A Cross-Sectoral Study of Value Profiles and Differences between Employees in Private and Public Sector in South East Europe

This study of cultures across 6 countries (7 regions) shows that each region has its own specificity and its own unique employee value profile. Value profiles have been explored as a potential diagnostic tool on the basis of Hofstede’s value dimensions in the service of human resource development at the local level. The resulting employee value profiles are based on a representative sample of employees in the private and public sectors. Significant similarity in value profiles have been found for employees from Croatia and Serbia compared to Romania, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy, both in the public and private sector. The research results suggest the direction that managers and policymakers need to take in order to understand what employees’ values are, how they can be used, and how to address the challenges of human resource development in their region.