Work ethic, cultural impact and perceived performance – innovative insights from three countries

Marija Runić-Ristić, Tijana Savić Tot, Nikolina Ljepava and Vilmoš Tot

International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 2024, vol. 17, issue 4, 789-810

Abstract: Purpose - This study aims to examine the relationship between work ethics and organizational performance and investigate the influence of respondents’ career stages on their work ethic among British, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Serbian nations. Design/methodology/approach - This research is based on a survey of British, UAE and Serbian managers, whose task was to assess the dimensions of the multidimensional work ethic profile (MWEP) and organizational performance. Since the MWEP does not analyze work ethics in the context of religion, it is deemed the most suitable instrument for this study because it analyzes work ethics among the three cultures that practice different religions. Findings - The results revealed that national culture impacts work ethics. British managers place greater value on the wasted time, self-reliance and morality dimensions of work ethics. Serbian managers prefer the leisure and delay of gratification dimensions, while UAE managers value hard work ethics more than the other two groups of managers. The study also shows that respondents’ career stage influences their work ethic, and a significant relationship exists between different dimensions of work ethics and organizational performance in all three nations. Originality/value - This study contributes to the theory by analyzing work ethic and its relationship with organizational performance and respondents’ career stages in three nations that share business interests. It addresses a research gap by comparing work ethics in developed, developing and a country in socio-economic transition.

Keywords: Work ethic; Organizational performance; Career stage; Cross-cultural comparison; United Kingdom; United Arab Emirates; Serbia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:imefmp:imefm-06-2023-0203

DOI: 10.1108/IMEFM-06-2023-0203

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