The Role of Plurality and Context in Social Values

Abstract

The study of social values has its origins in the study of both cross cultural and within cultural differences in latent or manifest definitions of the right social order to achieve the good life. To this extent, the social scientific literature is replete with references to them. Yet, researchers either use the term values Social values are often used interchangeably with that of attitudes or treated as a post‐hoc explanatory concept. When values are the focal research point, such endeavours predominantly depart from universal and reductionist understandings of their functions, meanings and structures. Through tracing the roots of key theoretical and empirical investigations in values, originating in the work of Charles Morris, Gordon Allport, Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck, Milton Rokeach and Shalom Schwartz, we reveal the common as well as the different tenets underpinning their work. It will be shown that these accounts have lost sight of the importance of plurality and context. We claim that a renewed program of research in values is needed, which should be characterised by methodological pluralism in order to investigate a) value plurality, b) value specificity and c) values as properties and as processes.

The Myth of ‘Three Italies’: Differences and Similarities in Environmental Values Between Macro-Regions

“…More specifically to environment and Italy, Mannetti (2004) found that although self-identity can play an important role in good intentions to recycle etc., the perceived behavioural 7 control is always the second best contributor in their structural equations models. A more refined discussion of the relationship between values and behaviour is offered by Tsirogianni and Gaskell (2011) who refer to the distinction, originally proposed by Charles Morris (Morris, 1956) example, the availability of recycling facilities, the quality of public transport, the market supply of goods, or pricing regimes can strongly affect people's engagement in pro-environmental behaviour (Vining & Ebreo, 1992;Vlek & Stek, 2007).…”

The effects of personal values on service climate and service delivery in the hospitality industry

“…The origin of personal values research dates back to the 1920s (Tsirogianni & Gaskell, 2011). In the early days of personal value research, the central theme of discussion was to identify the universal value types that exist among all people in all societies (Rohan, 2000).…”

“…If two personal values are close to each other, they are more interrelated and share similar characteristics. On the other hand, when two personal values are separated (or on opposite sides of the structure), these values are in conflict with each other (Tsirogianni & Gaskell, 2011). For example, in the figure, achievement and power values are highly interrelated as they embrace the pursuit of individual interests; however, these values conflict with universalism and benevolence that serve collective interests.…”

“…Adopted from Ralston et al (2011) Schwartz's conceptualisation and measures have been widely adopted in the study of personal values (Pan, Rowney, & Peterson, 2012;Sagiv et al, 2011), particularly in the field of sociology and social psychology (e.g., Arthaud-Day, Rode, & Turnley, 2012;Feather & McKee, 2012;Tsirogianni & Gaskell, 2011). However, despite the growing interest of Schwartz's conceptualisation (Ralston et al, 2011), its application to business has been very limited, particularly in the service industry context.…”

“…First, SVS is built on a solid and comprehensive theoretical basis and its unique circumplex structure captures the dynamic interactions among different value types (Porto & Nepomuceno, 2010;Tsirogianni & Gaskell, 2011). Second, SVS has been tested in more than 80 societies and a number of empirical studies adopting SVS assert the credibility of its use (Feather, 2004;Ryckman & Houston, 2003;Spini, 2003).…”