An exploration of culture and gender: Intrinsic and extrinsic job expectations in the U.S. and Brazil

BACKGROUND: As interest in foreign business enterprises rises between the U.S. and Brazil, companies have encountered added challenges in the areas of staffing and gender inequity and inequality against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies must address these challenges head on to continue to thrive. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to identify and diagnose the differences in job expectations of employees in the early stages of their career and personal development in terms of their gender and nationality. METHODS: This study asked male and female workers from the U.S. and Brazil to rate the importance of various intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics on a five-point Likert scale. Responses were compared for 1,431 total participants. RESULTS: This study found both cultural (U.S. and Brazil) and gender (male and female) differences in rank order ratings across an array of job expectations. Findings also revealed significant cultural and gender differences in mean importance scores for job expectations rated by these groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study’s findings are relevant to guide managerial practices as companies seek to attract, develop, and retain future generations of technical and managerial staff following the uncertainty brought about by COVID-19 and the Great Resignation.