Simultaneous Convergence and Divergence: A Global Generation Paradigm Perspective on Gen Z Work Values
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18188738Keywords:
Generation Z, Work Values, Global Generation Paradigm*, Cultural Convergence, Cultural Divergence, Cross-Cultural ManagementAbstract
This study explores Generation Z’s work values through the lens of the global generation paradigm, which argues that digitalization and cross-cultural interaction foster shared value clusters beyond national boundaries. A cross-cultural survey was conducted with 1,934 respondents (ages 18–26) from the USA, Germany, Japan, and Türkiye, representing diverse cultural contexts in Hofstede’s dimensions of individualism–collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. Work values were assessed using Lyons et al.’s (2010) 32-item scale across four dimensions: instrumental, cognitive, social, and prestige. Analyses (CFA, MANOVA, ANOVA, planned contrasts, ANCOVA) revealed a hybrid pattern of convergence and divergence. Cognitive values such as learning, development, and creativity were consistently emphasized across all countries, supporting the global generation paradigm. However, instrumental, social, and prestige values differed significantly: collectivist cultures (Türkiye, Japan) stressed security, belonging, and prestige, while individualist cultures (USA, Germany) prioritized autonomy and achievement. Gender and country × gender interactions showed no significant effects. These findings introduce the notion of “simultaneous convergence and divergence,” highlighting that generational values cannot be explained solely by age or cultural determinism. The study also offers practical guidance for multinational organizations in balancing global human resources strategies with local cultural specificities when managing Generation Z employees.
References
Aycan, Z. (2006). Paternalism. In U. Kim, K. S. Yang, & K. K. Hwang (Eds.), Indigenous and cultural psychology (pp. 445–466). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-28662-4_20
Bayraktaroğlu, S., Mustafa, M., & Atay, E. (2018). Çalışanlarda iş güvenliği ve iş kazası algısı: Mavi yakalılar üzerine bir araştırma. Uluslararası Yönetim ve Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 5(9), 1–15.
Beck, U., & Beck-Gernsheim, E. (2002). Individualization: Institutionalized individualism and its social and political consequences. Sage Publications.
Benítez-Márquez, M. D., Sánchez-Teba, E. M., Bermúdez-González, G., & Núñez-Rydman, E. S. (2022). Generation Z within the workforce and in the workplace: A bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 736820. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.736820
Beugelsdijk, S., & Welzel, C. (2018). Dimensions and dynamics of national culture: Synthesizing Hofstede with Inglehart. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 49(10), 1469–1505. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022118798505
Brislin, R. W. (1980). Translation and content analysis of oral and written material. In H. C. Triandis & J. W. Berry (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology: Methodology (Vol. 1, pp. 389–444). Allyn & Bacon.
Busque-Carrier, M., Le Corff, Y., & Ratelle, C. F. (2022). Linking work values profiles to basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration. Psychological Reports, 125(6), 3183–3208. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941211040439
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203771587
Dahiya, R., & Raghuvanshi, J. (2023). Do values reflect what is important? Exploring the nexus between work values, work engagement and job burnout. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 31(5), 1414–1434. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-02-2021-2608
Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment. University of Minnesota Press.
Deas, A., & Coetzee, M. (2022). A value-oriented psychological contract: Generational differences amidst a global pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 921184. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.921184
den Boer, H., van Vuuren, T., & de Jong, J. (2021). Job design to extend working time: Work characteristics to enable sustainable employment of older employees in different job types. Sustainability, 13(9), 4719. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094719
Dobrowolski, Z., Drozdowski, G., & Panait, M. (2022). Understanding the impact of Generation Z on risk management—A preliminary views on values, competencies, and ethics of the Generation Z in public administration. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(7), 3868. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073868
Dolot, A. (2018). The characteristics of Generation Z. e-mentor, 2(74), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.15219/em74.1351
Duffy, R. D., Blustein, D. L., Diemer, M. A., & Autin, K. L. (2016). The psychology of working theory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(2), 127–148. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000140
Edmunds, J., & Turner, B. S. (2005). Global generations: Social change in the twentieth century. The British Journal of Sociology, 56(4), 559–577. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2005.00083.x
Emanuelsson, C., & Turesson, J. (2023). The work values of Generation Z: What Generation Z values and is attracted to in an employer [Bachelor’s thesis, Linnaeus University]. DiVA Portal.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A. G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175–191. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193146
Francis, T., & Hoefel, F. (2018). ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companie
Gaidhani, S., Arora, L., & Sharma, B. K. (2019). Understanding the attitude of Gen Z towards workplace. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, 9(1), 2804–2812. https://doi.org/10.4236/jhrss.2019.91018
Gallup. (2016). How millennials want to work and live. Gallup, Inc. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/238073/millennials-work-live.aspx
Gibson, J. W., Greenwood, R. A., & Murphy, E. F., Jr. (2009). Generational differences in the workplace: Personal values, behaviors, and popular beliefs. Journal of Diversity Management, 4(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.19030/jdm.v4i3.4959
Gilleard, C., & Higgs, P. (2005). Contexts of ageing: Class, cohort, and community. Polity Press.
Groves, R. M., Fowler, F. J., Jr., Couper, M. P., Lepkowski, J. M., Singer, E., & Tourangeau, R. (2009). Survey methodology (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Hartung, P. J., Fouad, N. A., Leong, F. T. L., & Hardin, E. E. (2010). Individualism–collectivism: Links to occupational plans and work values. Journal of Career Assessment, 18(1), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069072709340526
Hitlin, S., & Piliavin, J. A. (2004). Values: Reviving a dormant concept. Annual Review of Sociology, 30, 359–393. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.30.012703.110640
Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.3.513
Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture’s consequences: International differences in work-related values. Sage.
Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Sage.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind—Intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., & Gupta, V. (Eds.). (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Sage Publications.
İlhan, Ü. D., & Alimanoğlu Yemişci, D. (2020). Ulusal kültür, örgüt kültürü ve iş güvenliği kültürü ilişkisi: Hofstede’nin güç mesafesi ve belirsizlikten kaçınma boyutları açısından Türkiye özelinde bir değerlendirme. Yönetim ve Ekonomi Dergisi, 27(3), 703–724. https://doi.org/10.18657/yonveek.758132
İlhan, Ü. D., Kümbül Güler, B., & Aksaraylı, M. (2019). Çalışma değerleri ve örgüte duygusal bağlılık: X ve Y kuşağı mavi yakalı çalışanlar üzerine bir çalışma. Yaşar Üniversitesi E-Dergisi, 14(56), 379–406. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jyasar/issue/49978/578943
Inglehart, R. (1997). Modernization and postmodernization: Cultural, economic, and political change in 43 societies. Princeton University Press.
Judge, T. A., & Bretz, R. D., Jr. (1992). Effects of work values on job choice decisions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77(3), 261–271. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.77.3.261
Kaiser, S., & Ringlstetter, M. J. (Eds.). (2011). Creating balance? International perspectives on the work-life integration of professionals. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16199-5
Kalleberg, A. L. (1977). Work values and job rewards: A theory of job satisfaction. American Sociological Review, 42(1), 124–143. https://doi.org/10.2307/2117735
Kim, E., Kim, H., & Lee, T. (2024). How are new nurses satisfied with their jobs? From the work value perspective of Generations Y and Z nurses. BMC Nursing, 23, 252. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01928-7
Kline, R. B. (2016). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
Knardahl, S., & Christensen, J. O. (2024). Individual work-motive values: Determinants and consequences for the appraisal of specific health-related work characteristics. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1332687. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1332687
Kozák, M., & von Soest, T. (2024). Adolescent work values and adult attainment in key social domains: Two decades later—Evidence from a population-based longitudinal study of Norwegian men and women. Journal of Education and Work, 37(5–6), 403–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2025.2456838
Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences of individuals’ fit at work: A meta-analysis of person–job, person–organization, person–group, and person–supervisor fit. Personnel Psychology, 58(2), 281–342. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2005.00672.x
Kultalahti, S., & Viitala, R. (2014). Sufficient challenges and a weekend ahead: Generation Y describing motivation at work. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 27(4), 569–582. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-05-2014-0101
Lyons, S., & Kuron, L. (2014). Generational differences in the workplace: A review of the evidence and directions for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(S1), S139–S157. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1913
Levitt, P., & Glick Schiller, N. (2004). Conceptualizing simultaneity: A transnational social field perspective on society. International Migration Review, 38(3), 1002–1039. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7379.2004.tb00227.x
Lub, X. D., Bal, P. M., Blomme, R. J., & Schalk, R. (2015). One job, one deal…or not: Do generations respond differently to psychological contract fulfillment? The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(6), 653–680. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2015.1035304
Lyons, S. T., Schweitzer, L., & Ng, E. S. W. (2010). Work values: Development of a new three-dimensional structure based on confirmatory smallest-space analysis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31(4), 561–583. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.658
Maloni, M., Hiatt, M. S., & Campbell, S. (2019). Understanding the work values of Gen Z business students. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(3), Article 100320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100320
Mannheim, K. (1952). The problem of generations. In P. Kecskemeti (Ed.), Essays on the sociology of knowledge (pp. 276–322). Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Meglino, B. M., Ravlin, E. C., & Adkins, C. L. (1989). A work values approach to corporate culture: A field test of the value congruence process and its relationship to individual outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 74(3), 424–432. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.74.3.424
Morris, L. S., Grehl, M. M., Rutter, S. B., Mehta, M., & Westwater, M. L. (2022). On what motivates us: A detailed review of intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation. Psychological Medicine, 52(10), 1801–1816. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291722001611
Ng, E. S. W., Schweitzer, L., & Lyons, S. T. (2010). New generation, great expectations: A field study of the Millennial Generation. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(2), 281–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-010-9159-4
Parry, E., & Urwin, P. (2011). Generational differences in work values: A review of theory and evidence. International Journal of Management Reviews, 13(1), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2010.00285.x
Pataki-Bittó, F., & Kapusy, K. (2021). Work environment transformation in the post COVID-19 based on work values of the future workforce. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 23(3), 151–169. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRE-08-2020-0031
Ralston, D. A., Holt, D. H., Terpstra, R. H., & Yu, K. C. (1997). The impact of national culture and economic ideology on managerial work values: A study of the USA, Russia, Japan, and China. Journal of International Business Studies, 28(1), 177–207. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490097
Robertson, R. (1995). Glocalization: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. In M. Featherstone, S. Lash, & R. Robertson (Eds.), Global modernities (pp. 25–44). Sage Publications.
Ros, M., Schwartz, S. H., & Surkiss, S. (1999). Basic individual values, work values, and the meaning of work. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 48(1), 49–71. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1999.tb00048.x
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
Sato, N., Watanabe, K., Nishi, D., & Kawakami, N. (2021). Associations between personal values and work engagement: A cross-sectional study using a representative community sample. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 63(6), e335–e340. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002209
Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture. American Psychologist, 45(2), 109–119. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.45.2.109
Schroth, H. (2019). Are you ready for Gen Z in the workplace? California Management Review, 61(3), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008125619841006
Schwartz, S. H. (1994). Are there universal aspects in the structure and contents of human values? Journal of Social Issues, 50(4), 19–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1994.tb01196.x
Seemiller, C., & Grace, M. (2019). Generation Z: A century in the making. Routledge.
Silva, J., & Carvalho, A. (2021). The work values of Portuguese Generation Z in the higher education-to-work transition phase. Social Sciences, 10(8), 297. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10080297
Stiglbauer, B., Penz, M., & Batinic, B. (2022). Work values across generations: Development of the New Work Values Scale (NWVS) and examination of generational differences. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1028072. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1028072
Stillman, D., & Stillman, J. (2017). Gen Z @ work: How the next generation is transforming the workplace. Harper Business.
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A., & Kalof, L. (1999). A value–belief–norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review, 6(2), 81–97. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24707060
Super, D. E. (1980). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 16(3), 282–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-8791(80)90056-1
Tapscott, D. (2009). Grown up digital: How the Net Generation is changing your world. McGraw-Hill.
Thorpe, C., & Inglis, D. (2019). Do ‘global generations’ exist? From Mannheim to Beck and beyond. Youth and Globalization, 1(1), 40–64. https://doi.org/10.1163/25895745-00101003
Thompson, S. K. (2012). Sampling (3rd ed.). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118162934
Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood—and what that means for the rest of us. Atria Books.
Wang, Y., Wang, X., Gao, L., Zhang, H., Chen, J., & Li, Y. (2025). Nurses’ work value patterns and their relationship with burnout: A cross-sectional study based on latent profile analysis. BMC Nursing, 24, 164. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02806-6
Woodman, D., & Wyn, J. (2015). Youth and generation: Rethinking change and inequality in the lives of young people. Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781473910591
Yılmaz, B., Dinler Kısaçtutan, E., & Gürün Karatepe, S. (2024). Digital natives of the labor market: Generation Z as future leaders and their perspectives on leadership. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1378982. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1378982
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The Author(s) must make formal transfer of copyright for each article prior to publication in the International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences. Such transfer enables the Journal to defend itself against plagiarism and other forms of copyright infringement. Your cooperation is appreciated. You agree that copyright of your article to be published in the International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences is hereby transferred, throughout the World and for the full term and all extensions and renewals thereof, to International Journal of Contemporary Economics and Administrative Sciences.
The Author(s) reserve(s): (a) the trademark rights and patent rights, if any, and (b) the right to use all or part of the information contained in this article in future, non-commercial works of the Author's own, or, if the article is a "work-for-hire" and made within the scope of the Author's employment, the employer may use all or part of the information contained in this article for intra-company use, provided the usual acknowledgements are given regarding copyright notice and reference to the original publication.
The Author(s) warrant(s) that the article is Author's original work, and has not been published before. If excerpts from copyrighted works are included, the Author will obtain written permission from the copyright owners and shall credit the sources in the article. The author also warrants that the article contains no libelous or unlawful statements, and does not infringe on the rights of others. If the article was prepared jointly with other Author(s), the Author agrees to inform the co-Author(s) of the terms of the copyright transfer and to sign on their behalf; or in the case of a "work-for-hire" the employer or an authorized representative of the employer.
The journal is registered with the ISSN : 1925-4423.
IJCEAS is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.
