Work Ethic in China Changes over Time from 2004 to 2018

Abstract

Work ethic was a persistent concern in the work place during the 20th century and continues to be important in the 21st century as well. Key components of work ethic include interpersonal skills, initiative, and dependability. This study examined significant changes on the work ethic differences between women and men in two samples of work ethic data collected over a fourteen year period of time. One data set was gathered from 201 working adults in China in 2004 and the other was collected from 248 working adults in 2018. Data was gathered using a Chinese translation of the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory (OWEI) constructed by Petty (1993). Significant differences were measured for initiative between women and men in the 2004 data set, but not in the 2018 data set. No significant differences were detected between women and men for interpersonal skills or dependability in either set of data. A review of literature and discussion is provided to explain changes over time in initiative of Chinese women and men. The findings reveal some interesting insights into the Chinese workforce during a time when the economy has been rapidly developing.