Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the meaning of
work, as defined by values and life role salience, amongst Black and White young adults
in South Africa. Super’s career development theory combined with one of his key
research projects, the Work Importance Study, provided an empirical point of departure
for the present study. The Values Scale and the Life Role Inventory were completed by
802 first-year university students (332 Black; 470 White). The means and standard
deviations of the 22 Values Scale subscales illustrated that similar values emerge as
salient for both groups. The 22 subscales were subjected to a principal axis factor
analysis. Five factors were extracted and a Direct Oblimin rotation was performed. The
rotated solution revealed the presence of distinct clusters of factor loadings. The five
factors were described as Self Orientation, Physical Orientation, Humanism, Social
Orientation and Autonomous Orientation. Inspection of the means and standard
deviations of these factors indicated the presence of differences in the relative importance
of the value factors between the two groups. Overall, culture accounted for 15% of the
variance in the Values Scale factors. A subsequent discriminant analysis revealed that the
Humanism Values Scale factor contributed the most to the separation of the two groups.
The results of this analysis support the presence of cultural differences in value salience
between the two groups. The means and standard deviations of the Life Role Inventory
indicated differences in life role salience between the two groups. A discriminant analysis
revealed that culture accounted for 27% of the variance in the combination of the five life
roles. ANOVAs showed that the biggest difference between the two groups was observed
in the Leisure life role. The results of this analysis support the presence of cultural
differences in life role salience between the two groups. In comparing the scores of the
Values Scale factors and the Life Role Inventory Commitment subscales a Pearson’s
product-moment correlation revealed the presence of many coefficients of 0.30 and
above. Subsequently an interbattery factor analysis was performed. The Tucker-Lewis
reliability coefficients indicated a three factor solution for the White group and a four
factor solution for the Black group to be appropriate. Thereafter a Varimax rotation was
performed. The structural equivalence coefficients indicated factor equivalence between
the two groups. For the White group and the Black group three factors were namedOrientation towards Collectivism, Work Motivation and Social Autonomy. The fourth
factor for the Black group was named Social Affiliation. On the basis of the commonality
of factors and structural equivalence of three factors, it was concluded that the two groups
share similar meaning of work as measured by the relation between the values and life
role salience.
Dr. K. de Bruin