Keywords: group shared values// China// collective action// values alignment //

Funded by: SBERG Fudan team internal budget

Key team members: HYY

Key Contributions specifically to WeValue Platform Knowledge:

A village had achieved something rare: it had developed a collective action to take responsibility for new tasks required, WITHOUT any expectation of any future benefit. In short, they were required to accomplish various village-wide changes in behaviour and environment to make their village more ‘beautiful’. This WeValue InSitu project was thus an exploration of the group shared values of groups in that village, to try to understand if there were an underlying, values-based explanations.

Each type of key, self-forming group involved in the tasks was taken through the WeValue InSitu process to crystallize their values, and the linkages across groups were investigated. What was found was unexpected: that the ‘foundational’ or ‘starting point’ values of upper/leadership groups were the ‘aspirational’ or ‘goal’ values of those contributing to them. The actions of the lead protagonist who mobilized the groups were found to nurture and increase this complementarity.

Formal write ups

This work is still in preparation for publication in an academic journal. Return here in 6 months or so to hear more!

(This is a brief report on this work and this page will be extended when the team has more time…)