The impact of the level of technology and its corresponding level of development on cultural convergence: A study of Mexico and the United States

According to Schwartz (1992, 1996) universal human values are a conceptual framework for complex patterns of behaviors. These behaviors are more centralized than attitudes and beliefs, transcend specific situations, and control the selection and means of arriving at goals. Hofstede (1997) asserts that managers of international firms may have a shared system of values that transcend individual cultural differences.; This study uses the Schwartz Value Survey and the Hofstede's Value Module Survey 1994 to assess the individual values and culture-level value types of two samples of engineers in Mexico and the United States to test for cultural convergence between the two samples.; Research about cultural differences has generated a debate in the academic community that encompasses a convergence and divergence framework. The proponents of divergence emphasize the role of national culture as the strongest force driving individual values apart, while those that propose a convergence viewpoint favor the strong force of economic development instead.; Webber (1969) has suggested that the level of technology and its corresponding level of economic development are converging work values across cultures. Technology has been identified as a variable that may be reducing cultural differences. This study has found that technology does play a significant role in reducing the cultural differences between two engineer samples. Other key demographic variables were not found to play a significant role. Therefore, national culture does not represent the strongest and only force driving individual work values towards divergence.; The survey sample size was 84 Mexican and United States engineers who had at least a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an accredited university in Mexico or the United States. The cultural differences were measured using independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, and a correlation test.; The results indicated a correlation between Schwartz's culture-level dimensions and Hofstede's cultural dimensions. Results and Analysis conclude that individual values between engineer samples are converging, except for Masculinity; cultural differences are less than those in Hofstede's (1997) IBM study. These findings support and validate previous studies by Schwartz (1994, 1996), Hofstede (1980, 1997), and Ralston (1993, 1997).; The present study and its findings will provide additional knowledge to multinational firms, joint ventures, and other researchers who would benefit from a better understanding of the technological impact on cultural values and cultural differences affecting international management.