Why are we committed to work and does such commitment pay off? : a cross-cultural investigation of the nomological net surrounding the relative centrality of work of individuals

Abstract

This dissertation investigated the relative centrality of work (RCW) of individuals under a cross-cultural context, specifically (1) the antecedent of RCW and (2) its hedonistic consequence. We performed two empirical studies. In Study 1, we examined how the positive work orientation of individuals, work as good (WAG), is related to RCW. Our data from 29,080 respondents across 45 countries revealed that WAG of individuals was positively correlated with their RCW and that such positive relationship was stronger in those nations that emphasized self-directedness or civility as socialization goals. In Study 2, we investigated contextual variables at different levels (i.e., job complexity (JC) at the individual level and performance orientation (PO) and national RCW at the country level) as moderators in the relationship between the RCW and the Life Satisfaction (LS) of individuals. Our data from 22,796 respondents across 32 nations revealed that considering work as a central life interest (i.e., high RCW) decreased individuals' LS. Although a positive working experience that is engendered from doing complex jobs (i.e., high JC) may downplay this negative trend, such negative effect only becomes flat when national cultures emphasize gaining rewards at work (i.e., high PO). In a supplementary study, we strengthened Study 2 by replicating its results with a bi-cultural (India vs. U.S), and time-lagged research design. The theoretical and practical implications of these studies are discussed in this paper.