A comparison of work values among American and German exchange students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether participation in the CDS Youth Exchange Program for Young Professionals contributed to a change in work values. A total of 241 subjects (105 males and 136 females), ages 18 to 24, completed Super's Work Values Inventory (WVI) at seminars in Washington, D.C., and New York City during the summer of 1991. Subjects who completed the WVI consisted of the following: Americans going to Germany (Group I), Germans going to America (Group II), Germans returning from America (Group III), and Americans returning from Germany (Group IV). A comparison between the work values of the four groups was calculated and analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as the statistical technique. Group I was compared with Groups II and IV, and Group III was compared with Groups II and IV. Results of the WVI on each of the 15 value scales were analyzed using the SAS statistical package. Analysis of the data indicated the following results: 1. There were statistically significant differences in 2 of the 15 work value scales when Group I was compared to Group IV. 2. There were statistically significant differences in 6 of the 15 work value scales when Group II was compared to Group III. 3. There were statistically significant differences in 4 of the 15 work value scales when Group III was compared to Group IV. 4. There were statistically significant differences in 7 of the 15 work value scales when Group I was compared to Group II. 5. There were no statistically significant differences in 5 of the 15 work value scales in any of the group comparisons. 6. A higher percentage of American participants rated their overall work experience in Germany more favorably than did the German participants who worked in the United States. 7. A higher percentage of German participants rated their overall school experience in the United States more favorably than did the Americans who attended schools in Germany.