Canadian Organizational Behaviour, 9th Edition Solution Manual
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
2
Individual Behaviour,
Personality, and Values
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
LO1.
LO2.
LO3.
LO4.
LO5.
LO6.
Describe the four factors that directly influence individual behaviour and performance.
Summarize the five types of individual behaviour in organizations.
Describe personality and discuss how the โBig Fiveโ personality dimensions and four
MBTI types relate to individual behaviour in organizations.
Summarize Schwartzโs model of individual values and discuss the conditions where
values influence behaviour.
Describe three ethical principles and discuss three factors that influence ethical
behaviour.
Describe five values commonly studied across cultures, and discuss the diverse
cultures within Canada.
CHAPTER GLOSSARY
ability — The natural aptitudes and learned capabilities
required to successfully complete a task.
achievement-nurturing orientation — A cross-cultural
value describing the degree to which people in a culture
emphasize competitive versus cooperative relations with
other people.
collectivism — A cross-cultural value describing the
degree to which people in a culture emphasize duty to
groups to which they belong, and to group harmony.
conscientiousness — A personality dimension describing
people who are organized, dependable, goal-focused,
thorough, disciplined, methodical, and industrious.
counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs) -Voluntary behaviours that have the potential to directly
or indirectly harm the organization.
extraversion — A personality dimension describing
people who are outgoing, talkative, sociable, and
assertive.
five-factor model (FFM) — The five broad dimensions
represent- ing most personality traits: conscientiousness,
emotional stability, openness to experience,
agreeableness, and extraversion.
individualism — A cross-cultural value describing the
degree to which people in a culture emphasize
independence and personal uniqueness.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
mindfulness — A personโs receptive and impartial
attention to and awareness of the present situation as
well as to oneโs own thoughts and emotions in that
moment.
personality — The relatively enduring pattern of
thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that characterize a
person, along with the psychological processes behind
those characteristics.
moral intensity — The degree to which an issue demands
the application of ethical principles.
power distance — A cross-cultural value describing the
degree to which people in a culture accept unequal
distribution of power in a society.
moral sensitivity — A personโs ability to recognize the
presence of an ethical issue and determine its relative
importance.
motivation — The forces within a person that affect his or
her direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary
behaviour.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) — An instrument
designed to measure the elements of Jungian personality
theory, particularly preferences regarding perceiving
and judging information.
neuroticism — A personality dimension describing
people who tend to be anxious, insecure, self-conscious,
depressed, and temperamental.
presenteeism — Attending scheduled work when oneโs
capacity to perform is significantly diminished by illness
or other factors.
role perceptions — The degree to which a person
understands the job duties assigned to or expected of
him or her.
uncertainty avoidance — A cross-cultural value
describing the degree to which people in a culture
tolerate ambiguity (low uncertainty avoidance) or feel
threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty (high
uncertainty avoidance).
organizational citizenship behaviours (OCBs) — Various
forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that
support the organizationโs social and psychological
context.
CHAPTER SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVE
2-1 Describe the four factors that directly influence individual behaviour and performance.
Four variablesโmotivation, ability, role perceptions, and situational factorsโwhich are represented by the
acronym MARS, directly influence individual behaviour and performance. Motivation represents the forces within
a person that affect his or her direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behaviour; ability includes both the
natural aptitudes and the learned capabilities required to successfully complete a task; role perceptions are the
extent to which people understand the job duties (roles) assigned to them or expected of them; and situational
factors include conditions beyond the employeeโs immediate control that constrain or facilitate behaviour and
performance.
2-2 Summarize the five types of individual behaviour in organizations.
There are five main types of workplace behaviour. Task performance refers to goal-directed behaviours under the
individualโs control that support organizational objectives. Organizational citizenship behaviours consist of
various forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that support the organizationโs social and psychological
context. Counterproductive work behaviours are voluntary behaviours that have the potential to directly or
indirectly harm the organization. Joining and staying with the organization refers to agreeing to become an
organizational member and remaining with the organization. Maintaining work attendance includes minimizing
absenteeism when capable of working and avoiding scheduled work when not fit (i.e., low presenteeism).
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
2-3 Describe personality and discuss how the โBig Fiveโ personality dimensions and four MBTI types relate to
individual behaviour in organizations.
Personality is the relatively enduring pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that characterize a person,
along with the psychological processes behind those characteristics. Personality traits are broad concepts about
people that allow us to label and understand individual differences. Personality is developed through hereditary
origins (nature) as well as socialization (nurture). The โBig Fiveโ personality dimensions include
conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extroversion. Conscientiousness and
emotional stability (low neuroticism) predict individual performance in most job groups. Extraversion is associated
with performance in sales and management jobs, whereas agreeableness is associated with performance in jobs
requiring cooperation, and openness to experience is associated with performance in creative jobs.
Based on Jungian personality theory, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) identifies competing orientations for
getting energy (extraversion vs. introversion), perceiving information (sensing vs. intuiting), processing
information and making deci- sions (thinking vs. feeling), and orienting to the external world (judging vs.
perceiving). The MBTI improves self-awareness for career development and mutual understanding but is more
popular than valid.
2-4 Summarize Schwartzโs model of individual values and discuss the conditions in which values influence
behaviour.
Values are stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of
situations. Com- pared to personality traits, values are evaluative (rather than descriptive), more likely to conflict,
and formed more from socialization than heredity. Schwartzโs model organizes 57 values into a circumplex of 10
dimensions along two bipolar dimensions: openness to change to conservation and self-enhancement to selftranscendence. Values influence behaviour when the situation facilitates that connection and when we actively
think about them and understand their relevance to the situation. Values congruence refers to how similar a
personโs values hierarchy is to the values hierarchy of another source (organization, person, etc.).
2-5 Describe three ethical principles and discuss three factors that influence ethical behaviour.
Ethics refers to the study of moral principles or values that deter- mine whether actions are right or wrong and
outcomes are good or bad. Three ethical principles are utilitarianism, individual rights, and distributive justice.
Ethical behaviour is influenced by the degree to which an issue demands the application of ethical principles
(moral intensity), the individualโs ability to recognize the presence and relative importance of an ethical issue
(moral sensitivity), and situational forces. Ethical conduct at work is supported by codes of ethical conduct,
mechanisms for communicating ethical violations, the organizationโs culture, and the leaderโs behaviour.
2-6 Review five values commonly studied across cultures and discuss the diverse cultures within Canada.
Five values commonly studied across cultures are individualism (valuing independence and personal uniqueness);
collectivism (valuing duty to in-groups and to group harmony); power distance (valuing unequal distribution of
power); uncertainty avoidance (tolerating or feeling threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty); and achievementnurturing orientation (valuing competition vs. cooperation). Canada consists of several cultures in addition to
those brought by new Canadians. Anglophones and Francophones differ in their values, although these values
have almost reversed over the past several decades. Aboriginal values also differ from others in Canada.
Canadians and Americans also have noticeably different values, although North America might be divided into
four clusters that cross national boundaries.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
LECTURE OUTLINE (WITH POWERPOINTยฎ SLIDES)
Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Individual Behaviour,
Personality, and Values
Slide 1
Opening Vignette: SNC-Lavalin (SNCL)
SNC-Lavalin (SNCL)
Slide 2
Charges including conspiracy to commit fraud, forgery, and money
laundering were laid against former executives and representatives at
SNCL, one of Canadaโs largest engineering and construction firms
Motivation, role perceptions, and misguided personal values explain the
alleged bribery, money laundering, and other illegal activities by several
SNC-Lavalin executives and employees.
โข Executives being highly motivated by bonuses and promotions for
winning contracts, recent CEOs turning a blind eye to the wrongdoing,
and SNCL staff detaching their behaviour from their personal values
MARS Model of Individual Behaviour
MARS Model of
Individual Behaviour
Slide 3
An individualโs voluntary behaviour and performance is influenced by
motivation, ability, role perceptions, and situational factors represented
by the acronym MARS
โข Need to understand all four factors to diagnose and influence
individual behaviour and performance
Employee Motivation
Employee Motivation
Slide 4
Internal forces (cognitive and emotional conditions) that affect a personโs
voluntary choice of behaviour
โข Direction โ motivation is goal-directed, not random
โข Intensity โ amount of effort allocated to the goal
โข Persistence โ continuing the effort for a certain amount of time
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Employee Ability
Employee Ability
Slide 5
Natural aptitudes and learned capabilities required to successfully
complete a task
โข Aptitudes โ natural talents that help people learn specific tasks more
quickly and perform them better
โข Learned capabilities โ skills and knowledge
โข Improve performance/wellbeing through person-job matching
Person-job matching occurs by:
1. Selecting applicants with the required abilities
2. Providing training to develop required abilities
3. Redesigning the job so it matches employeeโs abilities, then introduce
more tasks as the employee gains skills
Role Perceptions
The extent to which people understand the job duties (roles) assigned to
or expected of them.
Role Perceptions
Slide 6
Role perceptions are clearer (role clarity) when we:
โข understand which tasks or consequences we are accountable
โข understand the priority of tasks and performance expectations
โข understand the preferred behaviours/procedures for tasks
Benefits of clear role perceptions:
โข More accurate/efficient job performance (due to clearer direction of
effort)
โข Better coordination with others
โข Higher motivation due to clearer link between effort and outcomes
Situational Factors
Situational Factors
Slide 7
Environmental conditions beyond the individualโs immediate control that
constrain or facilitate behaviour and performance
โข Constraints โ e.g. time, budget, work facilities, consumer preferences,
economic conditions
โข Cues โ clarity and consistency of cues provided by the environment to
employees regarding their role obligations e.g. lack of signs of nearby
safety hazards
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Types of Individual Behaviour (five categories)
Types of Individual
Behaviour
Slide 8
Task performance
โข Goal-directed behaviours under the individualโs control that sup- port
organizational objectives
โข Involve working with people, data, things, and ideas
โข Performance includes:
โก
โก
โก
Proficiency — working efficiently
Adaptability — responding to, coping with, and supporting new circumstances
and work patterns
Proactivity — anticipates and initiates new work patterns aligned with
environmental changes
Organizational citizenship behaviours (OCBs)
โข Various forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that support
the organizationโs social and psychological context
โข Directed toward:
โก
individuals — e.g. adjusting work schedule to accommodate coworkers
โก
organization — e.g., supporting the companyโs public image
โข OCBs are not necessary โdiscretionaryโ behaviours (employees donโt
have to perform them) because:
โก
โก
(a) employees believe some OCBs are part of their job
(b) companies consider some OCBs a condition of employment
โข OCBs increase individual/team performance (due to mutual support),
but may contribute to work-family conflict and limit career progress
Counterproductive work behaviours
โข Voluntary behaviours that have the potential to directly or indirectly
harm the organization — e.g. harassing co-workers, creating
unnecessary conflict, avoiding work obligations
Types of Individual
Behaviour (contโd)
Slide 9
Joining & staying with the organization
โข Forming the employment relationship and staying with the
organization
Maintaining work attendance
โข Absences due to situation (weather), motivation (avoiding stressful
workplace)
โข Presenteeism โ attending scheduled work when oneโs capacity to
perform is significantly diminished by illness or other factors
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Personality in Organizations
Defining Personality
Defining Personality
Slide 10
Relatively enduring pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that
characterize a person, along with the psychological processes behind
those characteristics
โข External traits โ observable behaviours
โข Internal states โ infer thoughts, values, and emotions from observable
behaviours
Personality traits — categories of behaviour tendencies caused by internal
characteristics (not environment)
Traits apparent across situations, but situation may suppress behaviour
tendencies
โข e.g. talkative people may talk less in a library where โno talkingโ rules are
explicit and enforced
Nature vs Nurture of Personality
Nature vs Nurture of
Personality
Slide 11
Nature: Heredity explains about 50 percent of behavioural tendencies
and 30 percent of temperament preferences
โข e.g. Minnesota studies found that some types of twins have similar
personalities not due to similar environments
Nurture: Socialization, life experiences, and other interactions with the
environment also affect personality
Personality stabilizes in young adulthood (about age 30, possibly older)
โข We form a clearer and more rigid self-concept as we get older
โข Executive function (part of the brain that manages goal-directed
behaviour) tries to keep our behaviour consistent with self-concept
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Five-Factor Model of Personality (CANOE or OCEAN)
Five-Factor Personality
Model (CANOE)
Slide 12
Conscientiousness
โข High: organized, dependable, goal-focused, thorough, disciplined,
methodical, and industrious
โข Low: careless, disorganized, and less thorough
Agreeableness
โข High: trusting, helpful, good-natured, considerate, tolerant, selfless,
generous, and flexible
โข Low: uncooperative, intolerant of othersโ needs, more suspicious, selffocused
Neuroticism
โข High: anxious, insecure, self-conscious, depressed, and temperamental
โข Low (high emotional stability): poised, secure, and calm
Openness to experience
โข High: imaginative, creative, unconventional, curious, nonconforming,
autonomous, and aesthetically perceptive
โข Low: resistant to change, less open to new ideas, and more
conventional and fixed in their ways
Extraversion
โข High: outgoing, talkative, energetic, sociable, and assertive
โข Low (Introversion): quiet, cautious, and less interactive with others
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Five Factor Personality & Individual Behaviour
Five-Factor Personality
& Individual Behaviour
Slide 13
Conscientiousness and emotional stability (low neuroticism)
โข Strongest personality predictors of individual performance for most
jobs
Extroversion
โข Higher performance in sales and management jobs
โข Contributes to social interaction and persuasion — useful where
employees must interact with and influence people
Agreeableness
โข Higher performance in jobs where employees are expected to be
helpful and cooperative e.g. teams, customer relations
Openness to experience
โข More creative and adaptable to change
Five-factor dimensions cluster around:
โข Getting Along (many org citizenship behaviours) — Agreeableness,
conscientiousness, emotional stability (and maybe extraversion)
โข Getting ahead (task performance, innovation) — Openness to
experience, extraversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability
But need to avoid โlinear correlationโ assumption that higher of each
dimension is better — more likely an optimal level for each
Jungian Personality Theory
Jungian Personality
Theory
Slide 14
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung proposed that personality is primarily
represented by the individualโs preferences regarding perceiving and
judging information
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
โข Estimates Jungian personality types
โข Most widely used personality test
โข Improves self-awareness and mutual understanding — i.e. good for
career counselling and executive coaching
โข Poor at predicting job performance, effective leadership, or team
development
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Extroversion versus introversion (E โ I)
โข Similar to five-factor dimension
Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI)
Slide 15
Perceiving information (S โ N)
โข Sensing โ perceiving information directly through the five senses to
acquire factual and quantitative details
โข Intuition โ relies on insight and subjective experience
Judging i.e. making decisions (T โ F)
โข Thinking โ rely on rational cause-effect logic and systematic data
collection to make decisions
โข Feeling โ rely on emotional responses to the options as well as how
those choices affect others
Orientation toward the outside world (P โ J)
โข Perceiving โ open curious, flexible, adapt spontaneously to events,
prefer to keep options open
โข Judging โ prefer order and structure; want to resolve problems quickly
Jungian and Myers-Briggs Types
(See notes in previous slide for details)
Jungian and MyersBriggs Types
Slide 16
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Personality Testing in Organizations
โข MBTI is mostly used for team building and career development
โข The five-factor model is commonly found in scholarly research, but is
increasingly used to assess job applicants
โข Personality testing has regained acceptance โ studies report that
specific traits correlate with specific indicators of job performance.
However, work samples and past performance may be better
predictors of performance
โข Assumption that โmore is betterโ for each trait โ ideal range is closer
to the middle e.g. extremely high conscientiousness may become
perfectionism
โข May unfairly discriminate against certain groups of people
โข Most are self-report scales โ applicants may โfakeโ answers
โข Might convey an unfavourable image of the company โ may alienate
some applicants
Values in the Workplace
Values in the
Workplace
Slide 17
Stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences for outcomes or
courses of action in a variety of situations
โข Define right/wrong, good/bad
โข Tell us what we โoughtโ to do (moral compass)
โข Direct our motivation and, potentially, our decisions and behaviour
Value system — hierarchy of preferences which is relatively stable and
long-lasting
Values differ from personality traits
โข Values are evaluative (what we ought to do); personality traits are
descriptive (what we tend to do)
โข Values conflict with each other (e.g. valuing excitement conflicts with
valuing stability); personality traits have minimal conflict
โข Values affected more by nurture (socialization, reinforcement) than
nature (heredity); personality about equally affected by nature and
nurture
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Schwartzโs Values Model
Dominant model of personal values was developed and tested by social
psychologist Shalom Schwartz and many others
Schwartzโs Values
Model
Slide 18
Clusters 57 specific values into 10 broad value categories which are
further clustered into four quadrants
โข Openness to change — Extent to which a person is motivated to
pursue innovative ways
โข Conservation — Extent to which a person is motivated to preserve the
status quo
โข Self-enhancement — How much a person is motivated by self-interest
โข Self-transcendence — Motivation to promote the welfare of others and
nature
Personal Values and Behaviour
Values direct our motivation, so guide our decisions, behaviour, and
performance
Personal Values and
Behaviour
Slide 19
But there is a โdisconnectโ between values and behaviour because:
โข Situation — may prevent or discourage people from acting consistently
with their values (both opportunity and counter motivation effects)
โข Awareness (salience) — we apply values when we actively think about
them and understand their relevance to the situation — problem is that
values are abstract, so their relevance isnโt obvious
To increase values-consistent behaviour:
โข Maintain work environment that supports and is consistent with
personal and organizational values (e.g., resources, rewards)
โข Remind employees of their (and companyโs) most important values
โข Improve employee sensitivity to values relevance
(i.e., increase moral sensitivity — see ethics discussion below)
Values Congruence at VanCity
Values Congruence at
VanCity
Slide 20
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (VanCity) is one of Canadaโs truly
values-driven organizations. It hires staff whose personal values are
aligned with financial institutionโs values and offers a payout to new staff
who discover their values differ from VanCityโs.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Values Congruence*
Values congruence โ how similar a personโs values hierarchy is to the
values hierarchy of the organization, a co-worker, or another source
Values Congruence
Slide 21
Person-organization values congruence
โข Personโs values are similar to the organizationโs dominant values
Espoused-enacted values congruence
โข Consistency between the values apparent in our actions โ enacted
values and what we say we believe in (espoused values)
โข Especially important for people in leadership positions because any
gap undermines their perceived integrity
Organization-community values congruence
โข Similarity of an organizationโs dominant values with the values of the
community or society in which it conducts business
* Note: We use โvaluesโ (plural) because values operate as a set, not
individually, and because โvalueโ is easily confused with the economic
concept of worth of something relative to price
Ethical Values and Behaviour
Ethics is the study of moral principles or values that determine whether
actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad
Three Ethical Principles
Slide 22
Three Ethical Principles
Utilitarianism
โข Seek the greatest good for the greatest number of people
โข Focuses on the consequences of our actions, not on how we achieve
those consequences
Individual rights principle
โข Reflects the belief that everyone has entitlements that let her or him
act in a certain way e.g. freedom of speech, fair trial
โข Problem of conflicting rights e.g. right to privacy conflicts with
anotherโs right to know
Distributive justice principle
โข People who are similar should receive similar benefits and burdens e.g.
two employees who contribute equally in their work
โข Inequalities are acceptable when they benefit the least well off
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Influences on Ethical Conduct
Influences on Ethical
Conduct
Slide 23
1. Moral intensity
โข The degree to which an issue demands the application of ethical
principles
2. Moral sensitivity (ethical sensitivity)
โข A personโs ability to recognize the presence of an ethical issue and
determine its relative importance
โข Enables quicker and more accurate estimation of an issueโs moral
intensity
โข Moral sensitivity increases with the personโs
1. empathy
2. subject expertise
3. direct experience with these moral dilemmas
4. mindfulness
โข Mindfulness — A personโs receptive and impartial attention to and
awareness of the present situation as well as to oneโs own thoughts
and emotions in that moment
โก
Involves actively monitoring the environment, so increases moral sensitivity
3. Situational influences
โข External forces to act contrary to moral principles and personal values
Supporting Ethical Behaviour
Supporting Ethical
Behaviour
Slide 24
Corporate code of ethics
โข Statement about desired practices, rules of conduct, and philosophy
about the organizationโs relationship to stakeholders and the
environment
โข Problem: Limited effect on ethical conduct
Training
โข Train employees in proper ethical conduct
Systems for communicating/investigating wrongdoing
โข Anonymous employee reporting — e.g., hotline, website
โข Impartial investigation — e.g. ombuds officers
Ethical leadership and shared values
โข Ethical conduct and vigilance of corporate leaders โ role model ethical
standards that employees are more likely to follow
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Values Across Cultures
Individualism
Slide 25
Five values that have cross-cultural significance are individualism,
collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and achievementnurturing orientation
Individualism
A cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture
emphasize independence and person uniqueness
Highly individualist people value personal freedom, self-sufficiency,
control over their own lives, and appreciation of their unique qualities
Collectivism
Extent to which we value our duty to groups to which we belong and to
group harmony
Collectivism
Slide 26
Highly collectivist people define themselves by their group memberships,
emphasize their personal connection to others in their in-groups, and
value the goals and well-being of people within those groups
Note: Contrary to popular belief, individualism is not the opposite of
collectivism โ the two concepts are unrelated (both horizontally and
vertically)
Power Distance
Extent to which people accept unequal distribution of power in a society
Power Distance
Slide 27
High power distance
โข Accept and value unequal power
โข Value obedience to authority
โข Comfortable receiving commands from superiors without consultation
โข Prefer to resolve conflicts through formal rules rather than directly
Low power distance
โข Expect relatively equal power sharing
โข View relationship with boss as interdependent, not dependence
โข Expect power sharing and consultation in decisions affecting them
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Uncertainty Avoidance
Degree to which people tolerate ambiguity or feel threatened by
ambiguity and uncertainty
Uncertainty Avoidance
Slide 28
Low uncertainty avoidance
โข Tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty
High uncertainty avoidance
โข Feel threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty
โข Value structured situations, clear documentation, and direct rather
than indirect or ambiguous communications
Achievement-Nurturing
Reflects a competitive versus cooperative view of relations with other
people
Achievement-Nurturing
Slide 29
High achievement orientation
โข Value assertiveness, competitiveness, materialism
โข Appreciate people who are tough and favour acquisition of money and
material goods
Nurturing orientation
โข Emphasize relationships and the well-being of others
โข Focus on human interaction and caring rather than competition and
personal success
Diversity of Canadian Values
Francophone and Anglophone cultural clusters are still easily identifiable
as a form of deep-level diversity
Diversity of Canadian
Values
Slide 30
โข Francophones have lower scores than Anglophones on respect for patriarchal
authority and tend to have more tolerant or morally permissive opinions
regarding marriage, sexual activity, and nonmarried parenthood
โข Some evidence that Anglophone and Francophone values are converging
First Nations Values
โข Organizations with aboriginal leaders/founders tend to have:
Strong collectivist value
โก Low power distance
โก Low uncertainty avoidance
โก
โก
Relatively nurturing rather than achievement orientation
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Canadian vs. American Values
Despite close associations, values held by people in Canada and the U.S.
are more divergent today than in the past.
Canadian vs. American
Values
Slide 31
Canadians are:
โข
โข
โข
โข
โข
โข
Significantly higher tolerance or moral permissiveness
More willing to allow collective rights over individual rights
Less accepting of large wealth differences within society
More likely to question authority and value autonomy
Less likely to be associated with a religious institution
More likely to believe that organizations work better without a single
leader
โข Less value placed on patriarchal authority i.e. less likely to believe that the
father should be the master of the home
Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Individual Behaviour,
Personality, and Values
Slide 32
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
SOLUTIONS TO CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
1.
A provincial government department has high levels of absenteeism among the office staff. The head of office
administration argues that employees are misusing the organizationโs sick leave benefits. However, some of the
mostly female staff members have explained that family responsibilities interfere with work. Using the MARS
model, as well as your knowledge of absenteeism behaviour, discuss some of the possible reasons for
absenteeism here and how it might be reduced.
The MARS model of individual behaviour states that behaviour is a function of motivation, ability, role
perceptions, and situational factors. With respect to absenteeism, employees may be away from assigned work
because they donโt want to attend work that day (motivation), they donโt realize that this is their work day (role
perceptions), and/or environmental conditions prevent them from attending work (situational factors).
In this incident, situational factors may explain mostly why female employees are absent. Specifically, family
responsibilities interfere with their work attendance. However, some absenteeism among men and women may be
due to sick leave policies. It is known that generous sick leave benefits reduce attendance motivation.
2.
It has been said that all employees are motivated. Do you agree with this statement?
All elements of the MARS model help us understand the critical influences on individualโs voluntary behaviour
and performance. If any of those components is missing, then their subsequently behaviour and performance
would likely not be high. But letโs take the case of motivation for example. Motivation can take many forms
(direction), intensity and varying levels of persistence. The employee who comes in late, spends half his day
gossiping at the coffee machine, and goes home with some property of the organization โis that person motivated?
Yes, of course s/he is! It is just not motivation congruent with the organizations goals. So goal congruence is also
important when we discuss motivation. Sometimes some of our most motivated employees do nothing! The
organizationโs goal is to ensure that the direction that motivation takes is congruent with the direction in which the
organization is going!
3.
Studies report that heredity has a strong influence on an individualโs personality. What are the implications of
this in organizational settings?
There are a number of issues that student might — and should — raise in response to this question. First, the strong
effect of heredity suggests that applicant selection is an important way to improve job performance and employee
well-being (by ensuring their work matches their personality). Although we might try to change an employees
style of behaviour, their inherent style is strongly determined already. This is why many companies refer to โhire
for attitude, train for skillโ
A second implication is that training for some types of behaviour (fun-oriented, detailed, talkative, etc.) might be
less successful than employer assume. It would be better to transfer people into jobs that more closely match their
personality.
4.
All candidates applying for a management trainee position are given a personality test that measures the five
dimensions in the five-factor model. Which personality traits would you consider to be the most important for
this type of job? Explain your answer.
The textbook provides some information to help students answer this question. First, conscientiousness and
emotional stability (low neuroticism) are important because they best predict individual performance in almost
every job group. Both are motivational components of personality because they energize a willingness to fulfill
work obligations within established rules (conscientiousness) and to allocate resources to accomplish those tasks
(emotional stability). Various studies have reported that conscientious employees set higher personal goals for
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
themselves, are more motivated, and have higher performance expectations than do employees with low levels of
conscientiousness. They also tend to have higher levels of organizational citizenship and work better in
organizations that give employees more freedom than in traditional โcommand and controlโ workplaces.
The other important personality dimension is extroversion, because it is associated with performance in sales and
management jobs, where employees must interact with and influence people. One or more other personality
dimensions might also be relevant to management trainees, but these three stand out.
5.
Compare and contrast personality with personal values, and identify values categories in Schwartzโs values
circumplex that likely relate to one or more personality dimensions in the five-factor personality model.
This question has two parts. The first part (compare/contrast) involves defining both concepts and then pointing
out similarities and differences. Personality is the relatively enduring pattern of thoughts, emotions, and
behaviours that characterize a person, along with the psychological processes behind those characteristics. Values
are stable, evaluative beliefs that guide our preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations.
Both concepts are characteristics of individuals, are relatively abstract, and have many dimensions (specific
personality traits and specific individual values). The main difference between these two concepts is that
personality is descriptive whereas values are evaluative. Personality refers (descriptively) to behavioural
tendencies. Values refer to what people โoughtโ to do; they indicate that some things have more valence (good/
bad) than other things. A second distinction is that specific values conflict with other specific values, whereas
personality traits have much less conflict with each other. A third distinction is that personality is more strongly
influenced by heredity than are personal values. Heredity has some influence on our values, but socialization and
life experience play a stronger role compared to the effect on personality.
The second part of this question asks student to identify specific Schwartzโs values categories with personality
dimensions. This is possible because personality and values are associated with each other. Several studies have
reported correlations between Schwartzโs list of values and the Big Five personality dimensions. None of this
detail is provided in the textbook, but students can try to associate personality traits with personal values through
their definitions.
The table below summarizes a meta-analysis of of studies relating the Big Five personality dimensions with
personal values:
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Exhibit: Meta-Analytic Results for Big Five Personality Dimensions and Personal Values (Schwartz Model)
Conscientiousness
Emotional
Stability
Power
Achievement
0.26
Extraversion
Agreeableness
0.19
โ.34
Openness to
Experience
0.23
Hedonism
0.11
Stimulation
0.26
0.29
0.49
Self-direction
Universalism
0.23
Benevolence
0.48
Conformity
0.29
0.05
Security
โ.35
0.35
Tradition
0.22
โ.02
0.46
โ.27
0.07
Source: Parks, L., & Guay, R. P. (2009). Personality, values, and motivation. Personality and Individual Differences,
47(7), 675-684.
For earlier writing on the relationships among personality traits and personal values, see: Olver, J. M., &
Mooradian, T. A. (2003). Personality traits and personal values: a conceptual and empirical integration. Personality
and Individual Differences, 35(1), 109-125; Aluja, A., & Garcรญa, L. F. (2004). Relationships between Big Five personality
factors and values. Social Behaviour & Personality, 32(7), 619-626.
This table indicates the following:
Openness to experience — generally the strongest association with specific values, particularly higher selfdirection, universalism, and stimulation, and lower conformity and tradition.
Agreeableness — seems to have the 2nd highest link to specific values. these values include higher benevolence,
tradition, and universalism, as well as lower power and security.
Conscientiousness — This personality dimension has some connection to personal values, notably conformity,
achievement, and security.
Extraversion — This Big Five personality dimension is correlated significantly (all positively) with stimulation,
achievement, and power.
Emotional Stability (low neuroticism) — This personality dimension is reported to have the weakest association
with any of Schwartzโs values. The three values that minimally relate are stimulation, conformity, and (barely)
security.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
6.
This chapter discussed values congruence mostly in the context of an employeeโs personal values versus the
organizationโs values. But values congruence also relates to the juxtaposition of other pairs of value systems.
Explain how values congruence is relevant with respect to organizational versus professional values (i.e.,
values of a professional occupation, such as physician, accountant, pharmacist).
The textbook explains that values congruence comes in different forms, such as individual with organization and
organization with society. This question asks about values congruence between the organization and a professional
group (accountants, lawyers, engineers, teachers etc.). For example, an engineer working for an auto manufacturer
may be asked to design a gas tank that minimizes cost beyond established minimum engineering standards. In this
case values incongruence may occur because the engineerโs profession dictates that public safety be paramount in
all design considerations.
7.
โAll decisions are ethical decisions.โ Comment on this statement, particularly by referring to the concepts of
moral intensity and moral sensitivity.
This statement is probably best viewed as false. For a decision to have an ethical dimension it has to have some
moral intensity associated with it. Moral intensity is a characteristic of the situation. It refers to the degree to which
an issue demands the application of ethical principles. โWho should be laid off?โ would have high moral intensity.
On the other hand, a decision to take an umbrella to work because it might rain has no moral intensity. This is
because morally intense issues involve others in the society who may think the decision is good or evil, or the issue
quickly affects people.
A few people might argue that all decisions are ethical decisions because all decisions affect others in some way.
There is always some tiny degree of moral intensity in all decisions, they would suggest. This argument implies
that anything you decide or do (such as choosing to wake up 15 minutes earlier tomorrow morning) will affect
others. We live in an interconnected world, but a contrary argument is that to be considered an ethical decision, a
decision requires some minimum level of effect. A trivial effect (such as someone surprised to see you awake 15
minutes earlier tomorrow) would fall below a minimum threshold to be considered ethical. Also, an ethical
decision necessarily requires the ability of the decision maker to be aware of possible consequences of the decision.
You could not usually predict that waking 15 minutes earlier tomorrow would have a good or bad effect on others,
so that decision is not considered an ethical decision.
Moral sensitivity refers to a characteristic of the decision maker, not the situation. Faced with the same issue, two
decision makers may be more or less moral sensitive. This means that people differ in their ability to recognize the
presence and determine the relative importance of an ethical issue.
Moral intensity and moral sensitivity are different, but they go hand-in-hand. An issue with high moral intensity
might be decided without the required ethical consideration because the decision maker doesnโt recognize its
ethical importance (i.e., the person has low moral sensitivity). Thus, both concepts are important factors in the
extent to which we apply ethical principles to issues.
8.
The organization that you have been working in for five years is now suffering from a global recession and it
changes the compensation structure. Discuss the role of moral intensity, moral sensitivity and situational
influences in this context.
Moral intensity is the degree to which an issue demands application of ethical principles. In this situation, the
organization is facing financial instability and needs your support, nevertheless, this is just one of the factors which
contributes to the moral intensity of the issue. Moral sensitivity is a personal characteristic that enables people to
recognize the presence of an ethical issue and determine its relative importance. Even after having worked for five
years in the organization, it depends on you as a person, and also on the information that you have about the
situation, higher moral sensitivity leads to higher empathy. Situational factors could be a pressure from top
management, peer pressure, social pressure and family responsibilities, and your comfort zone within the
organization. Based on these situational factors, you may choose to stay with the organization, accept the new
compensation or look for work elsewhere.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
9.
People in a particular South American country have high power distance and high collectivism. What does this
mean, and what are the implications of this information when you (a senior executive) visit employees working
for your company in that country?
In high power distance cultures, people tend to accept the power differential which exists in their society. This
extends to the workplace as well. I would expect the employees to address me by my surname. I would not
interpret this as being aloof or unfriendly. The social interchange between the employees and I would be formal.
High collectivism would encourage me to celebrate the achievements of everyone as a group. Any discussion
would emphasize and focus on improving or maintaining group harmony and teamwork.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
CASE STUDY: ETHICS DILEMMA VIGNETTES
Purpose
This exercise is designed to make students aware of the ethical dilemmas people face in various business situations, as
well as the competing principles and values that operate in these situations.
Instructions (Small Class)
The instructor will form teams of 4 or 5 students. Team members will read each case below and discuss the extent to
which the companyโs action in each case was ethical. Teams should be prepared to justify their evaluation using ethics
principles and perceived moral intensity of each incident.
Instructions (Large Class)
Working alone, students read each case below and determine the extent to which the companyโs action in each case
was ethical. The instructor will use a show of hands to determine the extent to which students believe case represents
an ethical dilemma (high or low moral intensity), and the extent to which the main people or company in each incident
acted ethically.
Comments for Instructors
There is, of course, no right answer to this exercise, but the process and application of ethics principles is important in
the discussion. Students tend to get into debates about the merits and problems with each activity, but they also
should dig deeper into the three ethics principles, and the moral intensity of each issue. Here are each of the vignettes
along with background and comments:
Case One
A large European bank requires all employees to open a bank account with that bank. The bank deposits employee
paycheques to those accounts. The bank explains that this is a formal policy which all employees agree to at the time of
hire. Furthermore, failure to have an account with the bank shows disloyalty, which could limit the employeeโs career
advancement opportunities with the bank. Until recently, the bank has reluctantly agreed to deposit paycheques to
accounts at other banks for a small percentage of employees. Now, bank executives want to reinforce the policy. They
announced that employees have three months to open an account with the bank or face disciplinary action.
Comments to instructors: This case occurred at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). (See โRoyal Bank of Scotland Threatens
Staff with Disciplinary Action,โ Personnel Today, 23 March 2007.) This incident is fairly well-balanced with two sides
to the story, and students should figure out the conflicting moral principles involved. On the one side, employees
should have the freedom to make personal decisions outside work without being influenced unduly by the employer.
As union officials mentioned in response to this incident, grocery store employees are free to buy groceries at
competitor stores, so why should RBS employees be required to bank with their own bank. Furthermore, there may be
a legal issue of whether the bank can refuse to pay employees where they have a standard bank account (even if at
another bank). On the other hand, failure to use your own employerโs services is a sign of disrespect and disloyalty
where those services are aimed at people similar to the employees. One might argue that failure to open an account at
RBS should limit career opportunities because one would expect managers to demonstrate even more loyalty to the
company. Perhaps most students would argue against disciplinary action, but a few might notice that employees
agreed to this practice when they joined the organization. As such, failure to open a bank account may be a breach of
the employment relationship
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Case Two
A 16-year-old hired as an office administrator at a small import services company started posting her thoughts about
the job on her Facebook site. After her first day, she wrote: โfirst day at work. omg!! So dull!!โ Two days later, she
complained โall i do is shred holepunch n scan paper!!! omg!โ Two weeks later she added โim so totally bord!!!โ These
comments were intermixed with the other usual banter about her life. Her Facebook site did not mention the name of
the company where she worked. Three weeks after being hired, the employee was called into the ownerโs office, where
he fired her for the comments on Facebook and then had her escorted from the building. The owner argues that these
comments put the company in a bad light, and her โdisplay of disrespect and dissatisfaction undermined the
relationship and made it untenable.โ
Comments to instructors: This case occurred at a small industrial services business in the United Kingdom (see: A.
Levy, โTeenage office worker sacked for moaning on Facebook about her ‘totally boring’ job,โ Daily Mail, 26 February
2009). However, there are several similar cases involving Facebook, blogs, and other social media, where employees
write negative comments about their employer. For example, this incident parallels two earlier cases in which (a) a
Starbucks employee was fired for complaining about his bossโs decision on a work issue and (b) an employee who
worked in marketing for government in northern Canada was fired for posting artistic photos of garbage in the snow.
To some people, the case of the teenage Facebook complainer is a clear case of an employee who should be dismissed
because she lacks sufficient commitment to and appreciation of the job. The company owner later explained to media:
โWe were looking for a long-term relationship with Miss Swann as we do with all our staff. Her display of disrespect
and dissatisfaction undermined the relationship and made it untenable.โ But others would say that the ownerโs
activities were unethical because (a) the owner was snooping on the employeeโs private communication (although
obviously open for others to read), (b) her statements may have been an accurate reflection of the work, (c) there is no
evidence that her work performance was undermined by her statements or attitude, and (d) she did not name the
company when writing these negative comments. To add interest to this class activity, look for the YouTube video in
which the fired employee is interviewed. (Note: A news segment on this incident might still be available on YouTube.)
Case Three
Computer printer manufacturers usually sell printers at a low margin over cost and generate much more income from
subsequent sales of the high-margin ink cartridges required for each printer. One global printer manufacturer now
designs its printers so that they work only with ink cartridges sold in the same region. Ink cartridges purchased in
Canada will not work with the same printer model sold in Europe, for example. This โregion codingโ of ink cartridges
does not improve performance. Rather, it prevents consumers and grey marketers from buying the product at a lower
price in another region. The company says this policy allows it to maintain stable prices within a region rather than
continually changing prices due to currency fluctuations.
Comments to instructors: This case refers to actions by Hewlett Packard (HP). (See David Pringle and Steve Stecklow,
โElectronics with borders,โ Wall Street Journal, 17 January 2005, B1.) Students might see both sides of the issue here.
Although the sense of freedom to purchase globally may dominate the discussion, some students might agree with the
concern that companies are buffeted by currency fluctuations to such an extent that they cannot adapt quickly enough
to price changes and shifting supplies with those currency fluctuations. For instance, a large buyer of HP printer ink in
Europe might ship much of that ink to Canada if the Euro rises appreciatively against the U.S. dollar, thereby causing a
shortage of printer ink in Europe. Others may argue that this supply shift is a small portion of the supply of ink
cartridges in most regions, so HPโs actions are unfair. In terms of moral intensity, students may realize that few people
are affected by HPโs restrictions and that it has low proximity (not nearby), so moral intensity is low. In classes where
most students believe there is no (or minimal) moral dilemma with HPโs actions, I show the newspaper article and ask
why the story was on the front business page of a leading newspaper!
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Case Four
Judy Price is a popular talk show radio personality and opinionated commentator on the morning phone-in show of a
Toronto radio station. Ms. Price is married to John Tremble, a lawyer who was recently elected for the first time to the
parliament of Ontario. He also became Minister of the Environment and Conservation in the newly formed
government that defeated the previous government. The radio stationโs board of directors is very concerned that the
stationโs perceived objectivity will be compromised if Ms. Price remains on air as a commentator and talk show host
while her husband holds such a public position in the province. For example, the radio station manager believes that
Ms. Price gave minimal attention to the Environment Ministryโs slow response to a leakage of toxic chemicals a week
ago at a large manufacturing company. Ms. Price denied that her views are biased and argued that the incident didnโt
merit as much attention as other issues that particular day. To ease the boardโs concerns, the station manager has
transferred Ms. Price from a talk show host and commentator to the hourly news reporting position, where most script
is edited by others. Although technically a lower position, Ms. Priceโs total salary package remains the same. Ms. Price
is now seeking professional advice to determine whether the radio stationโs action represents a form of discrimination
on the basis of marital status.
Comments to instructors: This case is based on a discrimination case in Canada. At issue is the stationโs right to
operate a business that maintains its integrity to the listeners, and the individualโs right to perform her job without
consideration of marital status. The law in this case tends to side with the employee: employers cannot use broad
categorizations (such as marital status) to make decisions about individual employees. Rather, they must rely on
information specific to that person. At the same time, the other point of view is that the station did rely on information
specific to this person; marital status was simply one piece of information in their determination of risk. At some
point, the individualโs right must be limited by the employerโs right to minimize potential damage to the goodwill of
its business.
Case Five
For the past few years, the design department of a small (40-employee) company has been using a particular software
program, but the three employees who use the software have been complaining for more than a year that the software
is out of date and is slowing down their performance. The department agreed to switch to a competing software
program, costing several thousand dollars. However, the next version wonโt be released for six months and buying the
current version will not allow much discount on the next version. The company has put in advance orders for the next
version. Meanwhile, one employee was able to get a copy of the current version of the software from a friend in the
industry. The company has allowed the three employees to use this current version of the software even though they
did not pay for it.
Comments to instructors: This case is adapted from a real situation in another industry. It is undoubtedly common
enough, and there are several variations of software piracy. The case refers to a practice that software companies would
easily conclude is software piracy and therefore obviously unethical. Perhaps most students would concur, although
many would support the companyโs action on the grounds that the software firm would receive an unfair windfall
(having one purchase just before the new version is released). Moral intensity figures strongly here. The company is
small and only intends to purchase a few copies. The period of illegal use is also only six months.
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
CLASS EXERCISE: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF
PERSONALITY
Purpose
This exercise is designed to help students think about and understand the effects of the Big Five personality
dimensions on individual preferences and outcomes.
Instructions (Large Class)
Below are several questions relating to the Big Five personality dimensions and various preferences or outcomes.
Answer each of these questions relying on your personal experience or best guess. Later, the instructor will show you
the answers based on scholarly results. You will not be graded on this exercise, but it may help you to better
understand the effect of personality on human behaviour and preferences.
Instructions (Small Class)
1. The instructor will organize students into teams. Members of each team work together to answer each of the
questions below relating to the Big Five personality dimensions and various preferences or outcomes.
2. The instructor will reveal the answers based on scholarly results. (Note: The instructor might create a competition to
see which team has the most answers correct.)
Exercise Answers
1.
You have been asked to select job applicants for a nine-month over-winter assignment working in an Antarctic
research station with a dozen other people. Assuming that all candidates have equal skills, experience, and
health, identify the level of each personality dimension that would be best for people working in these remote,
confined, and isolated conditions.
Answer:
Conscientiousness — average (but possibly below average relating to : high tolerance to lack of achievement and
low need for order)
Agreeableness — above average
Neuroticism — Low (relatively high emotional stability) (this seems to be the most significant factor)
Openness to experience — above average, but ambiguous findings because also high tolerance of lack of
stimulation and does not become bored easily
Extroversion — below average (i.e., moderately introverted and low need for social interaction, โbut socially
adeptโ)
Sources: Musson, D. M., Sandal, G. M., Harper, M., & Helmreich, R. L. (2002). Personality testing in antarctic
expeditioners; cross cultural comparisons and evidence for generalizability, 53rd International Astronautical
Congress, The World Space Congress. Houston: International Astronautical Federation; Sarris, A. (2006).
Personality, Culture Fit, and Job Outcomes on Australian Antarctic Stations. Environment and Behaviour, 38(3),
356-372; Palinkas, L. A., & Suedfeld, P. (2008). Psychological effects of polar expeditions. The Lancet, 371(9607),
153-163.
2.
Listed below are several jobs. Please check no more than two personality dimensions that you believe are
positively associated with preferences for each occupation.
Answer:
Budget analyst: Conscientiousness
Corporate executive: Extroversion
Engineer: Openness to experience
Journalist: Openness to experience
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Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
Life insurance agent: Extroversion
Nurse: Extroversion and agreeableness
Physician: Extroversion and agreeableness
Production supervisor: Conscientiousness
Public relations director: Openness to experience
Research analyst: openness to experience
School teacher: extroversion and agreeableness
Sculptor: openness to experience
Sources: Furnham, A., (2001) โVocational preference and P-O fit: Reflections on Hollandโs Theory of Vocational
Choice,โ Applied Psychology: An International Review, 50 (1), pp. 5-29; Tett, Robert P., and Dawn D. Burnett. “A
personality trait-based interactionist model of job performance.” Journal of Applied Psychology 88, no. 3 (2003):
500-517; Barrick, M. R. Murray R., M. K. Michael K. Mount, and R. Rashmi Gupta. “Meta-analysis of the
relationship between the five-factor model of personality and Holland’s occupational types.” Personnel psychology
56, no. 1 (2003): 45.
NOTE: There is ongoing debate regarding the association between vocational preference and personality. Sullivan
& Hanson (2004) report that subdimensions of the Big 5 are better predictors of vocational interest than are the
overall dimensions (e.g. subdimensions of extroversion — such as enthusiasm and sociability).
Assignment of some of these personality dimensions to specific occupations may be based on limited data. Also,
although these are identified as the most significant personality predictors, other five-factor dimensions also likely
have a significant influence on occupational preferences.
3.
On which two personality dimensions should team members have the highest scores, on average, to produce
the best team performance?
Answer: agreeableness and conscientiousness
Source: Peeters, Miranda A. G., Harrie F. J. M. van Tuijl, Christel G. Rutte, and Isabelle M. M. J. Reymen.
“Personality and team performance: a meta-analysis.” European Journal of Personality 20, no. 5 (2006): 377-396
4.
Rank-order (1=highest, 5 =lowest) the Big Five personality dimensions in terms of how much you think they
predict a personโs degree of life satisfaction. (Note: Personality dimensions are ranked by their absolute effect,
so ignore the negative or positive direction of association.)
RANK
1
2
3/4
5
PERSONALITY DIMENSION
Neuroticism (negative association)
Conscientiousness
Extroversion & agreeableness
Openness to experience
Source: DeNeve, K. M., and H. Cooper. “The Happy Personality: A Meta-Analysis of 137 Personality Traits and
Subjective Well-Being.” Psychological Bulletin 124 (1998): 197-229.
5.
Which two Big Five personality dimensions are positively associated with enjoyment of workplace humour?
Answer: Extroversion and agreeableness have the highest correlation with attitudes toward having fun at work.
Source: Karl et al, โIs fun for everyone? Personality differences in healthcare providersโ attitudes toward fun,โ
Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, Spring 2007, pp. 409-447
Page 2-28
ยฉ 2015 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This
document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Chapter 2: Individual Behaviour, Personality, and Values
SELF-ASSESSMENT: ARE YOU INTROVERTED OR
EXTROVERTED?
Purpose
This self-assessment is designed to help students to estimate the extent to which you are introverted or extroverted.
Overview and Instructions
The statements in this scale represent the 10-item introversion-extroversion scale in the International Personality Item
Pool. This is the short version, so it estimates overall introversion-extroversion but not specific facets within the
personality dimension. Students can use the scoring key in Appendix B to calculate their results, or complete the scale
on the student CD for self-scoring. This exercise is completed alone so students assess themselves honestly without
concerns of social comparison. Class discussion will focus on the meaning and implications of extroversion and
introversion in organizations.
Feedback for the IPIP Introversion-Extroversion Scale
Extroversion characterizes people who are outgoing, talkative, sociable, and assertive. It includes several facets, such as
friendliness, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity level, excitement-seeking, and cheerfulness. The opposite of
extroversion is introversion, which refers to the personality characteristics of being quiet, shy, and cautious. Extroverts
get their energy from the outer world (people and things around them), whereas introverts get their energy from the
internal world, such as personal reflection on concepts and ideas. Introverts are more inclined to direct their interests to
ideas rather than to social events.
This is the short version of the IPIP Introversion-Extroversion Scale, so it estimates overall introversion-extroversion
but not specific facets within the personality dimension. Scores range from 0 to 40. Low scores indicate introversion;
high scores indicate extroversion. The norms in the following table are estimated from results of early adults (under 30
years old) in Scotland and undergraduate psychology students in the United States. However, introversionextroversion norms vary from one group to the next; the best norms are likely based on the entire class you are
attending or with past students in this course.
Score
Interpretation
35-40
High extroversion
28-34
Moderate extroversion
21-27
In-between extroversion and introversion
7-20
Moderate introversion
0-6
High introversion
Page 2-29
ยฉ 2015 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This
document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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