Setting the Foundations for Theoretical Progress toward Understanding the Role of Values in Organizational Behavior: Commentary on “Values at Work: The Impact of Personal Values in Organizations” by Arieli, Sagiv, & Roccas.

Abstract

Arieli, Sagiv, and Roccas's lead article provides a timely and important review of the role of individual values and their role in organizations. At the same time as identifying several key areas of progress, the review identifies significant gaps. In this commentary, we focus on additional gaps that merit attention. In particular, we highlight a need for greater theoretical clarity in the literature about the concrete ways in which values are instantiated in different organizational contexts, roles, and cultural settings. We argue that the growing importance of values in studies of organizational contexts would be well‐served by more precision in how they are conceptualized and operationalized in studies of organizational behaviour.