Comparative research on individual modernity of adolescents between town and countryside in China

Abstract

A test of 300 young students on individual modernity in China was carried out. The results indicated that there was a significant difference in individual modernity between the students from town and those from the countryside, as well as between males and females. There were also differences in individual modernity between each two of the levels of education. The students from town were more modern than those from the countryside. The males were more traditional than the females. With the rising educational level, the students' traditionality will decrease and modernity will increase.

Does a Connection Exist Among National Culture, Alliance Strategy, and Leading Ict Firms’ Performance?

“…Globalization processes do not change the values and beliefs across countries: Strong traditional values, such as group solidarity, interpersonal harmony, and paternalism, can coexist with modern values of individual achievement and competition (Chang et al 2003;Zhang et al 2003). It is worth noting that the top-down effects on cultural change are also moderated by culture itself (Inglehart, Baker 2000).…”

Enhancing employee creativity in the Chinese context: The mediating role of employee self-concordance

“…In traditionalist cultures there is an emphasis on respect for tradition, subordinating oneself to those higher in authority, rule following, and relationships governed by strict, prescribed codes of conduct (Farh et al, 1997;Yang, 1998;Yang et al, 1991). Maintaining interpersonal harmony and personal modesty are cherished values of traditionalist cultures; there are strong social sanctions that discourage social discord (Farh et al, 1997;Zhang et al, 2003). There are also strong cultural injunctions against those challenging the status quo or criticizing entrenched patterns of behavior; hence, protecting traditions, conservatism, and defensiveness against new ways of doing things are strong social mores, which inhibit employee creativity.…”

“…In an environment characterized by modernity, each individual is assumed to have a set of personal civil rights which include freedom of choice and the right to self-expression (Farh et al, 1997;Zhang et al, 2003). Thus, modernity manifests itself in an optimistic orientation toward the future, a preference for advancement and improvement, and a willingness to engage in strong, even revolutionary activity to ensure progress (Zhang et al, 2003); theses values promote employee creativity. While organizations often tend to emphasize one dimension over the other, modernity and traditionality do not represent two opposite poles of a construct, and thus, organizations can be high (or low) on both (Farh et al, 1997).…”

On improving the robustness of Asian management theories: Theoretical anchors in the era of globalization

“…However, such emphases have not resulted in the undervaluing of achievement-related activities and competition both at the individual level and at the level of the firm. A case in point is reflected in the work of Chang, Wong, and Koh (2003) and Zhang, Zheng, and Wang (2003) in that the ethnic Chinese in Singapore and China strongly endorse both traditional and modern values. Such findings should inform the researcher that the tendency towards developing emphasis towards either a strong rule or relationship orientation depends on the interplay between the new modern-, scientific-, and result-oriented nature of the new global culture of international business and the traditional values.…”