Two Independent Value Orientations: Ideal and Counter-Ideal Leader Values and Their Impact on Followers’ Respect for and Identification with Their Leaders

Abstract

Traditionally, conceptualizations of human values are based on the assumption that individuals possess a single integrated value system comprising those values that people are attracted by and strive for. Recently, however, van Quaquebeke et al. (in J Bus Ethics 93:293-305, 2010) proposed that a value system might consist of two largely independent value orientations-an orientation of ideal values and an orientation of counter-ideal values (values that individuals are repelled by), and that both orientations exhibit antithetic effects on people's responses to the social world. Following a call for further research on this distinction, we conducted two studies to assess the independent effects of ideal and counter-ideal values in leadership settings. Study 1 (N = 131) finds both value orientations to explain unique variance in followers' vertical respect for their leaders. Study 2 (N = 136) confirms these results and additionally shows an analogous effect for followers' identification with their leaders. Most importantly, we find that both value orientations exhibit their effects only independently when the content of the two orientations pertain to different value types in Schwartz's (in J Soc Issues 50:19-46, 1994) circumplex model. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Ideal Values and Counter‐ideal Values as Two Distinct Forces: Exploring a Gap in Organizational Value Research

“…Additionally, Graf et al . () found only moderate negative correlations between ideal values and their corresponding counter‐ideal values (the average correlation equaled r = −0.29). Thus, a shared variance of only 9% suggests that the meaning participants ascribed to the counter‐ideal values went far beyond a pure negation of the respective ideal values.…”

“…Further support has been provided by Graf et al . () . Applying the 21‐item version of Schwartz's PVQ, the authors asked participants to rate how strongly each statement (i.e.…”

Generational Shifts in Managerial Values and the Coming of a Unified Business Culture: A Cross-National Analysis Using European Social Survey Data

“…We opted for using Schwartz's framework as it builds on Rokeach's pioneering work and has become the main values framework in psychology. We should note, though, that both Rokeach's framework and Schwartz's framework have been proven to be insightful for business ethics research (see, for example, Graf et al 2011, 2012and Weber 2015a. Similarly, we should note that, though often hailed as the superior framework (e.g., Brett and Okumura 1998), Schwartz's framework has also been criticized, not least for lacking empirical applications testifying to the framework's validity (Steenkamp 2001).…”

“…As it is easier to answer, the PVQ does a better job of measuring the values of certain groups, not least the less educated, than the SVS does. The PVQ is widely used across social science disciplines, increasingly also in management research, including business ethics (Graf et al 2011(Graf et al , 2012Van Hoorn 2015a, 2015c.…”

The Relationship Between Leaders’ Group-Oriented Values and Follower Identification with and Endorsement of Leaders: The Moderating Role of Leaders’ Group Membership

“…However, there are no studies that conceptualize a leader's degree of group orientedness as an underlying value orientation. That is surprising given that values are recognized to be among the most important predictors of attitudes and behavior in all areas of life, including work contexts (Bardi and Schwartz 2003;Graf et al 2011;Hemingway and Maclagan 2004;Maio and Olson 1995;Meglino and Ravlin 1998). Therefore, we aim to test the hypothesis that leaders who display group-oriented values will receive higher ratings of leader identification and endorsement than leaders who do not display group-oriented values.…”