Behaviors Chosen or Forced to Choose: Norms and Values Assumed by Executives

This research describes some of the values and norms that business executives use to choose their behaviors in work, social and family environments. Using qualitative methodology, data collection was conducted with the support of the projective technique called “life history”. The coding and analysis of the applied technique allowed reporting norms and values used by executives. Fifty-three executives from companies from different sectors participated in this research. The analyses show that the executives follow and adapt their behaviors to norms and values that demonstrate their memberships with the groups. These guidelines have positive and negative effects for themselves, their family, their co-workers and their friends. Among the first, it stands out that executives seek to demonstrate and demand the profitable use of time, achieve their development and growth of the organization, and achieve leadership positions. Frames of reference for their behaviors with non-positive or ambiguous effects are also observed. It is shown that executives present as norms and values being willing to sacrifice their family time for the company's objectives, tolerating conditions of mistreatment, and staying on the sidelines or getting involved as little as possible with the people with whom they work. In this study we describe some NV followed by the executives to demonstrate their membership to the group. This demanding nature makes them rationalize and transfer the responsibility for the consequences of their behaviors abroad.