Premium
Convergence and divergence of individual‐level values: A study of Malaysian managers
Author(s) -
TerpstraTong Jane L. Y.,
Terpstra Robert H.,
Tee Ding Ding
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
asian journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-839X
pISSN - 1367-2223
DOI - 10.1111/ajsp.12062
Subject(s) - malay , openness to experience , ethnic group , divergence (linguistics) , convergence (economics) , social psychology , value (mathematics) , psychology , individualism , sociology , political science , mathematics , statistics , economics , anthropology , economic growth , philosophy , linguistics , law
M alaysia is a multi‐ethnic country with M alay, C hinese and I ndian being the dominant ethnic groups. This paper investigates the three ethnic cultures in M alaysia by examining the individual‐level values of managers and professionals. Based on 528 responses to a S chwartz V alue S urvey ( SVS ) questionnaire, the paper identifies partial convergence of the value systems of M alay, C hinese and I ndian people. It was found that the three ethnic groups do not differ significantly in the individualistic value dimensions of S elf‐enhancement and O penness‐to‐change. However, M alays are found to be more conservative and less self‐transcendent than C hinese or I ndians, while C hinese and I ndians attribute the same importance to these two sets of values.