The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the meaning of work, as defined by values and life role salience, amongst Black and White young adults in South Africa. Super’s career development theory combined with one of his key research projects, the Work Importance Study, provided an empirical point of departure for the present study. The Values Scale and the Life Role Inventory were completed by 802 first-year university students (332 Black; 470 White). The means and standard deviations of the 22 Values Scale subscales illustrated that similar values emerge as salient for both groups. The 22 subscales were subjected to a principal axis factor analysis. Five factors were extracted and a Direct Oblimin rotation was performed. The rotated solution revealed the presence of distinct clusters of factor loadings. The five factors were described as Self Orientation, Physical Orientation, Humanism, Social Orientation and Autonomous Orientation. Inspection of the means and standard deviations of these factors indicated the presence of differences in the relative importance of the value factors between the two groups. Overall, culture accounted for 15% of the variance in the Values Scale factors. A subsequent discriminant analysis revealed that the Humanism Values Scale factor contributed the most to the separation of the two groups. The results of this analysis support the presence of cultural differences in value salience between the two groups. The means and standard deviations of the Life Role Inventory indicated differences in life role salience between the two groups. A discriminant analysis revealed that culture accounted for 27% of the variance in the combination of the five life roles. ANOVAs showed that the biggest difference between the two groups was observed in the Leisure life role. The results of this analysis support the presence of cultural differences in life role salience between the two groups. In comparing the scores of the Values Scale factors and the Life Role Inventory Commitment subscales a Pearson’s product-moment correlation revealed the presence of many coefficients of 0.30 and above. Subsequently an interbattery factor analysis was performed. The Tucker-Lewis reliability coefficients indicated a three factor solution for the White group and a four factor solution for the Black group to be appropriate. Thereafter a Varimax rotation was performed. The structural equivalence coefficients indicated factor equivalence between the two groups. For the White group and the Black group three factors were namedOrientation towards Collectivism, Work Motivation and Social Autonomy. The fourth factor for the Black group was named Social Affiliation. On the basis of the commonality of factors and structural equivalence of three factors, it was concluded that the two groups share similar meaning of work as measured by the relation between the values and life role salience. / Dr. K. de Bruin
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:3588 |
| Date | 24 June 2008 |
| Creators | Carvalho, Ann |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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