GoodWork Paper 31: Passing it Down: The Role of Cultural History and Ancestors in Good Work

Author(s): Laura Horn

Editor(s): Jeff Solomon, Series Editor

Media: Paper

Description: When reflecting on the factors that influence the quality of their work, most professionals focus on personal traits and conditions in their professional domains. However, in the GoodWork® Project, we discovered a small subset of professionals who highlight the influence of their cultural backgrounds on their work. In contrast to the white, Anglo-Saxon professionals we have interviewed, a small group of African American, Asian American, and Jewish individuals derive a sense of purpose and motivation from their cultural histories. More specifically, the African American and Asian American subjects in this group feel responsible to their ancestors. The Jewish subjects see themselves as beneficiaries of a heritage of cultural values. Using brief case studies, this paper outlines the unanticipated finding and suggests some implications for the study and practice of good work.