Thirteenth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

The vast cross-disciplinary literature exploring worker attitudes and workplace conditions has linked worker experiences to many individual, organizational, and social outcomes, yet this research has largely failed to shed light on why cross-national differences in worker satisfaction and engagement and their determinants persist over time. Cross-cultural researchers suggest that these differences are due to cultural differences in each country. However, this approach has largely neglected to show that countries with similar cultural orientations still experience significant differences and related challenges. Thus, the question remains, what are the causes of these differences and what are their long-term impacts of sustainable economic development and labor prosperity? Moreover, much research has been conducted that shows either the general improvement or decline in the quality of work, but few studies have looked at such changes in work quality cross-nationally, from the perspective of the workers. This research utilizes attitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program 2015 Work Orientations module, cultural variables from the GLOBE project, to examine and explore the cultural factors impacting the comparative nature of work and job satisfaction in the U.S., Western Europe, and Nordic Countries.