White (2023) suggests that placing employees in departments that they best fit based on their behaviour will help an organization achieve its performance-based objectives. For instance, employees who do not possess team work traits can be moved to positions that do not require much engagement with others. Sev (2019) posits that a high job performance behaviour will result in achievement of organizational performance. He also points out that employees have different levels of efficiency and productivity. Some employees may exhibit hard work whereas others may show negative and non-cooperative behaviour such as absenteeism, negative acts, and narrow mindedness among others. These attitudes often result in contradicting performance at work. Syed et al., (2015) study on organizational commitment and five factor model of personality found that conscientious and openness to experience had a positive impact on affective commitment whereas neuroticism and extroversion had a negative correlation with normative commitment. Cubel et al., (2016) study on personality traits and productivity found that more neurotic employees performed worse, and that those who ranked higher in conscientiousness performed better. Bui (2017), points out that extraversion had no impact on job satisfaction. According to Delima (2019), there are five main personality traits that shape employee behaviour and in turn affect the relationship between these employees, customers, management and the general organizational job performance.
The attribution theory will be used to try to explain the link between the five personality traits and job performance. According to Main (2023), attribution theory refers to the way in which people justify behaviour by trying to pin it on a cause. Notably, attributing causes to events can have a great impact on a person’s motivation and self-esteem, which are also affected by an individual’s personality traits. Understanding this theory in an organizational setting can help make informed decisions regarding recruitment and assignment of tasks to different members of an organization. Similarly, the Gordon Allport theory suggests that each individual has a unique set of traits that are the building blocks of his or her personality. These traits can either be cardinal, central or secondary. Cardinal traits are dominant in a person’s entire life, are rare and are often associated with one’s creativity and success. [...]
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study
1.1.1. Personality Traits
1.1.2. Job Performance
1.1.3. The National Police Service of Kenya
1.2. Research Problem
1.3. Research Objective
1.4. Value of the Study
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Theoretical Foundation
2.2.1. Attribution Theory
2.2.2. Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory
2.3. EMPIRICAL REVIEW
2.3.1. Openness and Job Performance
2.3.2. Conscientiousness and Job Performance
2.3.3. Extroversion and Job Performance
2.3.4. Agreeableness and Job Performance
2.3.5. Neuroticism and Job Performance
2.4. Summary and Research Gaps
2.5. Conceptual Framework
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Research Design
3.3. Target Population
3.4. Sampling Design
3.5. Data Collection
3.6. Data Analysis
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this research is to establish the relationship between personality traits and job performance within the General Service Unit (GSU) in Kenya. The study aims to evaluate how different personality dimensions influence the efficiency and professional conduct of police officers.
- The impact of Big Five personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) on job performance.
- The application of Attribution Theory and Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory in understanding workplace behavior.
- Evaluation of job performance metrics within the context of the National Police Service of Kenya.
- The identification of research gaps regarding personality-job fit in paramilitary and police organizations.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Background of the Study
White (2023) suggests that placing employees in departments that they best fit based on their behaviour will help an organization achieve its performance-based objectives. For instance, employees who do not possess team work traits can be moved to positions that do not require much engagement with others. Sev (2019) posits that a high job performance behaviour will result in achievement of organizational performance. He also points out that employees have different levels of efficiency and productivity. Some employees may exhibit hard work whereas others may show negative and non-cooperative behaviour such as absenteeism, negative acts, and narrow mindedness among others. These attitudes often result in contradicting performance at work.
Syed et al., (2015) study on organizational commitment and five factor model of personality found that conscientious and openness to experience had a positive impact on affective commitment whereas neuroticism and extroversion had a negative correlation with normative commitment. Cubel et al., (2016) study on personality traits and productivity found that more neurotic employees performed worse, and that those who ranked higher in conscientiousness performed better. Bui (2017), points out that extraversion had no impact on job satisfaction. According to Delima (2019), there are five main personality traits that shape employee behaviour and in turn affect the relationship between these employees, customers, management and the general organizational job performance.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: This chapter introduces the core research topic, detailing the background of personality traits in relation to organizational performance, outlining the problem statement regarding police reforms, and defining the study's objective and value.
CHAPTER TWO: This chapter provides a critical review of the theoretical foundations, specifically Attribution Theory and Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory, while providing an empirical literature review on the Big Five personality traits and establishing the conceptual framework.
CHAPTER THREE: This chapter outlines the research design, specifically adopting a descriptive case study approach focused on the GSU, and details the target population, sampling methods, and the statistical framework for data collection and analysis.
Keywords
Personality Traits, Job Performance, General Service Unit, Big Five Theory, Attribution Theory, Gordon Allport, Conscientiousness, Police Reforms, Organization Behavior, Task Proficiency, Contextual Performance, Human Resource Management, Kenya Police Service
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the correlation between employee personality traits—categorized by the Big Five model—and their corresponding job performance levels within the General Service Unit (GSU) of the Kenya Police Service.
What are the central themes of the work?
Central themes include the evaluation of personality-job fit, the role of organizational reform in police productivity, the psychological antecedents of professional behavior, and the interaction between specific traits like conscientiousness or neuroticism and task execution.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The primary objective is to scientifically establish the relationship between personality traits and the job performance of officers stationed at the General Service Unit.
What scientific methodology is applied?
The study utilizes a descriptive research design, conducting a case study on the GSU. It involves the collection of primary data via structured questionnaires from a sample of 370 officers, analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, specifically regression analysis.
What does the main content cover?
The main content covers an extensive literature review on the Five Factor Model (Big Five), historical context of the Kenya Police Service, theoretical frameworks for human behavior, and the methodological approach for evaluating officer performance metrics.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Personality Traits, Job Performance, General Service Unit, Big Five Theory, Attribution Theory, Conscientiousness, and Kenya Police Service.
How does the study interpret Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory?
The study views Allport’s theory as a foundational framework that groups unique human traits into cardinal, central, and secondary categories, providing a basis for identifying the traits required for specific roles within the GSU.
Why is Attribution Theory relevant here?
Attribution Theory is used to understand how GSU officers perceive the reasons behind their own performance, helping to determine if workplace outcomes are linked to internal factors like personality or external circumstantial factors.
How is GSU performance specifically measured?
Performance within the GSU unit is analyzed through parameters such as task proficiency, maintenance of personal discipline, ability to perform under pressure, and participation in management tasks.
What is the significance of the 370-officer sample size?
The sample size of 370 was calculated using Kothari’s formula for a population of 10,000, ensuring statistical representation to derive valid, generalizable conclusions about the relationship between personality and job output.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2023, Relationship between Personality Traits and Job Performance at the General Service Unit, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1507241
