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The change of work value endorsement among Korean adolescents and its association with socioeconomic status

  • Bora Lee
  • Monique Landberg
  • Ki-Hak Lee
Article
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Abstract

This study examined how the endorsement of work values changed over time and investigated the role of socioeconomic status in the development of work values. A 5-year longitudinal sample of Korean adolescents was used. Three work values were measured: Extrinsic reward, working conditions, and personal development. Findings indicate that Korean adolescents’ endorsement of extrinsic reward and working conditions declines modestly over time, while no systematic change was found in the personal development value. Adolescents from a lower socioeconomic status were generally less likely to endorse work values than those from higher socioeconomic status. Implications regarding career interventions are discussed.

Keywords

Korean Youth Panel Study Adolescents Work values 

Résumé.

Le changement dans l’adoption de valeurs professionnelles parmi les adolescents coréens et son lien avec le statut socio-économique. Cette étude examine comment l’adoption de valeurs professionnelles change à travers le temps et investigue le rôle du statut socio-économique dans le développement des valeurs professionnelles. Une étude longitudinale de 5 ans sur un échantillon d’étudiants coréens a été réalisée. Trois valeurs professionnelles ont été mesurées : Les récompenses extrinsèques, les conditions de travail, et le développement personnel. Les résultats indiquent que l’adoption par les adolescents coréens de récompenses extrinsèques et de valeurs liées aux conditions de travail décline modestement dans le temps, alors qu’aucun changement systématique n’a été trouvé concernant la valeur accordée au développement personnel. Les adolescents issus d’un niveau socio-économique plus faible avaient généralement moins tendance à adopter des valeurs professionnelles que ceux issus de milieux socio-économiques plus élevés. Les implications pour les interventions de carrière sont discutées.

Zusammenfassung.

Die Änderung von beruflichen Werten unter koreanischen Jugendlichen und ihre Verbindung mit sozioökonomischen Status. Diese Studie untersucht, wie sich berufliche Werte im Laufe der Zeit verändern und erforscht die Rolle des sozioökonomischen Status in der Entwicklung der beruflichen Werte. Eine 5-Jahres-Längsschnittstichprobe von koreanischen Jugendlichen wurde verwendet. Drei berufliche Werte wurden gemessen: Extrinsische Belohnung, Arbeitsbedingungen und persönliche Entwicklung. Ergebnisse zeigen, dass koreanische Jugendlichen extrinsische Belohnung und Arbeitsbedingungen im Laufe der Zeit leicht weniger gewichten, während keine systematische Änderung in dem Wert der persönlichen Entwicklung gefunden wurde. Jugendliche aus einem niedrigeren sozioökonomischen Status gewichteten im Allgemeinen berufliche Werte tiefer, als jene aus höherem sozioökonomischen Status. Implikationen in Bezug auf Interventionen in der Berufs- und Laufbahnberatung werden diskutiert.

Resumen.

El cambio en la aprobación de los valores laborales entre adolescentes coreanos y su asociación con el nivel socioeconómico. Este estudio examinó cómo la aprobación de los valores laborales ha cambiado con el tiempo, e investigó el papel de la situación socioeconómica en el desarrollo de los valores laborales. Se utilizó una muestra longitudinal de 5 años de adolescentes coreanos. Se midieron tres valores laborales: La recompensa extrínseca, las condiciones de trabajo y el desarrollo personal. Los hallazgos indican que la aprobación de la recompensa extrínseca y las condiciones de trabajo en los adolescentes coreanos se declina modestamente con el tiempo, mientras que no se encontró un cambio sistemático en el valor de desarrollo personal. Los adolescentes de un nivel socioeconómico más bajo son generalmente menos propensos a aprobar los valores laborales que los de mayor nivel socioeconómico. Se discuten las implicaciones respecto a las intervenciones profesionales.

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© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkUSA
  2. 2.Friedrich Schiller UniversityJenaGermany
  3. 3.Yonsei UniversitySeoulKorea

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