National Attitudes to Competitiveness, Money, and Work Among Young People: First, Second, and Third World Differences

Abstract

Over 12,000 young people from 41 countries on all five continents completed questionnaires measuring such things as the work ethic, achievement motivation, competitiveness, and attitudes to money and saving. Attitudes to competitiveness, money, and saving were clearly and logically related to gross domestic product and economic growth over a 10-year period. The European nations (N = 16) had lower scores on these dimensions than the non-European nations (N = 27). Countries from North and South America scored highest on work ethic and mastery while Far and Middle Eastern countries' young people reported highest competitiveness and acquisitiveness for money. These results are discussed in terms of the limited research in this field.