Starting from the System Justification Theory, the aim of this paper is to explore levels of general system legitimation, inequality perception and meritocracy perception among Croatian citizens, as ...well as to determine whether there is a difference between social groups of lower and higher social standing in this regard. Survey research on a sample of the Croatian general population (N = 353) revealed that on balance the respondents do not perceive the Croatian social system as legitimate, equal and meritocratic. Regression analyses showed that retired persons express a substantially higher level of system legitimation and meritocracy perception when compared to employed persons, while higher religiosity was also a significant predictor in this regard. When it comes to the inequality perception, only female gender was a significant predictor. The results are discussed within the framework of the contemporary theories of meritocracy and system legitimation, as well as with reference to specific social and economic characteristics of the Croatian society, such as the Croatian War of Independence, transition to capitalism, welfare state development and labour market situation. Overall, the study results provide only a partial confirmation of the System Justification Theory.
Unatoč složenosti pojma meritokracije, u meritokratskim bi
društvima društveni položaj i društvene nagrade trebali biti
usko povezani sa stupnjem obrazovanja pojedinaca. U
hrvatskom je društvu ...nemeritokratsko, koruptivno ponašanje
vrlo izraženo, a objašnjenja njegovih uzroka kreću se od
upozoravanja na nepovoljno sociokulturno nasljeđe
(tradicionalna seljačka kultura, socijalizam) do racionalne
adaptacije na društvenu stvarnost. U ovome se radu, na
osnovi istraživanja prihvaćenosti vrijednosti obrazovanja kao
mehanizma društvene selekcije i nagrađivanja te prihvaćanja
koruptivnih načina dolaženja do društvenog uspjeha,
pokušava utvrditi u kojoj se mjeri još uvijek može govoriti o
negativnom utjecaju sociokulturnoga nasljeđa. Istraživanje
rađeno na prigodnom uzorku studenata Sveučilišta J. J.
Strossmayera u Osijeku na početku 2011. godine pokazalo je
da ispitanici smatraju kako se procesi zauzimanja društvenih
položaja odvijaju nemeritokratski. Međutim, kod samih
ispitanika istodobno prevladava meritokratski svjetonazor, dok
se manji dio njih adaptirao na društvenu stvarnost prihvaćajući
u isti mah vrijednost obrazovanja, ali iskazujući i prihvaćanje
koruptivnoga ponašanja. Imajući na umu da se kod većine
onih koji su spremni na koruptivno ponašanje pojavljuje
vrijednosna disonanca, autori zaključuju da u pozadini ove
spremnosti vjerojatno stoji racionalna adaptacija na stvarnost.
This paper starts with a theoretical analysis of changes, which are usually designated as the new economy. These changes are characterized by globalization, more intensive use of information ...technology and other important structural changes. Multidimensional character of the entrepreneurship phenomenon and its role in economic development and social integration are emphasized. The youth represent a social group, which is, due to its transitional attributes and developments in the labour market, in particularly vulnerable position in the new economy. This position could be improved through activation of the entrepreneurial potential of the youth. In order to estimate entrepreneurial potential and its determinants an empirical research is carried out on a cluster sample of 200 high-school students and 200 university students in Osijek. The results of the research show relatively high entrepreneurial aspiration of the youth, but they also show the negative impact of the lack of financial means and the unfavourable sociocultural conditions. The results also confirmed the importance of the entrepreneurial family background and sex as the significant determinants of entrepreneurial aspirations.
In spite of the complexity of the concept of meritocracy, in meritocratic societies social standings and social rewards should be closely connected to the level of individuals' education. In Croatian ...society non-meritocratic, corruptive behaviour is widespread, while explanations of its causes range from non-favourable socio-cultural legacy (traditional peasant culture, socialism) to rational adaptation to social reality. In this paper, based on the research of the acceptance of the value of education as a mechanism of social selection and rewards, as well as the acceptance of corruptive behaviour, an attempt has been made to assess whether it is still justifiable to speak of a negative impact of socio-cultural legacy. The research, carried out on a convenient sample of students of J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek, at the beginning of 2011, has shown that respondents believe that processes which allocate social standings are essentially non-meritocratic. However, at the same time most of the respondents hold meritocratic values, while only a smaller part of them have adapted themselves to social reality by simultaneously accepting value of education and expressing readiness to engage in corruptive behaviour. Bearing in mind that the majority of respondents who express readiness to engage in corrupt behaviour show value dissonance, the authors conclude that rational adaptation can be the cause of this readiness.
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