THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TRAITS AND JOB PERFORMANCE (CASE STUDY: EMPLOYEES OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF KERMAN)

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1 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TRAITS AND JOB PERFORMANCE (CASE STUDY: EMPLOYEES OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF KERMAN) Nahid Askarian Department of Public Administration, yazd scienec and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran. Hoseyn Eslami Faculty member of Islamic Azad University Meybod Abstract Personality Trats have an important role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of their performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality Traits and job performance in the education department of Kerman province. To perform an extensive theoretical study of personality and job performance were studied. This paper presented an analytical model based on these studies and expert opinion was formed and All aspects of this research have been established on this basis, This model is based on five personality dimensions of extraversion, neuroticism (emotional instability), openness to experience, conscientiousness, agreeableness was analyzed. The population of the city of Kerman, research and education for all staff of 330 people formed. The data is collected using a questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed at two levels. Results showed that there was a significant relationship between job performance and personality traits, such as personality traits are important components of job performance. Key words: Job performance, personality Traits, education department. COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 322

2 Introduction The incremental improvement of the knowledge and technology established different organizational structures in comparison with the prior structure. Any organization has changed the internal communicative channels consistent with these changes. The successful organization is the organization directed towards the further improvements In the today s competitive environment, the excellence of the organizations, their performance and human resources have become very significant. The corporations consider the human resource as one of their main resources and should take proper actions and implement strategies to achieve their objectives in terms of the human resources (Gholi Pour, 2011). The skillful and efficient human resources are the most valuable wealth of each country. Regardless of the many natural resources owned by communities, they might lack the proficient employees and have no ability to utilize their facilities. Some other societies, however, have scarce natural resources but they have strongly developed because of their efficient and skillful human resources (Shekarkan, 1997). The impact of personality on the job performance of the human resources is absolutely clear and many government organizations use this effect for hiring their employees. Many topics are also involved in the job advices. Personality is one of the most significant topics considered by the job advisors. The appointment of the right people in the right jobs significantly enhances the individual and the organizational performance. Clearly, the individuals have different personalities just like the different characteristics of the careers. Based on this method, many efforts are made to appoint the right people in the right jobs (Alvani and Danayi Fard, 2002). COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 323

3 Methodology This is an applied study using correlation-descriptive methods to analyze the data. The population of this study constitutes of the educational ministry of Kerman province with more than 300 employees. Based on Cochran s formula of sampling, the sample determined to be composed of 178 individuals. The required data is gathered from the questionnaires. The personality traits are measured by the questionnaire developed by Mccra and Coasta and the job performance is measured by the Paterson questionnaire of job performance. The collected data is analyzed by SPSS software. Research Model Based on the managerial theories and the visions of the contemporary commentators, the relationship between personality traits and job performance has been examined. Furthermore, by consolidating the theories in a theoretical framework, the relationship between personality traits and job performance has been investigated. Extraversion Neuroticism Job performance Coscientiousn ess Agreeableness Openness COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 324

4 Research Background Trait theory defines the personality traits as the habitual patterns of behavior. This approach defines that traits differ across the individuals and they tend to disclose the dynamic patterns of thoughts, feelings and activities. There are five main personality traits accepted by most of the psychologists shown in table 1. These factors include extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, openness to experience. These factors are represented in table 1 (Karimi et al, 2005). There are different theories about the personality traits by different scholars; however, they all believe that these traits constitute the fundamental bases of the traits (Javadi and Kadivar, 1995). The economists believe that the human resources of a company are the main factors in developing the economics and social topics. The human resources aggregate the funds, exploit the natural resources, create economical and social and political organizations and finally increase the national development. The country in which the skills and knowledge of the individuals are not developed, the national economy is not capable of efficient exploitation. COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 325

5 Table1. Personality traits Factors Positive characteristics Negative characteristics Extraversion Outgoing, talkative, Cautious, retiring, assertive, gregarious shying Conscientiousness Thoughtful, careful, diligent, Emotional Stability Steadfast, dependable, stable Agreeableness Polite, flexible, participative, patient, compatible Openness to Wise, creative, experience innovate, knowledgeable, complex Indiscipline, unreliable Uneasy, depressed, nervous, upset Apathetic, hatred, heartless, stubborn, selfish, ambitious Simple, without imagination Lioa et al (2004) argued that the more conscientious and agreeable individuals have more efficient operations than the others. Zimmerman et al (2012) declared that the extroverts are characterized by their enjoyment in interaction with the supervisors and they are found to achieve the compensations and higher positions. The extroverts are gregarious, assertive and have positive emotions to the others. It is further declared that the extroverts have more experiences in the organization in terms of achieving higher social integration (Zimmerman, 2008). COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 326

6 Meta-analytic research by Salgado (1997) has investigated the relationship between the personality traits and job performance by using big five personality traits and 36 independent studies. Furthermore, this study has examined the association between personality dimensions and measures of job tenure in addition to the relationship between personality dimensions and performance compounds. The findings revealed that conscientiousness (r=0.25) is the most effective factor in predicting job performance. This factor is followed by the emotional stability (r=0.19) and it is shown that these two dimensions are attributable to all job measures. The meta-analytic research of Hurtz and Donovan (2000) concluded that the predicted magnitude of personality traits is in a range from 0.06 to 0.2. Their research was about the relationship between personality traits and job performance among different jobs and measures of job tenure by using 25 independent studies. Research Hypotheses 1. There is a significant relationship between extraversion and job performance of the individuals. 2. There is a significant relationship between conscientiousness and job performance of the individuals. 3. There is a significant relationship agreeableness and job performance of the individuals. 4. There is a significant relationship between neuroticism and job performance of the individuals. 5. There is a significant relationship between openness and job performance of the individuals. COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 327

7 Data Analyses Analyzing the first hypothesis There is a significant relationship between extraversion and job performance. H0: There is no significant relationship between extraversion and job performance H 0 : =0 H1: There is a relationship between extraversion and job performance. H 1 : 0 To test the extraversion and job performance, Pearson correlation coefficient and Kendall s Tau were used. These measures were selected because there are two ordinal-value variables with square tables. The results of Spearman and Kendall s Tau show that there is a significant relationship between extraversion and job performance (r=0.31 and r=0.129, respectively). The relationship between these variables were found to be positive and direct. In other words, the increase in the extroversion trait of the individuals improves their job performance. Based on the significance level of 0.041, the above hypothesis is confirmed. The second hypothesis There is a significant relationship between conscientiousness and job performance. COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 328

8 To test the relationship between conscientiousness and job performance, the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficients were used. H0: There is no relationship between conscientiousness and job performance. H 0 : =0 H1: There is a relationship between conscientiousness and job performance. H 1 : 0 The results of the Spearman and Kendall s Tau tests confirm the significant association between conscientiousness and job performance (r=0.000). This relationship is found to be a direct positive one. Based on the results of the above table, it is shown that the conscientiousness and job performance are significantly associated at the 99 percent level of confidence. The third hypothesis There is a significant relationship between agreeableness and job performance. To test the relationship between agreeableness and job performance, the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficients were used. H0: There is no relationship between agreeableness and job performance. H 0 : =0 H1: There is a relationship between agreeableness and job performance. H 1 : 0 COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 329

9 The findings related to the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficient document that there is a significant relationship between agreeableness and job performance (r=0.000). This relationship is found to be direct and positive. Based on the above table, the significant relationship between agreeableness and job performance is confirmed at the 99 percent level of confidence. The fourth hypothesis There is a significant relationship between neuroticism and job performance. To test the relationship between neuroticism and job performance, the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficients were used. H0: There is no relationship between neuroticism and job performance. H 0 : =0 H1: There is a relationship between neuroticism and job performance. H 1 : 0 The findings related to the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficient document that there is a significant relationship between neuroticism and job performance (r=0.000). This relationship is found to be an inverse and a negative one. Based on the above table, the significant relationship between agreeableness and job performance is confirmed at the 99 percent level of confidence. COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 330

10 The fifth hypothesis There is a significant relationship between openness and job performance. To test the relationship between openness and job performance, the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficients were used. H0: There is no relationship between openness and job performance. H 0 : =0 H1: There is a relationship between openness and job performance. H 1 : 0 The findings related to the Spearman and Kendall s Tau correlation coefficient suggest that there is a significant relationship between openness and job performance (r=0.000). This relationship is found to be a direct and positive one. Based on the above table, the significant relationship between openness and job performance is confirmed at the 99 percent level of confidence. Path analysis of the personality traits elements and job performance Path analysis is one of statistical techniques examining the indirect impact of the independent or dependent variables in addition to the direct impact of these variables. Path analysis is, in fact, the extension of the multivariate regression model in which the significance levels of the casual relationships are assumed ( Mirzayi, 2009: 676). COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 331

11 Table 2. Direct and indirect impacts of the variables Variables Extraversion Cosceintiousness Agreeableness Neuroticism Openness Direct 0 /198 0 /253 0 /226-0/246 0 /257 Type of Impact Indirect 0 /092 0 /084 0 /079 0 /002 - Total 0 /290 0 /337 0 /305-0/248 0 /257 Discussion and Conclusion In terms of the significant relationship between the variables, the findings of this study are consistent with the results of the other researchers. Based on the significant relationship between personality traits and job performance, the managers should seek for the ways by which the individuals are employed according to their personality traits and job position. Therefore, the efficiency and effectiveness of the organizations will significantly improve by considering the mental and personality characteristics of the individuals. Based on the path analysis and the table of the direct and indirect impacts, it is generally concluded that the conscientiousness has the highest influence on the job performance of the employees of ministry of education of Kerman. This is then concluded that the conscientiousness of the individuals should be initially considered in employing individuals. COPY RIGHT 2013 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 332

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