Schwartz’s Value Theory

In chapter six it covers personal values, attitudes, commitment and involvement in the work environment. When reading this chapter I was very interested in Schwartz’s Value Theory. Schwartz’s theory ties together values and motives, specifically saying values are motivational. I agree with Schwartz when he says that values guide one’s behavior. When I looked at Schwartz’s definition of values and motives in table I chose what I thought my personal values were and they were correct in the underlying motives. The first value I looked at was, “power,” which was described as, “control over people and resources.” I thought that this was very true in regard to my social status and how I want people to perceive me. Another value that stood out to me was, “self-direction,” which was described as, “independent thought and action choosing.” I am really self oriented kind of person and decide my own path. I rarely go along with people’s ideas if my thoughts are different. In this theory Schwartz’s provides a clear distinction of values and our behavioral motives that contribute to these values.

Kreitner, Robert. Organizational Behavior. 9th ed. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2010.