Work Ethic

The notion of work ethic refers to the personal character attributes fundamental to an individual's attitude toward work. Two key components of this concept are the internal qualities possessed by the individual and the external qualities manifested in work behavior. While down through the ages in both the East and the West the essential characteristics of good work behavior have been discussed, it is difficult to identify one specific set of desirable qualities, because work, and the manner in which it is approached, is a multidimensional human phenomenon.

How work is understood and valued depends on personal experience, as well as the meaning society places on human labor, productivity, and work commitment. During some periods of history, work has been perceived as degrading and servile, while ...