Examining the influence of transculturation on work ethic in the United States (original) (raw)

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[ Dwight M. Hite ](/insight/search?q=Dwight M. Hite) (Cameron University, School of Business, Lawton, OK, USA)

[ Joshua J. Daspit ](/insight/search?q=Joshua J. Daspit) (Mississippi State University, College of Business, Mississippi State, MS, USA)

[ Xueni Dong ](/insight/search?q=Xueni Dong) (Mississippi State University, College of Business, Mississippi State, MS, USA)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of cultural assimilation – termed “transculturation” – on work ethic perceptions, thus this study examines trends in work ethic across ethnic and generational groups within the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a literature review on work ethic, ethnicity, and transculturation, an analysis of variance based on 873 survey responses is presented. The sample includes undergraduate and graduate students at several public universities within the USA.

Findings

An empirical analysis supports the hypothesis that the variation of work ethic perceptions within the Millennial generation is significantly less than the variation among older generations. The authors find no significant difference in general work ethic perceptions among Millennial ethnic groups.

Research limitations/implications

While the study is conducted using a convenience sample, the demographics are closely representative of the USA labor force. The results suggest that Millennials, while a more diverse ethnic population, exhibit less variation among work ethic perceptions than earlier generational groups.

Practical implications

Understanding differences in work ethic perceptions across various ethnic groups is valuable for managers interested in designing jobs that appropriately exploit the full value of a multi-generational workforce.

Originality/value

The findings of this study offer new insights into how more recent generations, while more ethnically diverse, exhibit a convergence in perceptions of work ethic.

Keywords

Citation

[Hite, D.M.](/insight/search?q=Dwight M. Hite "Dwight M. Hite"), [Daspit, J.J.](/insight/search?q=Joshua J. Daspit "Joshua J. Daspit") and [Dong, X.](/insight/search?q=Xueni Dong "Xueni Dong") (2015), "Examining the influence of transculturation on work ethic in the United States", Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, Vol. 22 No. 1, pp. 145-162. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCM-12-2013-0190

Publisher

Emerald Group Publishing Limited