Integration or Estrangement? The Influence of Globalization on the Work Values of Students at Elite Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Universities

East Asia has been rapidly moving toward modernization, driven by the force of globalization. The result of that process is that country values are converging from traditional ones to modern ones. Countries have been congregating towards various ideologies, “meritocracy ” in particular, as they continue to modernize. This study aims to shed light on how globalization influences the work values of undergraduate students in Japan, China, and Korea. These three countries share a Confucian background which produces many interesting findings. Samples collected from Waseda, Fudan, and Korea Universities are examined using statistical analysis methods, and conclusions are drawn. While work values are converging, they are not completely integrated. Each country still possesses its own unique set of characteristics that separate it from the other nations. However, Japanese and Korean students were found to possess similar work values when compared to Chinese students. Interestingly, Chinese students have two conflicting ideologies: one of “egalitarian socialism ” that places emphasis on the equality between people, and another of “modern meritocracy ” that puts weight on individual development and reward. How Chinese students will continue to reconcile this delicate balance as time goes by is a fascinating topic for future research