Whither the Enterprise Culture: An Examination of Young People's Job Values

Abstract

The proceeding decade has seen much official effort expended on encouraging the growth of an ‘enterprise culture’. The present report considers the extent to which enterprise has come to be valued by young people today. Data on work values from the ESRC's 16‐19 Initiative indicate that enterprise values are largely rejected in favour of the traditional attractions of good pay and prospects. The entrepreneurial minority tend to be more committed than others to a meritocratic society, but holding entrepreneurial values is unconnected with political affiliation. Attempts to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit appears to have failed to influence young people's notions of work.