Work values of autochthons and expatriates in Belgium and the Netherlands

Abstract

This study compares the work values of four groups of (mostly) applicants: Dutch-speaking from the Netherlands, Dutch-speaking from Belgium, French-speaking from Belgium, and English-speaking from the Netherlands or Belgium. They were tested with LISMO, a questionnaire inspired by the work of Donald Super. The instrument was equivalent in the four groups with respect to differential item functioning, internal correlation structure, and validity. The equivalence of scale values could not be evaluated, and therefore conclusions about mean scores must be made with caution. There were, however, important differences in mean scores between the groups. English is not an official language in the Netherlands or Belgium, and the English-language group must consist of immigrants and expatriates. The mean scores of this group reflect the picture of the independent, experience-seeking expatriate.