Diversity and Universality of People’s Values and Opinion on Occupation

—CULMAN (Cultural Manifold Analysis) of the Pacific-Rim Values Survey 2005–2008—

Abstract

In this article we focuse on several items concerning people’s opinion and values on occupation,labor and work in the “Asia & Pacific Values Survey” carried out by the Institute ofStatistical Mathematics. Work and jobs are important not only for the financial purpose butfor the development and maintenance of social relationships. Comparison of people’s opinionand values on occupation, labor and work may show cross-national differences in socialvalues. On the other hand it may also reveal some elements that are universal across countries/regions. We deal with the items on: “Desirable Qualifications of Workplace Leader”(three multi-answer); “Choices on Money or Free Time”; “Choices of Continuing to Workor Retiring When There’s Enough Money”; “The Priority for One’s Own Job (multiplechoice)”; “The Most Respectable Occupation”; and “Occupation You Would Like to HaveYourself” (free answers). First, the authors review the social, cultural, and economic backgroundsof the 10 countries/regions under comparison. Second, they overview simple andcross tabulations of each of the items by each country/region, by gender, and by age groups.Third, Hayashi’s quantification method Ⅲ is applied to clarify the multi-dimensional relationshipof the items and countries/regions under the paradigm called CULMAN (CULturalManifold ANalysis). Finally, some comments are provided for the future development of research.