Zippies and the Shift in Cultural Values in India

Abstract

Economic liberalization, adopted in the early 1990s, is rapidly transforming India. The nation’s economic and social transformation is, in large part, driven by a growing number of young, educated, middle-class professionals. As young educated Indians, the agents of a new free market economy embrace economic liberalization and reap the benefits of globalization; it is imperative that we understand the impact of globalization on this large cohort. This study investigates the cultural shifts taking place in India as a result of the country’s economic transformation. Specifically, this study examines the impact of economic globalization on work and family collectivism for young middle-class Indians. The study surveys more than 1,000 individuals living in globalized and lesser globalized cities in India. Results suggest that in an increasingly globalizing India, young Indians will strive to preserve traditional values of collectivity when it comes to family but will loosen their reigns on workplace collectivism. Results provide critical insight as to how values are changing in a nation that promises to be a prominent feature on the global economic map this century. A clear understanding of how globalization affects young Indians has implications not only for those interested in India from a business and market perspective to predict behavior within firms and organizations but also to policy makers, as it informs them of impending infrastructure needs which must be met via public, private, and/or public–private ventures.