Moderators of the personality-performance relationship: An investigation of job meaning and autonomy. Issue 3 (3rd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Muldoon, Jeffrey; Kisamore, Jennifer L.; Liguori, Eric W.; Jawahar, I.M.; Bendickson, Joshua
• Is Part Of: Personnel review. Volume 46:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: 474
• Page End: 489
• Publication Date: 2017-04-03
• Subjects: Quantitative -- Personality -- Autonomy -- Organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) -- Advanced statistical -- Person-job fit -- Job characteristics; Personnel management -- Periodicals; 658.3005
• DOI: 10.1108/PR-02-2016-0040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0048-3486

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether job meaning and job autonomy moderate the relationship between emotional stability and organizational citizenship behavior. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 190 supervisor-subordinate dyads completed three surveys. Linear and curvilinear analyses were used to assess the data. Findings: Results indicate emotionally stable individuals are more likely to perform OCBOs in low autonomy and/or low job meaning situations than are employees low in emotional stability. Conversely, individuals who have high autonomy and/or high meaning jobs are likely to engage in OCBOs regardless of personality. Research limitations/implications: As a survey-based research study, causal conclusions cannot be drawn from this study. Results suggest future research on the personality-performance relationship needs to more closely consider context and the potential for curvilinear relationships. Practical implications: Managers should note that personality may significantly affect job performance and consider placing individuals in jobs that best align with their personality strengths. Originality/value: This study sheds light on factors which may have led to erroneous conclusions in the extant literature that the relationship between personality and performance is weak.