Social axioms: A new culture measure for South African business research

Abstract

This study is intended to introduce social axiom theory to South African business researchers and, in this process, to provide new empirical evidence pertinent to the South African context. We examine social axioms in the largest and most representative national metropolitan population ever studied, providing scores for social axiom dimensions at the individual-level and nation-level, as well as assessments of relations with sociodemographics, values, personality and life satisfaction. The results support the convergent validity, discriminant validity and composite reliability of the 25-item brief version of the Social Axioms Scale. We extend prior research on social axioms and personality by examining relations with optimum stimulation level (OSL), an important personality construct studied in marketing and human resource management. A hierarchical regression model illustrates the power of social axioms in predicting life satisfaction, over and above the effects of sociodemographics, values and optimum stimulation level. Several points of departure for fruitful business research are identified.

International Business and National Culture: A Literature Review and Research Agenda

“…Developing research from an Asian perspective is relevant, insofar as Asian cultural patterns seem to differ strongly from Western patterns in key dimensions such as the short‐/long‐term orientation or restraint/indulgence, among others. In a similar way, more research from an African perspective is needed, as African societies also show distinctive cultural features that are not necessarily well identified in the existing literature (Burgess, ; Munene et al ., ). In addition, as existing literature points to a clear interaction between cultural issues and economic development, new research is needed focusing on emerging economies.…”

Social Axioms: A Traditional Literature Review

“…With respect to the area of positive psychology; it was resulted that social axioms were significantly associated with satisfaction of social life Burgess, 2011). Another study found the impact of social cynicism on satisfaction with life through the mediating role of self-esteem (Li et al, 2007); gratitude was predicted by reward for application, social complexity and religiosity whereas, perspective taking was predicted by social cynicism and social complexity (Joshanloo et al, 2010); social cynicism was linked to less adaptive self-regulatory orientations, which sequentially put at risk subjective well-being, however reward for application was linked to more adaptive self-regulatory orientations that improved subjective well-being (Hui & Bond, 2010); the impact of weight esteem on self-esteem was moderated by social cynicism ; and relationship of insecure attachment style with life satisfaction was mediated by social cynicism and reward for application (Mak et al, 2011).…”

The factor structure of the Social Axioms Survey II (SASII) in the South African context

“…Hence these two scales (Fate Control and Social Complexity) needed to be improved (Leung et al, 2012). In a subsequent study, Burgess (2011) used social axioms as a cultural measure for business research and found that South Africans exhibit extreme social axiom scores characterized by socioeconomic, cultural and regulating institutions.…”