The personal values systems of 884 public- and private-sector managers are compared. From that comparison inferences are drawn regarding the ethos of each sector, and potential implications for managers are discussed. Although the personal-values systems in the two sectors are quite similar, results reflect a public-sector ethos that is significantly higher in Delayed Gratification and Self-Expansion and a private-sector ethos that is significantly higher in Competence, Personal Orientation, and Family Security. In addition, this study furthers the view that the personal-values systems of male and female managers within a given employment sector are not significantly different.

This paper reports an investigation of the personal-values systems of 567 public-sector managers from the U.S., Canada, and Japan. The results of this research indicate that, despite some specific differences, there is an overarching, coherent North American public-sector managerial values systems. Moreover, it is similar in some ways to that of its Japanese counterparts. However, these values systems - North American and Japanese - are clearly distinct

A sample of 367 dentists, all licensed to practice in Oregon, provided data for an investigation of the personal values of dentists. The authors found that the dentists' values differed in several particulars from those of the general population. On the other hand, they found that the values of younger and older dentists were highly similar, as were the values of male and female dentists.

Research into the relationship between personal values and organizational phenomena has enjoyed a lengthy history. As a result, there is fair agreement among management scholars about two things: what values are and with what they vary. There are also substantial gaps in understanding, including how (if) values cause behavior and what happens to them when the individual joins an organization or enters an occupation. The authors identify some possible reasons for these gaps, having to do with the level(s) at which the values construct is conceptualized, methodological irregularities in values research, and neglect by management scholars, and discuss attendant corrective actions.

While interest in the subject of values has grown markedly over the last decade, reflected in a flow of conceptual and empirical papers in the management and organization literature, the subject of human values has not received serious attention in management curricula. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and development of a course on values and management and to provide the reader a guide in developing his or her own course.

Academy of Management ReviewVol. 7, No. 3 Book ReviewsHandbook of Organizational DesignRichard N. Osborn and Patrick E. ConnorRichard N. OsbornResearch Scientist, Battelle—Human Affairs Research Centers, Seattle, WashingtonGeo. H. Atkinson Graduate School of Management Willamette University Salem, Oregon 97301 and Patrick E. ConnorResearch Scientist, Battelle—Human Affairs Research Centers, Seattle, WashingtonGeo. H. Atkinson Graduate School of Management Willamette University Salem, Oregon 97301Published Online:1 Jul 1982https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1982.4285381AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsDownload CitationsAdd to favoritesTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 7, No. 3 Permissions Metrics in the past 12 months History Published online 1 July 1982 Published in print 1 July 1982 Information© Academy of Management ReviewKeywordsBOOKS -- ReviewsORGANIZATIONAL sociologyNONFICTIONDownload PDF

No abstract available for this article.

A problem which plagues all behavioral-science research, including that conducted on organizations, but receives little critical attention, is the influence of individual and collective values on research results and conclusions. These influences exist in all stages of the research process, affecting subject and investigator. Investigator and subject values interact to constrain further the meaning of research results.

Assumptions and values characteristic of organization development (OD) are identified and discussed, after defining the mainstream of OD. Some implications of OD philosophy and practice are criticized.

This paper is an attempt to explore the operation and effects of value biases on comparative organizational research. Organizational researchers are aware that underlying individual and collective values may bias research information. Unless these biases are explicitly articulated, however, and their potential impact evaluated, conclusions may be reached on the basis of spurious inferences drawn from biased data.