learning-org-digest V1 #555 LO6037

Marion Brady (mbrady@digital.net)
Thu, 7 Mar 1996 14:51:54 -0500

Rachel Vance asks, "How does one go about identifying and measuring =
underlying [organizational] values?"

Organizational values will always (it seems to me) be mere variations on =
basic cultural values. Over the years I've attempted to identify those =
about which we have deep-seated, generally unexamined values, beliefs, =
assumptions, premises, positions. Currently, here's my list:

Time
Space
Self
Others
The "good life"
Physical reality
Nature
The supernatural
Physical reality
Causation
Symbols
Acceptable action
Purpose of existence

These are still, of course, extremely broad categories. The value =
differences that drive individual and collective behavior lie at the =
next level of specificity. For example, for "time," what "explains" =
specific action are assumptions about the _nature_ of time, the _value_ =
of time, the _shape_ of time, approaches to _segmenting_ time, the =
_direction of movement_ of time, time _orientation_.

An example, re time orientation: Most middleclass Americans are future =
oriented. We say, "Just wait until ___________[quitting time, Friday, I =
can get my own apartment, I get a raise, I get married, I get divorced, =
etc.], _then_ I'll be happier." We routinely do things we don't want to =
do for the sake of some hoped-for future payoff. The long-time poor, on =
the other hand, tend to be present oriented. The iffyness of life =
encourages an "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die," =
attitude.)

Put future oriented and present oriented people together in the same =
society (are they really in the same society?) and the potential for =
fundamental misunderstanding, conflict, and frustration is enormous. =
And because the source of the problem will lie in unexamined =
assumptions, each will mislabel the problem and deal with it in some =
unproductive way. =20

IMHO, there's nothing we can know about ourselves or each other, =
individually and collectively, that's more important than a conscious =
awareness of our value configurations. Sadly, at no level in traditional =
education does their exploration have a place. Yet. I'm working on it.

Marion Brady

-- 

mbrady@digital.net=20 http://ddi.digital.net/~mbrady =20

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>