motivational analysis of organizations

thinker or a theorizer for a routine job. Another manager’s preference for a particular
machine may be more a result of aesthetic values than an awareness of the efficiency of
that machine. A research-and-development manager may try to economize unnecessarily
because of personal economic values, thus limiting his or her ability to experiment with
new products. The values an individual holds about different aspects of life constantly
affect that person’s choices. Managers are likely to make better decisions in all
situations if they act with an awareness of their reasons and with the knowledge of the
extent to which their values direct their decisions.
Dimensions of Work Values
Because work values are the degree of worth a person ascribes to particular aspects or
dimensions of work, identifying the dimensions of work helps in understanding work
values. Dimensions of work include the opportunities the work offers for a person to
satisfy the following needs:
1. To be creative;
2. To earn money;
3. To be independent;
4. To enjoy prestige and status;
5. To serve others;
6. To do academic work;
7. To have a stable and secure job;
8. To enjoy one’s colleagues; and
9. To have good working conditions.
Managers who prefer academic work may excel as trainers, whereas managers who
want to be creative might be more resourceful in research-and-development
departments. Managers who prefer service may do well in public services, whereas
managers who prefer independence might better join organizations that offer autonomy
and freedom. Knowledge of one’s own work values helps a person to choose a job that
is congruent with these values and/or to make career decisions that reflect these work
values.
THE INSTRUMENT
The Managerial Work-Values Scale was first developed to measure the work values of
medical doctors (Rao, 1976). Subsequently, the instrument was adapted to measure the
work values of managers (Pareek, Rao, & Pestonjee, 1981).
The instrument has been further adapted here to focus more specifically on nine
work values, using the paired comparison method to measure their relative strengths.
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The Pfeiffer Library Volume 19, 2nd Edition. Copyright © 1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer