Culture, Self-Identity, and Work

A great deal of research has recently been completed on behavior and the organization of work, most of which has viewed it from an ethnocentric perspective. In this work, Erez and Earley show how this is insufficient to develop a global theory of work behavior--it necessitates the inclusion of a cultural perspective. Solidly grounding their work in the fields of psychology, management, and anthropology, the authors propose a new theoretical framework utilizing individual's self-concept as a means of linking cultural beliefs and social interaction to emergent work behavior. The book includes specific recommendations for structuring work environments and managerial processes to match cultural practices and enhance productivity in the workplace, making it an essential reference for scholars, students, and professionals.

Miriam Erez is Associate Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.