6

1. SURVIVAL (BASIC GOAL)2. SELF-REALIZATION

(PRODUCTION)3. PRESTIGE (SOCIAL STATUS);

DERIVED FROM PROTESTANT ETHIC, WHICH MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO WORK HARD TO SUCCEED. IT IMBUES WORK WITH THE QUALITY OF GOODNESS. ORIGINATED FROM THE PURITAN BELIEF THAT MATERIAL SUCCESS WAS A SIGN OF GOD’S FAVOR: SUCCESSFUL PERSON WERE AMONG GOD’S ‘CHOSEN’ THUS, WORK IS ACCEPTED A DUTY.

AMERICAN DREAM IMPLYING EVERYONE HAS EQUAL FREEDOM AND RIGHT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS LONG AS HE IS DILIGENT & VIRTUOUS IN HARD-WORKING MADE AMERICANS EMPHASIZE MORE ON ‘DOING’ THAN ‘BEING’. FOR THEM, TO BE RICH IS NOT SINFUL. IN U.S. MAJOR SOCIAL STATUS IS ACHIEVEMENT. THUS, THEY BELIEVE SUCCESS AS LIFE GOAL

American Dream (AD)DEFINITION: all citizens have the opportunity and freedom to achieve their goals and become wealthy and renowned if only they work hard enough.

• AD is originated in the historic decision made by early settlers who migrated to US to escape the controls placed on their lives by kings, governments, churches, noblemen, & aristocrats.

• When the USA was proclaimed, the power of the government and church were constitutionally limited and formal aristocracy was eliminated in order to guarantee individual freedom.

Individual Freedom (IF) & Self-Reliance (SR)

For Americans, freedom means the desire and the ability of all individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference (from government, noble class, church, & any other organized authority.

However, the freedom should be ’paid’ with self-reliance. Without it, an individual will loose his freedom.

Self-reliant means that one should be financially and emotionally independent from anyone (American children achieve these by age 18-21).

Although receiving financial support fromcharity, family, or government is allowed, it is never admired. Those who get it will risk losing respect from other people.

Equality of Opportunity & Competition• Another core aspect of AD is equal opportunity. For

Americans it means that each individual has an equal chance for success. Thus, everyone is provided the right to ‘enter the race’ and win.• However, the equal opportunity should be ’paid’ with

competition. This makes Americans are urged to match their energy, intelligence, and creativity with their neighbors. They honor ‘winners’ but despise ‘loosers’.• Americans get free from the pressure of competition only

when they retire at the age of 65. But since such individuals will feel useless and unwanted for they are not joining the ‘race’ which give—them prestige—any more.

CREATIVITY &PRODUCTIVITY

LEISURE &SOCIALIZING

EMPHASIS ON SUCCESS AS LIFE GOAL MAKES SOME AMERICANS WORK COMPULSIVELY AND BECOME WORKAHOLICS. SOME PEOPLE REGARD THEM AS VALUABLE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY FOR THEIR HIGH PRODUCTION AND EFFICIENCY, BUT SOME OTHERS SEE THEM AS INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL PROBLEMS

WORKAHOLICS GROWTH MADE MANY PEOPLE INSIST ON FACILITATING WORKERS WITH AMUSEMENT. MANY EMPLOYERS AGREED TO FACILITATE IT. EMPLOYEES LIKE IT, BUT THEY TEND ‘TO PLAY’ AS HARD AS ‘TO WORK’.

WORKAHOLICS

ATTITUDE TOMANUAL LABOR

THEIR GLORIFYING OF THE SELF-MADE-MAN MAKE AMERICANS APPRECIATE MANUAL LABORS. THOUGH THEY OCCUPY RESPECTED JOBS, THEY ARE WILLING TO WASH DISHES, PAINT HOUSE, REPAIR ROOF, ETC.STUDENTS WORK PART-TIME AS DISHWASHER, WAITER, ETC.MOST COUNTIES HOLD COMPETITION IN GARDENING, PAINTING THE HOUSE, ETC.

THEIR APPRECIATION ON SKILLS AND ‘DO IT BY YOURSELF’ TRADITION MAKE AMERICANS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTIVE. THEY CAN BUILD SWIMMING POOL OR MAKE MOTOR BOAT WITHOUT HIRING SOMEBODY ELSE

SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UNITED STATES (Based on Achievement/Career)

• CEO, Politicians• $ 200,000UPPER CLASS

(1%)

• Professionals• Graduate Degree• $ 72,500 -- 100,000UPPER MIDDLE

CLASS (15%)

• Professional Supports & Sales• Bachelor Degree• $ 32,500--50,000 LOWER MIDDLE

CLASS (32%)

• Clerical Service & Blue Collar• Some college• $ 15,000--25,000WORKING CLASS

(32%)

•Part-time & Unemployed• $ 7,000LOWER CLASS

(20%)

Labor Force in the US (1994)

Services, 16,003,000, 12%

Unemployed, 6,524,300, 5%

Farming, Forestry & Fishing,

3,569,900, 3%

Manufacturing, Mining, Transports

& Crafts, 31,513,600, 24%

Technical, Sales & Administration, 37,176,200, 30%

Managerial & Professional,

33,852,500, 26%

AVERAGE MANUAL LABOR MINIMUM WAGE:$ 1.30/HOUR (1970)$ 3.10 / HOUR (1980)$ 4.30 / HOUR (1990)

TYPICAL PROFESSIONS OF AMERICAN MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE (Activity One)

THAT’S ALL&

THANK YOU!

Median weekly earnings by sex, 1980–2004