This paper aims to look at changes in work values among the Swedish population and whether it relates to an ongoing individualization process in the work sphere. Using quantitative data from the International Social Survey Programme, the study investigates the changing of work values between the years of 1997 and 2015 using an age cohort study. Ronald Inglehart’s theory of Postmaterialism is used to analyze the results of the analysis. The theory states that people’s values are shaped by their environment growing up and change relatively little thereafter. If the social context is shaped by scarcity, people tend to prioritize more material or external values, such as economic and physical safety. If the environment is prosperous and the material needs are fulfilled, the theory states that people rather tend to prioritize postmaterial or internal values, such as self-fulfillment and self-actualization. Regarding the work sphere, external values refer to people prioritizing job and income safety while the internal values emphasize autonomy and personal development. The findings show that younger generations in Sweden tend to prioritize more external work values in relation to older generations. It also shows that this change in values is due to a generational shift rather than people becoming more postmaterialist as they age. We argue that this has to do with younger generations growing up in an unsecure personal environment during the 1990’s while the global economic crisis resulted in the labor market becoming more individualized, leaving individuals in unsecure employment and higher competition due to a widespread education development.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:umu-195956 |
| Date | January 2022 |
| Creators | Berglund, Amanda, Karlsson, Ida |
| Publisher | Umeå universitet, Sociologiska institutionen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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