Mapping Personal Value Space: A Study of Managers in Four Organizations

Abstract

The concept of personal values is a much referenced but little documented one in the organization behavior literature. In this study, a modified version of the Rokeach Value Survey is used to generate data on the personal values of 132 managers from four different organizations. Comparisons are made by level and by organization, and the value space of each organization is partially mapped, by combining the value data of the managers themselves with the values attributed by them to relevant and nonrelevant others. The results indicate the existence of by-level, by-organization differences hither-to undetected by other, more general measures of personal values. Suggestions for expanded research and diagnostic use of the Value Survey are made.