Measuring Mainstream US Cultural Values

To determine and describe ‘mainstream US culture’ responses to the Schwartz Values Survey version 57 were collected and analyzed amongst two samples, one from 49 states, disregarding state of residence, and another from 27 US states comparing samples by state, with the 27-state populations representing about 82 % of the total US population. Statistical comparisons indicate that the responses of the samples categorised by the total US and state of residence samples and Schwartz’ ten individual cultural values show a cohesive mainstream US culture of the White, generally middle class population, having high motivational value priorities for self-direction, universalism and benevolence, with lowest priorities for power and achievement. We found significant value priority differences between urban and rural residents, but minimal differences relating to gender

Cultural Regions of Canada and United States: Implications for International Management Research

We consider why international business research comparing values, attitudes, and behaviors of managers from the United States and Canada shows conflicting results about cultural differences and similarities between these two nations. We argue that one reason behind these inconsistent findings is the presence of intranational subcultural regions in these nations. The second reason is that the variable(s) under scrutiny influence the generalizability of research findings. Employing Lenartowicz and Roth’s (1999) framework for culture assessment, theories of cultural evolution and maintenance, and data from the World Values Survey, we test the distinctiveness of subcultural regions in the United States and Canada, at both the individual level and the regional level of analysis. Results support our hypothesized arguments