Work Ethics in the History of Turkish Culture in Terms of Its Effect on Work Values: Examples from Divan-I Hikmet

Abstract

Literary works are concrete reflections of the collective memory in societies in terms of portraying perception, attitudes, and behaviors. They have also taken on the function of carrying the cultural elements they were born into across time and space. Building on this reality, the impact of work ethics on work values in Turkish cultural history has been attempted to be revealed through a qualitative content analysis of Ahmed Yesevi's Divan-& imath; Hikmet, which has been spiritually significant in the Turkish Islamic world for centuries. The analysis indicates that the fundamental qualities dedicated to becoming a complete human in the Divan-& imath; Hikmet, which is the spiritual education of a person on the path to becoming a complete human, correspond to the following characteristics in the working life: i) Upholding justice, ii) valuing continuous learning, iii) working with passion, iv) being reliable, v) being tolerant, vi) showing perseverance, vii) being loving, viii) being optimistic, and xix) being helpful. Thus, it is suggested that within the context of Turkish culture, the principles of a complete human can serve as a guide for work ethics, shaping and influencing the framework of work values.