Life Roles, Values, and Careers

Using research from an innovative, cross-national project, this book answers fundamental questions about the nature of work in modern life. An important contribution to the global study of human development across the lifespan, this book contains a wealth of information and valuable instruments. Part One: Introduction
1. Studies of the Meaning of Work: Approaches, Models, and Some ofthe Findings(Branimir Sverko, Vlasta Vizek-Vidovic)
2. The Role Concept in Career Development(David J. Gouws)
3. Values: Their Nature, Assessment, and Practical Use(Donald E.Super)
4. Developing the Work Importance Study(J. Ferreira-Marques, M. J.Miranda)
Part Two: The National Projects
5. Studies of Work Importance in Australia(Janice J. Lokan,Meredith Shears)
6. The Flemish Work Importance Study(Pol Coetsier, RitaClaes)
7. The Canadian Study of Life Roles and Values(Catherine Casserly,George Fitzsimmons, Donald Macnab)
8. Life Roles and Values in Croatia: Some Results of the WorkImportance Study(Branimir Sverko, Zeljko Jerneica, AlijaKulenovica, Vlasta Vizek-Vidovic)
9. The Israeli Work Importance Study(Edgar Krau)
10. Life Roles and Values in Italy: Some Results of the WorkImportance Study(Giancarlo Trentini)
11. Work Values and Role Salience in Japanese Culture(NubuoNakanishi, Toshiki Mikawa)
12. The Work Importance Study in Poland(Elzbieta M. Hornowska,Wladislaw J. Paluchowski)
13. The Portuguese Work Importance Study(J. Ferreira-Marques)
14. The South African Work Importance Study(Ronelle Langley)
15. The Work Importance Study in the United States(Dorothy D.Nevill)
Part Three: Cross-National and Topical Studies
16. The Structure and Hierarchy of Values ViewedCross-Nationally(Branimir Sverko)
17. Values in a Cross-Cultural Perspective: A FurtherAnalysis(Giancarlo Trentini, Giovanni Battista Muzio)
18. The Five Major Life Roles Viewed Cross-Nationally(AlijaKulenovic, Donald E. Super)
19. Role Commitment and Values Among Adolescents from FourCountries(Janice J. Lokan)
20. Role Salience and Time Use in Canada(Catherine Casserly, AndrewHarvey)
21. The Importance of Work in Two Waves of Cuban Immigrants to theUnited States(Dorothy D. Nevill, Andres Nazario, Jr.)
22. Role Salience in Employment and Unemployment: A Cross-NationalComparison of Canada, Belgian Flanders, and Italy(Rita Claes,Massimo Bellotto, Catherine Casserly, Pol Coetsier, Donald Macnab,Marisa Sangiorgi)
Tests of the Work Importance Study Model of Role Salience(Donald E.Super)
Homemakers and Employed Women in Belgian Flanders and the SoutheastUnited States(Rita Claes, Grace Martin, Pol Coetsier, Donald E.Super)
Perceptions and Expectations of the Worker and Homemaker Roles inAustralia, Portugal, and the United States(Dorothy D. Nevill)
Part Four: Conclusion
26. The Findings of the Work Importance Study(Branimir Sverko,Donald E. Super)
AppAndixes: Values Scale Data from Different Countries: Mean Scoresand Standard Deviations in Secondary Education, Higher Education,and Adult Samples;
Values Structure: Totated Factor Matrix for a Global PooledSample;
Similarity of Value Factors Across the Countries: Factor CongruenceSummary Table;
Value Hierarchies of National Samples;
Values Scale Mean Z Scores for Secondary Education, HigherEducation, and Adult Samples in Different Countries;
Mean Value Factor Scores for Secondary Education, Higher Education,and Adult Samples in Different Countries;
Role Salience Data from Different Countries: Mean Scores andStandard Deviations in Secondary Education, Higher Education, andAdult Samples;
Rotated Factor Structure Matrix of the Salience Measures;
Overall Means and Standard Deviations of Salience Variables forSecondary Education, Higher Education, and Adult Subjects;
Role Salience Z Scores for Secondary Education, Higher Education,and Adult Samples in Different Countries;
Mean Factor Scores (Hierarchies of Samples) for Role Salience "Destined to be a classic reference for every serious scholar ofcareer development theory and for practitioners of careercounseling around the world. Sets standards of scope, quality,integrity, and integration is cross-national comparisons that willnot soon be matched." --Edwin L. Herr, distinguished professor ofeducation, Pennsylvania State University

"Offers a stimulating discussion around the questions of study.Professionals interested in career assessment, vocationalcounseling, personnel selection and program evaluation can benefitfrom the instrumentation yielded by this study."

DONALD E. SUPER was international coordinator of the Work Importance Study, based in the Department of Psychology at the University of Florida and professor emeritus of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He was the author or coauthor of a number of books including Appraising Vocational Fitness, The Psychology of Careers, Computer-Assisted Counseling, Measuring Vocation Maturity, and Career Development in Britain. He died in June 1994. BRANIMIR SVERKO is professor of psychology at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, where he teaches work and organizational psychology and is currently directing the chair for Industrial Psychology and Ergonomics.

Do the same values exist within traditionally capitalistic and socialistic countries? What is the role of the homemaker in recently industrialized regions? How does the way individuals in different countries view work affect their lives, families, communities, and nations?

Life Roles, Values, and Careers answers fundamental questions about the nature of work in modern life based on the research from an innovative, cross-national project of The Work Importance Study (WIS). This unique collaborative effort includes data from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, and the United States. Using a crossnational measure indigenous to each participating country, the researchers explore how values of individuals are expressed in different roles and in different settings and situations—work, play, and school. The results support the universality and stability of values and reveal that the fulfillment of personal potential is a life goal that cuts through the boundaries of culture, status, and gender.

Life Roles, Values, and Careers makes an important contribution to the global study of human development across the lifespan. The editors offer concise and thought-provoking presentations on the wealth of data collected and include an overview of the current relevant literature. The book also highlights the differences and similarities the researchers discovered in focus groups, sampling, and findings. Written for scholars and practitioners in psychology, sociology, anthropology, counseling, education, and political science, the book contains a wealth of information and an assortment of instruments valuable for career counseling and human resources development in business, industry, and government agencies.