1. Determine a Management Area for Investigation that has an Implication for a Work Related Area:
Employees’ attitudes play an important role at
workplace and affect significantly to their performances. Job satisfaction is
one of the most imperative job attitudes that researchers are keen to explore
especially in term of its determinants. Locke (1976) has described job
satisfactions as a state of positivity or pleasure shaped from the results of
one’s job evolution. Brooke et al. (1988) have suggested the construct in term
of individual’s general attitude towards their job that stanch from the
satisfaction of their needs and wants. Literature has also evidenced the potential
benefits of job satisfaction at workplace. Judge et al. (2001) found positive
affects of job satisfaction on individual and organizational performances,
Paine & Bachrach (2000) suggest that satisfied employees show positive
organizational citizenship behaviors, Griffith (2004) relate job satisfaction
to customers’ satisfaction while Carsten & Spector (1987) found less
absenteeism for satisfied employees. These results reveal the importance of job
satisfaction and stimulate practitioners to study the antecedent and
consequences of job satisfaction.
Some early researchers have studied person logical
based determinants of job satisfaction such as Fisher and Hanna (1931) and Hoppock
(1935) who studied employees’ emotions as predictor of job satisfaction while
others studied job satisfaction in term of broad array of personality traits
especially after 1980. Big five model of personality traits proposed by Goldberg
(1990) used widely to predict individual’s personality. Most of the researchers
have studied big five model as predictor of job performances and other
organizational psychological factors but less researches tried to explore the
relationship between individual’s personality traits of big five model and
their satisfaction level. This implies that studying big five personality model
can provide a chance to practitioners and managers to determine the explained
variation in job satisfaction with respect to personality traits. This gap in
literature stimulates me to study big five personality and job satisfaction in
education sector of Pakistan. Moreover, up to my knowledge literature is found
vacant to study the relationships between job satisfaction and five factors of
personality traits in of teachers in education sector in Pakistani environment.
In doing so, the case of University of the Punjab Gujranwala Campus is selected
that can be used to identify managerial area of investigation in this respect.
Job satisfaction at University is not satisfactory that become the underlying cause
of choosing University to study.
1.1 Big Five Personality Model:
Goldberg (1990) suggests that every individual lies
into five basic categories in term of personality that are given below.
Extraversion:
These
attitudes refer to the comfort level of an individual and assess how much an
individual is assertive, outgoing, sociable and active and wants to meet
people.
Agreeableness:
These
personality traits measure that how much an individual tends to defer others.
Agreeable people are more cooperative, warming, trusting and also try to avoid
clashes and disagreement to others.
Consciousness:
These
personal characteristics demonstrate the reliability of one’s personality and
high conscious people are well organized, dependable, contain high standards
and tend to complete their job according to plan.
Neuroticism:
These
personality traits show the ability and intensity to cater stress situation of
an individual. High Neurotic individuals feel more insecure, nervous and
depressed.
Openness to Experience: These are psychological personality traits are deals with one’s
intentions to creativity, innovation and interests with originality.
2 Identify the Aim, Scope and Objective of the Project:
After determining managerial area of investigation
this section will demonstrate the aims, scope and objectives of my project to
clear the picture that what we want to explore.
2.1 Aim of the Study:
The overall aim of current study is to study
personality traits model as potential predictor of job satisfaction in the case
of lecturers and professors taught at University of the Punjab Gujranwala
campus in the environment of Pakistan. In order to study personality traits I
used big five personality factors model that described personality in term of extraversion,
openness to experience, agreeableness, consciousness and neuroticism.
2.2 Scope of the Study:
In order to know the potential determinant of job
satisfaction in term of personality traits in education industry current
project studies the 26 professors from University of the Punjab Gujranwala
Campus. The project intends to use five factors of traits proposed by Goldberg
(1990) to assess individual’s personality. Responses will be gathered and
assessed from teaching faculty through questionnaire. So, the scope of the
study is limited to the responses from 26 lecturers and professors of
University of Punjab Gujranwala Campus while five factors of personality traits
are assessed and other personality traits are beyond the scope of current
study.
2.3 Objectives:
Following are
the objectives of project.
1.
To investigate that whether teaching faculty at University of Punjab Gujranwala
Campus is satisfied from their job or not.
2.
To study personality traits with respect to big five model for 26 lecturers and
professors while responses will be generated through questionnaire at
University of Punjab Gujranwala Campus.
3.
To investigate the potential determinants of job satisfaction at University of
the Punjab for teaching faculty to construct strategies accordingly.
3. Justify the Aim and Objective of the Project:
Today job satisfaction is viewed as one of the
critical issues that managers seek to resolve as employees’ pleased attitudes
towards their job lead to high performances and productivity while personality
traits play an important role to explain the variations in job satisfaction at
workplaces. On the other hand most researchers have studies job satisfaction
with respect to person logical factors and traits for manufacturing concerns
while less researchers explore the relationship between job satisfactions and
famous big five model of personality traits especially in service industry such
as education sector. Purpose of current study is twofold. First part tries to
identify that whether teaching faculty of famous university of Pakistan i.e.
University of the Punjab Gujranwala Campus is satisfied from their job or not. Education
sector is needed to survive for a civilized society and produce professionals
who work for the betterment of society. This implies that job satisfaction of
teaching staff is more critical as creation of professionals having required
capabilities is dependent on teaching faculty. Moreover, personality traits are
also one of the imperative contributors to job satisfaction. Investigating five
factor of personality will allow HR managers to identify potential antecedents
and consequences of these personality traits with respect to job satisfaction. For
the purpose of case study University of the Punjab Gujranwala is selected that
is the renowned university of the country.
4. Identify Sources of Data and Information for the Project:
Data can be collected through primary source or
secondary source of data. Primary data is collected at source and used for specific
purpose while secondary data source consists of data that already exist in some
form. Current project uses the primary data source to collect required data. In
doing so, questionnaire approach is adopted that is used and practiced
worldwide to record responses from targeted respondents to measure personality
traits in this respect. I develop questionnaire that measures the variables of
my project and these questionnaire are filled from teaching staff of University
of the Punjab Gujranwala Campus. On the other hand previous literature is also
used as secondary source of data to find assistance from previous researches to
complete my project. Articles and case studies from various journals and data
bases are used to study the constructs and their relationship. Moreover, I used
the medium of internet and send questionnaire and receive responses through
E-mail. Structure questionnaire is developed that contain various questions to
measure the dependant and independent variables of the project while most of
the questions also use Likert scale
to record the responses from a respondent. Though other sources of data
collection such as interviews, focus groups, observation and case studies etc
are available but I use questionnaire as it successfully accomplish the aims
and objectives of my project.
5. Analyze the Data and Information for Options or Alternatives that Meet the Project Aim:
Data is collected from 26 lecturers, assistant
professors and professors through structured questionnaire regarding their job
satisfaction and their personality traits. Results show that about only 50%
teachers are agreed that they are satisfied from their job. However, five
teachers show dissatisfaction from their job while ten teachers response to
neutral agreed when ask for their job satisfaction. Following table illustrates
these results.
Table 1: Job
Satisfaction
|
|||
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Cumulative Percent
|
|
Strongly Disagree
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Disagree
|
5
|
17.2
|
17.2
|
Neutral Agree
|
10
|
34.5
|
51.7
|
Agree
|
13
|
44.8
|
96.6
|
Strongly Agree
|
1
|
3.4
|
100
|
Total
|
29
|
100
|
|
This implies that the job satisfaction of teaching staff is not satisfactory and can decrease the quality of output and name of the university in near future. So it is important to know the potential determinants of job satisfaction to manage it accordingly. In doing so results reveal that five factors of personality traits significantly contributes to their job satisfaction. Following graphs clearly show that teachers having more characteristics of extraversion, openness, agreeable and consciousness are more satisfied from their job while neurotic
|
7
|
|
8
|
|
9
|
|
10
|
|
11
|
|
12
|
|
13
|
|
Extraversion
|
|
2
|
|
3
|
|
4
|
|
5
|
personality
contributes negatively in this respect.
Graph
1 Graph
2
Graph 3 Graph 4
Moreover, the correlation results are also generated
that also reveal similar kind of results and demonstrate positive relation
between job satisfaction and personality traits of extraversion, agreeable,
openness and consciousness while negative relation is found in the case of
neoteric personality.
These results are also consistent with the Judge et
al. (2002) whose Meta analyses of big five model with respect the job
satisfaction also documents negative relation of Neuroticism and positive
effect of other four personality traits on job satisfaction. In conclusion we
can say that one of the potential reasons of dissatisfaction is the five
personality traits at University of the Punjab.
5.1 Options and Alternatives:
Irrespective of these personality traits other
variables such as contract status (visiting or permanent), education, teaching experience
and pay level etc can also affect job satisfaction. Results show that permanent
teachers are more satisfied from their job while four out of five dissatisfied
teachers are from visiting faculty. Moreover, teachers who are dissatisfied
from their pay level are also dissatisfied from their job while experience also
contributes positively to the job satisfaction as it increases the ability to
transfer require knowledge effectively and teacher feels more satisfaction. Similar
results are also found in the case of education as demonstrated by table 6.
Following tables illustrates the results for contract status, pay and education
in this respect.
6. Determine an option or alternative that meets the project aim:
Above statistics reveals
that considering five personality traits only with respect to job satisfaction
is not enough while other variables can moderate the relationship between
individual’s personality and job satisfaction. So I tried to determine the
options that consider both personality traits and person’s ability in term of
his experience and pay satisfaction level. In doing so, I develop correlation
statistics that shows the relationships between job satisfaction and
personality while controlling their pay satisfaction level and experience.
|
Correlations
|
|
1.000
|
|
-.595
|
|
.491
|
|
.251
|
|
.526
|
|
.285
|
|
.
|
|
.001
|
|
.009
|
|
.207
|
|
.005
|
|
.150
|
|
0
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
-.595
|
|
1.000
|
|
-.338
|
|
-.386
|
|
-.265
|
|
-.179
|
|
.001
|
|
.
|
|
.085
|
|
.046
|
|
.182
|
|
.371
|
|
25
|
|
0
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
.491
|
|
-.338
|
|
1.000
|
|
.008
|
|
.440
|
|
.342
|
|
.009
|
|
.085
|
|
.
|
|
.968
|
|
.022
|
|
.080
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
0
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
.251
|
|
-.386
|
|
.008
|
|
1.000
|
|
.539
|
|
.144
|
|
.207
|
|
.046
|
|
.968
|
|
.
|
|
.004
|
|
.475
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
0
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
.526
|
|
-.265
|
|
.440
|
|
.539
|
|
1.000
|
|
.402
|
|
.005
|
|
.182
|
|
.022
|
|
.004
|
|
.
|
|
.038
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
0
|
|
25
|
|
.285
|
|
-.179
|
|
.342
|
|
.144
|
|
.402
|
|
1.000
|
|
.150
|
|
.371
|
|
.080
|
|
.475
|
|
.038
|
|
.
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
25
|
|
0
|
|
Correlation
|
|
Significance
|
|
df
|
|
Correlation
|
|
Significance
|
|
df
|
|
Correlation
|
|
Significance
|
|
df
|
|
Correlation
|
|
Significance
|
|
df
|
|
Correlation
|
|
Significance
|
|
df
|
|
Correlation
|
|
Significance
|
|
df
|
|
Job.Satis
|
|
Neuroticism
|
|
Extraversion
|
|
Openness
|
|
Agreeable
|
|
Consciousness
|
|
Control
|
|
Variables
|
|
Pay.Satis
|
|
&
|
|
Experience
|
|
Job.Satis
|
|
Neuroticism
|
|
Extraversion
|
|
Openness
|
|
Agreeable
|
|
Conscious
|
|
|
So results after controlling variables are more
appropriate and better explain and to meet the project aim of exploring the
antecedents of job dissatisfaction of teaching faculty.
7. Evaluate the Research to Make Conclusions:
Current research project use questionnaire to
collect data from teaching faculty of University of the Punjab Gujranwala
Campus. Statistics clearly demonstrates that the job satisfaction of teaching
faculty is becoming problem for University of the Punjab Gujranwala Campus.
Results also show that the teachers who are more active, assertive and prefer
to meet people i.e. extraversion are more satisfied from their job irrespective
of their pay and ability in term of experience. It is consistent with judge et
al. (2002) who suggests collaborative nature leads to satisfied people.
Similarly teachers who are more cooperative, trusting and avoid conflicts i.e.
agreeable found satisfied from their job. McCrae and Costa (1991) argued that
agreeableness bring happiness through interpersonal intimacy that is positively
related to life satisfaction and job satisfaction as well. On the other hand it
is also found that nervous and emotionally instable teachers are not satisfied.
(Megnus et al., 1993) argued that such people has experienced more negative
situation than others, so they view every event negatively. Teachers who are
more creative, innovative i.e. openness are satisfied but relation is found
insignificant while controlling pay and experiences. Judge et al. (2002) also
found week correlation for openness as it is more related to psychological
states. Consciousness show the reliability of person’s ability while it is
found more conscious teachers are more satisfied, however partial correlation
results document insignificant results. In conclusion three personality traits
of extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism are strong determinants of job satisfaction
as these personality traits help individuals and augmented the ability to
perform required job effectively. However, project also poses some limitation
and studying other variables and moderating effects such as cultural affects
are beyond the scope of this project. On the other hand these results are
limited to the responses of only 26 teachers that are insufficient to draw
generalized conclusions. Analysis is also limited to bivariate and partial
correlation analysis while more sophisticated tools and techniques can be used
for further research.
8. Recommend a Course of Action to Meet the Project Aim:
After knowing that personality traits are
contributing significantly to the job satisfaction, we can construct strategies
accordingly. Following course of actions are recommending in this respect.
8.1 Selection Criteria:
It is recommended to the management of University
that while selecting teaching faculty the personality traits of candidates
should be considered. Preference should be given to those candidates who are
more extraversion, agreeable, conscious, openness to experience and fewer
neurotics. On the other hand various personality tests are available that can
be used to assess the personality traits of a candidate in this respect. So,
Human Resource Manager should consider personality traits as one of the
selecting criteria through appropriate personality tests.
8.2 Personality Development Programs:
In order to develop required personality Characteristics
University can use development programs for their current teaching staff. These
personality development programs will help their teaching faculty to adopt
personality traits that are fit to their job. Many researchers have argued that
these personality traits can be change over time. However, selecting
appropriate methods and contents are contingent to the success of personality
development program.
8.3 Prevent Ad hoc Based Selection:
Our sample contains of 26 teachers while 13 out of
them were visiting and rest of teachers were permanent faculty members. It is
found that only 2 visiting teachers are satisfied from their job while 4 are
dissatisfied and seven select neutral agree option. Selections of visiting
faculty members are made on ad hoc basis by the virtue of head of department. Such
selection criteria can lead to the establishment of power groups and affect
merit base selection. However, permanent faculty members are selected through a
tough selecting criterion. So it is recommended that a specific selecting
criterion should make through a proper channel that also consider personality
traits for the selection of visiting faculty members.
9. Assess the Impact of the Project Recommendations:
Selecting teachers having positive personality
traits will increase performances and will also bring positive environment at
the university as more extraversion, openness to experience and agreeable
individuals like collaborations, avoid conflicts to other and are more creative
and innovative. Moreover, teachers having control over their emotions can
manage their students more effectively. In conclusion selected individuals
having required personality traits will be more satisfied from their job and can
better create innovative and creative minds in future. On the other hand
selecting appropriate visiting faculty members through proper channel
irrespective on ad hoc basis will also ensure right person at right job. Such
merit based selection will ensure the selection of individual poses required
qualities in term of education, experience and personality traits because without
merit based selection just setting personality traits and other variables as
selection criteria will in vain. So these recommendations will increase job
satisfaction for the teachers especially at University of the Punjab Gujranwala
Campus that ultimately will contribute to the creation of innovative and
creative professionals and meet the goals and objectives set by the University.
10. Determine the medium to be used to show the results of the project:
The research project provides useful results and
recommendation for the management of University of the Punjab Gujranwala Campus
as they are intended to know that teachers are not satisfied from their job and
wants to take required actions to solve the problem. Moreover it also guides
practitioners to find the antecedents of job satisfaction at workplace
especially in education industry. Four communication channels that include
verbal presentation, detailed written report, written summary and case summary
are useful medium of communication of project results. Detailed one hour verbal
presentation can be used to communicating project results and recommendation to
its stakeholders and project sponsor. On the other hand to support verbal
presentation and to keep records a detailed report is needed. Length of
detailed report depends on organization’s requirement. Written summary consists
of summarized form of sections from detailed report and is useful to
communicate project to other stakeholders. At the end case summary is condensed
summarization that is used to distribute externally. However, considering
organizational secret information is critical and the provided information
should be published with the consent of organization. So, these four are useful
mediums to communicate project results to different users.
11. Produce the results of the project:
I suggest communicating the results to the
management of the University and to the practitioners. In order to communicate
the results to the management of University a detailed project report is
prepared while a small case summary is produced to communicate the results for
external practitioners. Case Summary is
provided below.
11.1 Problem:
Job dissatisfaction of teachers in education sector
is becoming problem for institutions and management of Universities wants to
know the potential determinants of such dissatisfaction to manage it
accordingly. Personality traits are important contributors to job satisfaction that
can solve the issue in this respect. It was found that the job satisfaction
level of faculty members at University of the Punjab is not satisfactory that
provide opportunity to identify potential determinants of job satisfaction for
teaching staff especially in term of personality traits.
11.2 Analysis:
Big five model that describe personality of an
individual in term of Extraversion, Agreeableness, Consciousness, Openness to
experience and Neuroticism was used to determine personality traits. Data was
collected through questionnaire and frequency and correlation analyses are done.
It was found that teachers who are more active and like to meet others (extraversion),
avoid conflicts (Agreeableness), having reliable abilities (Consciousness),
Innovative and creative (Open to experience) and having stable emotions (fewer neurotics)
are more satisfied from their job. However, correlation results found
insignificant for consciousness and open to experience when controlling their
pay satisfaction level and experience of teaching. It was also found that
visiting faculty members were more dissatisfied as they were appointed by head
of department on ad hoc basis.
11.3 Solution:
After analyzing personality traits as strong
predictor of job satisfaction it was recommended to arrange personality
development programs for current faculty members. Moreover, human resource
manager should consider personality traits while appointing new faculty
members. On the other hand ad hoc based selection should also avoid and merit
based selection through proper channel should make that also consider
personality traits along with qualification and experience in this respect.
11.4 Success:
Personality development programs and selecting
faculty members while considering their personality traits increase job
satisfaction.
12. Discuss the impact of the project on the work related area:
Maintain high Job satisfaction is problem of every
organization irrespective of industry or organization. Current project provides
the opportunity for practitioners to know the potential determinants of job
dissatisfaction at workplaces in term of personality traits. Though current
project’s scope is restricted to education industry and to the teachers only
but still these results can be useful for managing non faculty members. Personality
traits of employees affect their job satisfaction and performance as well. Moreover,
these results can also be used for other industries and organizational set up.
References:
Brooke P.,
Russell P. & Price, J. (1988), "Discriminate validation of measures of
job satisfaction, job involvement and organizational commitment", Journal
of Applied Psychology, Vol. 73: 139-45
Fisher V. E.
& Hanna J. V. (1931), “The dissatisfied worker”, New York: Macmillan
Goldberg, L. R.
(1990), “An alternative description of personality: The Big-Five factor
structure”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 59, 1216–1229
Griffith J.
(2001), “Do Satisfied Employees Satisfy customers? Support Service Staff Morale
and satisfaction Among Public School Administration, Student and Parents”,
Journal of Applied Social Psychology, August: 1627-1658
Hoppock R.
(1935), “Job satisfaction”, New York: Harper
Judge T. A.,
Theoresen J. E., Bono & Patton G. K. (2001), “The Job Satisfaction- Job
Performance Relationship: A Quantitative and Qualitative Review”, Psychological
Bulletin, 376-407
Judge, T. A.,
Bono, J. E., & Locke, E. A. (2002), Personality and job satisfaction: The
mediating role of job characteristics. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85,
237–249
Locke E. A.
(1976), "The nature causes and causes of job satisfaction”, in Dunnette M.
C., Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Rand
McNally, Chicago, IL
Magnus K.,
Diener E., Fujita F. & Pavot W. (1993), “Extraversion and neuroticism as
predictors of objective life events: A longitudinal analysis”, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 65: 1046–1053
McCrae R. R.
& Costa P. T. (1991), “Adding liebe und arbeit: The full five-factor model
and well-being”, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 17: 227–232
Paine J. B.
& Bachrach D. G. (2000), “Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A critical
review of Theoretical and empirical Literature and suggestion for future”,
Journal of Management, Vol. 26(3):513-536
Appendix 1: Questionnaire to study big five model
Name:
|
|||||||
Gender
|
1. Male
|
2. Female
|
|||||
Education
|
1. PHD
|
2. M.Phil/MS
|
3. Master
|
||||
Teaching Experience (Years)
|
Age (Year)
|
||||||
Do you agree with the way these statements describe
you as a person?
|
|||||||
Strongly Disagree
1
|
Disagree
2
|
Neutral Agree
3
|
Agree
4
|
Strongly Agree
5
|
|||
Are you satisfied with your Pay
|
|||||||
Are you satisfied with your job
|
|||||||
I try to be courteous to everyone
I meet
|
|||||||
I'm pretty good about pacing
myself so as to get things done on time
|
|||||||
When I'm under a great deal of
stress, sometimes I feel like I'm going to pieces
|
|||||||
I often feel tense and nervous
|
|||||||
I often feel as if I'm bursting
with energy
|
|||||||
I often get angry at the way
people treat me
|
|||||||
Some people think of me as cold
and calculating
|
|||||||
I have little interest in
speculating on the nature of the universe or human condition
|
|||||||
I generally try to be thoughtful
and considerate
|
|||||||
I never seem to be able to get
organized
|
|||||||
I often enjoy playing with
theories or abstract ideas
|
|||||||
I strive for excellence in
everything I do
|
|||||||
