Values: Characteristics, Importance, Types,

Sources

Value has been taken to mean moral ideas, general

conceptions, or orientations towards the world or
sometimes simply interests, attitudes, preferences,
needs, sentiments, and dispositions.

But sociologists use this term more precisely to mean

“the generalized end which has the connotations of
rightness, goodness or inherent desirability.” It is
important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the
members of a culture about what is good or bad and
desirable or undesirable. It greatly influences a
person’s behavior and attitude and serves as broad
guidelines in all situations.

The value represents fundamental convictions that a

specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is
personally or socially preferable to an opposite or
converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence.

Understand Values?
 Understanding the Significance of Values in
Society
 What is Value?
 Values Definition
 Characteristics of Value
 Types of Values
 Importance of Values
 Sources of Values
 Values and Beliefs
 Values in Workplace
 Values and Attitudes
 Understanding Value-Concept
 Diverse Manifestations of the ‘Value’ Concept
 The Sensitivity and Variability of Values
 Innate (Basic) vs. Acquired Values
 FAQs
 Conclusion

Understanding the Significance of

Values in Society
The values present a true perspective of the
development of any society or nation. They tell us to
what extent a society or nation has developed itself.
Values, their virtues, ideals, and qualities on which
actions and beliefs are based, are the guiding
principles that shape our worldly outlook, attitudes,
and conduct.

What is Value?
Goodley defines the term value as “any characteristic
deemed important because of psychological, social,
moral, or aesthetic considerations.” Popularly it
means anything or any thought or speculation that is
considered worthy of making life and living useful and
satisfactory.

Ryle (1949) expresses values as ‘dispositions’ which

incline us towards specific structures, tasks, and
patterns of behavior.

Values are the principles or standards of behavior. It

is the core beliefs that guide and motivate attitudes
and actions. Values help us to decide whether
something is good or bad, right or wrong.

Values Definition
Values are defined in Organizational Behavior as the
collective conceptions of what is considered good,
desirable, and proper or bad, undesirable, and
improper in a culture.
Some common business values are fairness,
innovation, and community involvement.

According to M. Haralambos, “A value is a belief that

something is good and desirable.”

According to R.K. Mukherjee, “Values are socially

approved desires and goals that are internalized
through the process of conditioning, learning or
socialization and that become subjective preferences,
standards, and aspirations.”

According to Zaleznik and David, “Values are the ideas

in the mind of men compared to norms in that they
specify how people should behave. Values also attach
degrees of goodness to activities and relationships.”

Values are an integral part of the personal philosophy

of life, by which we generally mean the system of
values by which we live. The philosophy of life
includes our aims, ideals, and manner of thinking and
the principles by which we guide our behavior.

According to T. W. Hippie, “Values are conscious or

unconscious motivators and justifiers of the actions
and judgment.”

A value is a shared idea about how something is

ranked in terms of desirability, worth or goodness.
Sometimes, it has been interpreted to mean “such
standards by means of which the ends of action are
selected.”

Sometimes, it has been interpreted to mean “such

standards by means of which the ends of action are
selected.”

Thus, values are collective conceptions of what is

considered good, desirable, and proper or bad,
undesirable, and improper in a culture.

Familiar examples of values are wealth, loyalty,

independence, equality, justice, fraternity, and
friendliness.

Familiar examples of values are wealth, loyalty,

independence, equality, justice, fraternity, and
friendliness. These are generalized ends consciously
pursued by or held up to individuals as being
worthwhile in them.

It is not easy to clarify the fundamental values of a

given society because of their sheer breadth.

Characteristics of Value
Values are different for each person. These can be
defined as a person’s ideas or beliefs, desirable or
undesirable. The variability in that statement is, first,
what a person could value and, second, the degree to
which they value it.

Values may be specific, such as honoring one’s

parents or owning a home, or they may be more
general, such as health, love, and democracy. ‘Truth
prevails”, “love thy neighbor as yourself, and “learning
is good as ends itself” are a few examples of general
values.

Individual achievement, personal happiness, and

materialism are major values of modern industrial
society.
It is defined as a concept of the desirable, an
internalized creation or standard of evaluation a
person possesses.

Such concepts and standards are relatively few and

determine or guide an individual’s evaluations of the
many objects encountered in everyday life.

The characteristics of values are:

 These are extremely practical, and valuation

requires techniques and an understanding of the
strategic context.
 These can provide standards of competence and
morality.
 These can go beyond specific situations or
persons.
 Personal values can be influenced by culture,
tradition, and a combination of internal and
external factors.
 These are relatively permanent.
 These are more central to the core of a person.
 Most of our core values are learned early in life
from family, friends, neighborhood schools, the
mass print, visual media, and other sources within
society.
 Values are loaded with effective thoughts about
ideas, objects, behavior, etc.
  They contain a judgmental element in that they
carry an individual’s ideas as to what is right,
good, or desirable.
 Values can differ from culture to culture and even
from person to person.
 Values play a significant role in the integration
and fulfillment of man’s basic impulses and
desires stably and consistently appropriate for his
living.
 They are generic experiences in social action
made up of both individual and social responses
and attitudes.
 They build up societies and integrate social
relations.
 They mold the ideal dimensions
of personality and depth of culture.
 They influence people’s behavior and serve as
criteria for evaluating the actions of others.
 They have a great role to play in the conduct of
social life. They help in creating norms to guide
day-to-day behavior.

The values of a culture may change, but most remain

stable during one person’s lifetime.

Socially shared, intensely felt values are a

fundamental part of our lives. These values become
part of our personalities. They are shared and
reinforced by those with whom we interact.
Since values often strongly influence attitude and
behavior, they serve as a personal compass for
employee conduct in the workplace.

This helps determine whether an employee is

passionate about work and the workplace, which can
lead to above-average returns, high employee
satisfaction, strong team dynamics, and synergy.

Types of Values

Values refer to stable life goals that people have,

reflecting on what is most important to them.

These are established throughout one’s life as a result

of accumulating life experiences and tend to be
relatively stable. The values that are important to
people tend to affect the types of decisions they
make, how they perceive their environment, and their
actual behaviors.

Moreover, people are more likely to accept job offers

when the company possesses the values people care
about.

Value attainment is one reason people stay in a

company, and when an organization does not help
them attain their values, they are more likely to
leave if they are dissatisfied with the job itself.

Rokeach divided values into two types.

The values important to people tend to affect their

decisions, how they perceive their environment, and
their actual behaviors.

There are two types of values are

1. Terminal Values.
2. Instrumental Values.

Terminal Values
Terminal Values are most desirable to humans, and
Instrumental values are views of how human desires
should be achieved.

These are values that we think are most important or

desirable.
Terminal Values refer to desirable end-states of
existence, the goals a person would like to achieve
during his or her lifetime.

They include happiness, self-respect, recognition,

inner harmony, leading a prosperous life, and
professional excellence.

Instrumental Values
Instrumental values deal with views on acceptable
modes of conductor means of achieving the terminal
values.

These include being honest, sincere, ethical, and

ambitious. These values are more focused
on personality traits and character.

There are many typologies of values. One of the most

established surveys to assess individual values is the
Rokeach Value Survey.

This survey lists 18 terminal and 18 instrumental

values in alphabetical order. They are given below:

Terminal Values Instrumental Values

A comfortable life (a prosperous life) Ambitious (hardworking)

An exciting life (a stimulating, active life) Broadminded (open-minded)

A sense of accomplishment (lasting Capable (competent, efficient)

 Terminal Values Instrumental Values

contribution)

A world of peace (free of war and conflict) Cheerful ( lighthearted, joyful)

A world of beauty (the beauty of nature and

Clean (neat, tidy)
the arts)

Equality (brotherhood, equal opportunity for Courageous (standing up for your

all) beliefs)

Family security (taking care of loved ones) Forgiving (willing to pardon)

Helpful (working for the welfare of

Freedom (independence, free choice)
others)

Happiness ( contentedness) Honest (sincere, truthful)

Inner harmony (freedom from inner conflict) Imaginative (daring, creative)

Independent (self-reliant, self-

Mature love (sexual and spiritual intimacy)
sufficient)

National security (protection from attack) Intellectual (intelligent, reflective)

Pleasure (an enjoyable, leisurely life) Logical (consistent, rational)

Salvation (saved, eternal) Loving (affectionate, tender)

Self-respect(self-esteem) Obedient (dutiful, respectful)

Social recognition (respect, admiration) Polite (courteous, well-mannered)

A true friend (close companionship) Responsible (dependable, reliable)

Self-controlled (restrained, self-

Wisdom ( a mature understanding of life)
disciplined)
The values a person holds will affect his or her
employment.

For example, someone who has

an orientation toward strong stimulation may pursue
extreme sports and select an occupation that involves
fast action and high risks, such as a firefighter, police
officer, or emergency medical doctor.

Someone who has a drive for achievement may more

readily act as an entrepreneur.

Several studies confirm that the RVS values vary

among groups. People in the same occupations or
categories (e.g., corporate managers, union members,
parents, and students) tend to hold similar values.

For instance, one study compared corporate

executives, members of the steelworkers’ union, and
members of a community activist group.

Although a good deal of overlap was found among the

three groups, there were also some very significant
differences.

The activists had value preferences that were quite

different from those of the other two groups.

They ranked “equality” as their most important

terminal value; executives and union members ranked
this value 12 and 13, respectively. Activists ranked
“helpful” as their second-highest instrumental value.

The other two groups both ranked it 14. These

differences are important because executives, union
members, and activists are vested in what
corporations do.

Importance of Values

Values are the enduring beliefs that a specific mode of

conduct or end-state of existence is personally or
socially preferable.

These are more difficult to change or alter. As ethical

conduct receives more visibility in the workplace, the
importance of values is increased as a topic of
discussion in management.

Values are general principles that regulate our day-to-

day behavior. They not only give direction to our
behavior but are also ideals and objectives in
themselves.

They are the expression of the ultimate ends, goals, or

purposes of social action.

Our values are the basis of our judgments about what

is desirable, beautiful, proper, correct, important,
worthwhile, and good as well as what is undesirable,
ugly, incorrect, improper, and bad.

Pioneer sociologist Durkheim emphasized the

importance of values (though he used the term
‘morals’) in controlling disruptive individual passions.

He also stressed that values enable individuals to feel

that they are part of something bigger than
themselves.

E. Shils also makes the same point and calls ‘the

central value system’ (the main values of society)
seen as essential in creating conformity and order.

Indian sociologist R.K. Mukherjee writes: “By their

nature, all human relations and behavior are
embedded in values.

 Value is the foundation for understanding the

level of motivation.
 It influences our perception.
  Value helps to understand what ought to be or
what ought not to be.
 It contains interpretations of right or wrong.
 These influence attitudes and behavior.
 It implies that certain behaviors and outcomes
are preferred over others.
 These allow the members of an organization to
interact harmoniously. These make it easier to
reach goals that would be impossible to achieve
individually.
 These goals are set for achievements, and they
motivate, define, and color all our cognitive,
affective, and connective activities.
 They are the guideposts of our lives and direct us
to who we want to be.
 Values and morals can guide, inspire, and
motivate a person, giving energy and a zest for
living and doing something meaningful.

Actually, values are important to the study of

organizational behavior because they lay the
foundation for the understanding of attitudes and
motivation.

Individuals enter an organization with preconceived

notions of what “ought” or what “ought not” to be. Of
course, these notions are not value-free.

These are part of the makeup of a person. They remind

us as to what is important in our lives, such as
success or family, but also, by virtue of their
presence, they provide contrast to what is not
important.

That is not to say that, over time, values cannot

change. As we grow and change as individuals, we
will begin to value different aspects of life.

If we value- family when we are younger, as our

children get older, we might start to value success in
business more than the family.

Sources of Values

Sources of Value are a comprehensive guide to

financial decision-making suitable for beginners as
well as experienced practitioners.
It treats financial decision-making as both an art and a
science and proposes a comprehensive approach
through which companies can maximize their value.

Generally, no values tend to be relatively stable and

enduring.

A significant portion of the values we hold is

established in our early years by parents, teachers,
friends, and others. There are so many sources from
which we can acquire different values.

Sources of values are;

 Family: Family is a great source of values. A child

leams his first value from his family.
 Friends & peers: Friends and peers play a vital
role in achieving values.
 Community or society: As a part of society, a
person leams values from society or different
groups of society.
 School: As a learner, schools and teachers also
play a very important role in introducing values.
 Media: Media such as – Print media and
electronic media also play the role of increasing
values in the minds of people.
 Relatives: Relative also helps to create values in
the minds of people.
 Organization: Different organizations and
institutions also play a vital role in creating value.
  Religion.
 History.
 Books.
 Others.

Values and Beliefs

Values are socially approved desires and goals that

are internalized through conditioning, learning, or
socialization and become subjective preferences,
standards, and aspirations.

They focus on the judgment of what ought to be. This

judgment can represent the specific expression of the
behavior.

They are touched with moral flavor, involving an

individual’s judgment of what is right, good, or
desirable.
Thus-

 Values provide standards of competence and

morality.
 These are ideas that we hold to be important.
 They govern the way we behave, communicate,
and interact with others.
 They transcend specific objects, Situations, or
persons.
 These are relatively permanent, and there is
resistance to change them.

Beliefs are the convictions we generally hold true,

usually without actual proof or evidence.

They are often, but not always, connected to religion.

Religious beliefs could include a belief that Allah is
alone and created the earth.

Religions other than Islam also have their own set of

beliefs.

Nonreligious beliefs could include that all people are

created equal, which would guide us to treat everyone
regardless of sex, race, religion, age, education,
status, etc., with equal respect.

Conversely, someone might believe that all people are

not created equal. These are basic assumptions that
we make about the world, and our values stem from
those beliefs.
Our values are things that we deem important and can
include concepts like equality, honesty, education,
effort, perseverance, loyalty, faithfulness,
conservation of the environment, and many, many
other concepts.

Our beliefs grow from what we see, hear, experience,

read and think about.

From these things, we develop an opinion that we hold

to be true and unmovable at that time.

We derive our values from our beliefs, which can be

correct or incorrect compared to evidence but hold for
us! Everyone has an internalized system of beliefs
developed throughout their lives.

These may stem from religion or may develop

separately from religion.

 Beliefs are concepts that we hold to be true.

 These may come from religion, but not always.
 Beliefs determine our attitudes and opinions.

Values in Workplace
Values can strongly influence employee conduct in the
workplace. If an employee values honesty, hard work,
and discipline, for example, he will likely make an
effort to exhibit those traits in the workplace.

This person may be a more efficient employee and a

more positive role model to others than an employee
with opposite values.

Conflict may arise, however, if an employee realizes

that his co-workers do not share his values.

For example, an employee who values hard work may

dislike co-workers who are lazy or unproductive
without being reprimanded.
Even so, additional conflicts can result if the
employee attempts to force his own values on his co-
workers.

Values and Attitudes

We can control our behavior in a way that does not

reflect our beliefs and values, and in order to embrace
a diverse culture and behaviors as successful
managers, we have to adapt our behavior positively.

There are some similarities and differences

between values and attitudes.

Understanding Value-Concept
In this sense, the value concept is almost universal,
covering almost all the materials and immaterials that
the world has owned.
Diverse Manifestations of the ‘Value’
Concept
Secondly, the ‘Value’ concept is absolutely abstract,,
and in reality its manifestation is various and
innumerable. From this viewpoint, there are, for
instance, values of life, the value of things, the value
of economics, politics, society, religion, education,
and so on.

But here, as the topic of ours is value-education, we

would confine the exploration of value to the field of
educational elements and activities only.

The Sensitivity and Variability of

Values
Value concept is highly sensitive as well as peculiar
from person to person, especially in the context of
family, religion, culture, education, and the like.
Hence, the treatment of the term ‘Value’ in reference
to education tremendously demands close attention to
the studies of such varieties.

Innate (Basic) vs. Acquired Values

Values, however, are either innate or acquired or both.

Innate values are the inborn divine virtues such as

love, peace, happiness, mercy, and compassion or all
positive moral qualities like respect, humility,
tolerance, responsibility, cooperation, honesty, and
simplicity.

Acquired values are those external values adopted at

our place of birth or place of growth and influenced by
the immediate environment. Examples of acquired
values are our mode of dress, the way we bless, our
cultural customs, traditions, habits, and tendencies.

Innate values are more or less rigid and fixed,

whereas acquired values are very much flexible and
changing. As a result, to attain these values,
especially acquired values, academic care is a must.
At present, these values are meeting decay for
different factors.

What are innate values?

Innate values are inborn divine virtues or positive

moral qualities, such as love, peace, happiness,
mercy, compassion, respect, humility, and others.

How are acquired values formed?

Acquired values are external values adopted based on

our place of birth or growth and are influenced by the
immediate environment.
What are some examples of acquired
values?

Examples of acquired values include our mode of

dress, the way we bless, cultural customs, traditions,
habits, and tendencies.

How do innate values differ from acquired

values in terms of flexibility?

Innate values are more or less rigid and fixed, while

acquired values are flexible and changing.

How can innate and acquired qualities help

in the hiring process?

Innate qualities can predict long-term job

performance, while acquired qualities indicate what a
candidate brings to the job on day one.

What is an example of an innate quality

that remains constant across a person’s
lifetime?

Cognitive aptitude or general intelligence is an innate

quality that remains relatively constant across a
person’s lifetime.
How are innate qualities typically
measured in the hiring process?

Innate qualities are typically measured using

personality assessments, with the most scientifically
validated ones assessing characteristics and
behavioral tendencies relevant to the workplace.

Why are innate qualities important in the

hiring process?

Innate qualities can predict a candidate’s long-term

performance and job satisfaction, making them
critical for hiring decisions.

What is the difference between acquired

value and innate value of an object?

Acquired value is what an object gains from external

interactions, while its innate value is its inherent or
basic value.

Aspect Innate Values Acquired Values

External values adopted based

Inborn divine virtues or
Definition on birthplace or growth
positive moral qualities.
environment.

Love, peace, happiness, Mode of dress, the way we

mercy, compassion, bless, cultural customs,
Examples
respect, humility, tolerance, traditions, habits, and
etc. tendencies.
 Aspect Innate Values Acquired Values

Influenced by the immediate

Origin Inborn
environment.

Flexibility More or less rigid and fixed Very flexible and changing.

Impact of Not specifically To attain these values,

Academic Care emphasized academic care is essential.

At present, these values are

Stable (implied from being
Current State meeting decay for different
rigid and fixed)
factors.

Core to a person and

Learned or developed over time
Nature in Hiring remains relatively stable
based on experiences.
across a person’s lifetime.

Assessment in Personality assessments, Resume, interviews, skills

Hiring cognitive aptitude tests. assessments.

Represents skills a candidate

Impact on Job Predicts long-term job brings on day one; doesn’t
Performance performance and retention. indicate future learning
potential.

Value in Basic, inherent sense of Values picked up through

Relationships what is true and good. interactions and experiences.

Like a light bulb’s potential Like the current that powers the
Connection to
to light up; needs bulb; can be influenced by
Power Source
connection to power. external factors.

FAQs

What is the definition of values in

organizational behavior?
Values are defined in Organizational Behavior as the
collective conceptions of what is considered good,
desirable, and proper or bad, undesirable, and
improper in a culture.

What are the characteristics of values?

The characteristics of values include being practical,

providing standards of competence and morality,
going beyond specific situations or persons, being
influenced by various factors like culture and
tradition, being relatively permanent, being central to
a person’s core, influencing behavior and attitudes,
and serving as criteria for evaluating actions of
others.

What are the two main types of values as

described by Rokeach?

The two main types of values are Terminal Values and

Instrumental Values. Terminal Values refer to
desirable end-states of existence, while Instrumental
Values deal with views on acceptable modes of
conduct or means of achieving the terminal values.

How do values influence the workplace?

Values can strongly influence employee conduct in the

workplace. They serve as a personal compass for
employee conduct, determining whether an employee
is passionate about work, leading to high satisfaction,
strong team dynamics, and synergy. Conflicts may
arise if employees realize their co-workers do not
share their values.

What are some common sources of values?

Common sources of values include family, friends &

peers, community or society, school, media, relatives,
organizations, religion, history, books, and other
influences.

How do sociologists define the term

“values”?

Sociologists use the term “values” to mean “the

generalized end which has the connotations of
rightness, goodness or inherent desirability.” It
represents beliefs or ideals shared by members of a
culture about what is good or bad and desirable or
undesirable.

What are some familiar examples of values

mentioned in the content?

Familiar examples of values include wealth, loyalty,

independence, equality, justice, fraternity, and
friendliness.
How do values play a role in the
integration and fulfillment of human
desires?

Values play a significant role in integrating and

fulfilling basic human impulses and desires in a
manner that’s stable and consistent for living. They
help create norms to guide day-to-day behavior and
influence people’s behavior as criteria for evaluating
others’ actions.

How are beliefs different from values?

Beliefs are the convictions we generally hold true,

usually without proof or evidence. They can stem from
religion or develop separately. Conversely, values are
enduring beliefs about what is considered right, good,
or desirable and guide our behavior.

What role do values play in the study of

organizational behavior?

Values are important in studying organizational

behavior because they lay the foundation for
understanding attitudes and motivation. They provide
standards of competence and morality, influence
perceptions, and guide behavior in the workplace.

Conclusion
Values help to guide our behavior. It decides what we
think of as right, wrong, good, or unjust.

Values are more or less permanent in nature. They

represent a single belief that guides actions and
judgment across objects and situations. They derived
from social and cultural mores.