Work centrality in Germany, Israel, Japan, and the United States

An attempt was made to ascertain the meaning of work variables affecting work centrality in Germany, Israel, Japan, and the United States. Expressive orientation and the societal norms of obligation were found to affect work centrality consistently. Females in these countries assigned less importance to work centrality than did males; educational level also contributed negatively to work centrality. The remaining variables were less consistent yet strong predictors of work centrality. Interpersonal relations had a negative impact on work centrality in Japan and the United States but were not significant in Germany and Israel. Instrumental orientation was a negative predictor in three countries, Germany being the exception, as was entitlement, with the exception of Israel. Finally, actual income had a positive influence on work centrality in Japan and Israel, a negative one in Germany, and none in the United States. Various cultural dimensions are presented to account for these findings.