Fundamentals of organizational behavior 2e by dubrin ch02

Individual Differences, Diversity, Ability, and Personality Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior 2e PowerPoint Presentation Chapter 2... Explain how individual differences influence

Individual Differences, Diversity, Ability, and Personality

Fundamentals of

Organizational Behavior 2e

PowerPoint Presentation

Chapter 2

Learning Objectives

1 Explain how individual differences influence the

behavior of people in organizations.

2 Describe the key factors contributing to

demographic diversity.

3 Explain how mental ability relates to job

performance.

4 Identify major personality variables that influence job performance.

5 Explain how emotional intelligence is an important part of organizational behavior.

Individual Differences

Personal characteristics of individuals produce

variations in their behavioral responses to the

same situations:

 Behavior is a function of the person

interacting with the environment.

 B = ƒ(P x E)

 Behavior is determined (moderated)

by the interactive effects of the

person and the environment.

Consequences of Individual

Differences

Variations in Productivity

 The more complex the job, the larger the impact of

individual productivity differences on work output.

Ability and Talent

 Having the right skills and abilities directly affects job

performance.

Propensity for Achieving High-Quality Results

 Some workers take pride and pursue excellence in their

work while others do not.

Empowerment and Involvement

 Workers differ in their desires to be fulfilled by and involved

in their work.

Consequences of Individual

Differences

Preferred leadership style

 Some workers prefer or require more supervision than

others.

Need for contact with other people

 Workers differ in the need to relate to others on the job.

Commitment and loyalty to the firm

 There are large variations in the degree to which individuals are committed (loyal) to their firms.

Variations in worker’s self-esteem

 High self-esteem is linked to self-efficacy (personal

capability), self-respect (personal worth), and increased

productivity.

Demographic Diversity

Difference in background factors shape worker

attitudes and behaviors

 Key sources of diversity include gender, age, race and

ethnicity, and physical disability.

 Advantages of understanding diversity:

 Capitalize on differences

 Avoid negative

stereotyping

Sex and Gender Differences

Sex differences

 are actual biological differences in males and females.

Gender differences

 are based on perceptions of male and female roles

Research findings indicate that:

 Men

– Communicate to convey

information or establish status

– Emphasize immediate

goals and value equity (fair treatment)

– More aggressive and less

 Women

–Communicate to convey and

establish rapport and to solve problems

–More courteous and polite;

value equality (sharing equally)

Age- and Experience-Based

Differences

Shortages of skilled workers are likely by 2010.

Job discrimination against older workers

 is problematic for employers who need workers.

 is well-documented by AARP “testers.”

Job-related consequences of age

 Research results are mixed:

 Age and experience are predictive of

performance on complex jobs although

age and job performance are generally unrelated.

 Older workers have lower absenteeism, illness and accident rates, higher job satisfaction, and positive work values.

Racial and Ethnic Differences

Racioethnicity

 Term refers to a variety of racial and ethnic differences.

 Racioethnic differences in individual job performance are

more attributable to culture than to racial or ethnic

background.

Disability Status

American with Disabilities Act (1991)

 Defines disability as a physical or mental condition that

substantially limits an individual’s major life activities:

 learning, thinking, concentrating, interacting with others, caring for one’s self, speaking, performing manual tasks, working, and sleeping.

 Companies with 25 or more employees must avoid

discriminatory hiring practices that rule

out hiring disabled individuals who

can carry out the essential functions

of the job with reasonable

accommodation.

Mental Ability

Intelligence

 Is the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge, including

solving problems.

 Is a major source of individual differences affecting job

performance and behavior.

 Is difficult to measure accurately.

The relative contributions of heredity

and environment in fostering

individual intelligence

are in dispute.

Components of Intelligence

Standard Theory of Intelligence

 Intelligence consists of general cognitive factors (g) and

special factors (s) that contribute to problem-solving ability.

 High scores on g are associated with good scholastic

performance and success on the job.

 Special factors contributing to overall mental aptitude:

• Verbal comprehension

• Word fluency

• Numerical

• Spatial

• Memory

• Perceptual speed

• Inductive reasoning

The Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

(Emphasis on Practical Intelligence)

Three mental ability subtypes:

 Analytical

Traditional type of intelligence focused on

problem solving involving abstract reasoning.

 Creative

Intelligence needed for imagination and

combining things in novel ways.

 Practical

“Street smarts” needed to adapt to

the environment.

The Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Analytical

Source: Based on information in Robert J Trotter, “Three Heads Are Better Than One,”

EXHIBIT

Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner’s theory of mental abilities

 People know and understand the world in different ways

and through different lenses.

 Individuals possess eight intelligences (faculties) to varying degrees which create distinct individual intelligence profiles that influence behaviors:

• Linguistic

• Logical-mathematical

• Musical

• Spatial

• Bodily/kinesthetic

• Intrapersonal

• Interpersonal

• Naturalist

Personality Differences

Personality

 Is the persistent and enduring behavior patterns of an

individual as expressed in wide variety of situations.

 Is regarded as the core of who a person is.

 Personality factors are important to performance on the job and to performance as a team member.

Seven major personality factors and traits:

• Extraversion

• Emotional stability

• Agreeableness

• Conscientiousness

• Openness to experience

• Self-monitoring of behavior

• Risk taking and thrill seeking

Psychological Types and Cognitive

Styles

(Myers-Briggs)Cognitive style

 Is the mental processes a person uses to perceive and

make judgments from information.

 Is defined by how a person gathers information and

evaluates information (Carl Jung).

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

 Is a widely used test of personality and cognitive style.

 Uses a four-way classification of cognitive styles:

 Sensation / Thinking

 Intuitive / Thinking

 Sensation / Feeling

 Intuitive / Feeling

Four Problem-Solving Styles and

Work Match-Up

Sensation / Thinking Sensation / Feeling

Decisive, dependable,

alert to details

Pragmatic, analytical, methodical, conscientious

Intuitive / Thinking Intuitive / Feeling

EXHIBIT

Emotional Intelligence

Concept of emotional intelligence

Key factors of emotional

intelligence