C715 Organizational Behavior Study Guide - Lecture
notes 1,5,9,10,12,14,16 = 50% of Exam Western
Governors University
C715
(Chapters 9,10,12,16 = 50% of Exam)
Chapter 5
Briefly describe the five key traits in the Big Five personality model.
• Conscientiousness- A highly conscientious person is responsible, organized, dependable and
persistent. Those who score low on this dimension are easily distracted, disorganized and unreliable.
• Emotional Stability- People with emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. High
scorers are more likely to be positive and optimistic and experience fewer negative emotions; they are
generally happier that low scorers. Emotional stability (those with high neuroticism) is hypervigilant
and vulnerable to physical and psychological effects of stress. Those which high neuroticism tend to
be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure.
• Extraversion- Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. They are generally happier and
, are more often ambitious. Experience more positive emotions than introverts and they more freely
express these feelings. Introverts tend to be more thoughtful reserved, timid, and quiet.
• Openness to experience- Range of interests and fascination with novelty. Open people are creative,
curios and artistically sensitive. Those at the low end of the category are conventional and find comfort
in the familiar.
• Agreeableness- Agreeable people are cooperative, warm, and trusting. You might expect agreeable
people to be happier that disagreeable. They are, but only slightly. When people choose organizational
team members, agreeable individuals are usually their first choice. In contrast, people who score low on
agreeableness are cold and antagonistic.
Describe conscientiousness and explain how it can predict behavior at work.
, • Conscientiousness at work- Employees with a high score in conscientiousness develop higher levels of
job knowledge. These levels correspond with higher levels of job performance. Conscientious people are
also more able to maintain their job performance when faced with abusive supervision.
• Conscientious people show persistence, attention to detail and setting high standards.
• Highly conscientious people may prioritize work over family, resulting in more conflict between their
work and family roles. They may also become too focused on their own work to help others in the
organization, and they don’t adapt well to changing context. Conscientious people may have trouble
learning complex skills early in a training process because their focus on performing well rather than on
learning.
Discuss John Holland's personality-job fit theory.
• Personality- job fit theory- Theory that identifies 6 personality types and proposes that the fit
between personality type and occupational environment determines satisfaction and turnover.
Type Personality Characteristics Congruent Occupation
Realistic- prefers physical activities Shy, genuine, stable, conforming, Mechanic, drill press operator,
that require skills, strength, and and practical. assembly line worker, farmer.
coordination.
Investigative- Prefers activities that Analytical, original Biologist, economist,
involve thinking, organizing, and curious independent mathematician, news reporter.
understanding
Social- Prefers activities that Sociable, friendly, cooperative, Social worker, teacher,
involve helping and understanding counselor, clinical psychologist.
developing
others.
Conventional- Prefers rule- Conforming, efficient, practical, Accountant, corporate manager,
regulated, orderly and unimaginative, inflexible bank teller, file clerk.
unambiguous activities
Enterprising- Prefers verbal Self-confident, ambitious, Lawyer, real estate agent, public
activities in which there are energetic, domineering relations specialist, small
opportunities to influence business manager.
others
and attain power
Artistic- prefers ambiguous and Imaginative, disorderly, idealistic, Painter, Musician writer, interior
unsystematic activities that allow emotional, impractical decorator.
creative expression.
Describe the five value dimensions of national culture as identified by the Hofstede's framework for assessing
cultures.
• Power distance- The degree to which people in a country accept that power in institutions and
organizations is distributed unequally. High rating on power distance means large inequalities of
power and wealth exist and are tolerated in the culture, as in class or caste system that discourages
upward mobility. Low power distance rating characterizes societies that stress equality and
opportunity.
• Individualism Vs Collectivism- Degree to which people prefer to act as individuals rather than as
members of groups and believe in individual rights above all else. Collectivism emphasizes a tight social
framework in which people expect others in groups of which they are a part to look after them and
protect them.
• Masculinity Vs Femininity- Masculinity is the degree to which the culture favors traditional
masculine roles such as achievement, power and control. Femininity means the culture sees little
differentiation between male and female roles and treats women as equals to men in all respects.
• Uncertainty Avoidance- The degree to which people in a country prefer structure over unstructured
situations. High scores have people with increased anxiety about uncertainty and ambiguity and use
notes 1,5,9,10,12,14,16 = 50% of Exam Western
Governors University
C715
(Chapters 9,10,12,16 = 50% of Exam)
Chapter 5
Briefly describe the five key traits in the Big Five personality model.
• Conscientiousness- A highly conscientious person is responsible, organized, dependable and
persistent. Those who score low on this dimension are easily distracted, disorganized and unreliable.
• Emotional Stability- People with emotional stability tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. High
scorers are more likely to be positive and optimistic and experience fewer negative emotions; they are
generally happier that low scorers. Emotional stability (those with high neuroticism) is hypervigilant
and vulnerable to physical and psychological effects of stress. Those which high neuroticism tend to
be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure.
• Extraversion- Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. They are generally happier and
, are more often ambitious. Experience more positive emotions than introverts and they more freely
express these feelings. Introverts tend to be more thoughtful reserved, timid, and quiet.
• Openness to experience- Range of interests and fascination with novelty. Open people are creative,
curios and artistically sensitive. Those at the low end of the category are conventional and find comfort
in the familiar.
• Agreeableness- Agreeable people are cooperative, warm, and trusting. You might expect agreeable
people to be happier that disagreeable. They are, but only slightly. When people choose organizational
team members, agreeable individuals are usually their first choice. In contrast, people who score low on
agreeableness are cold and antagonistic.
Describe conscientiousness and explain how it can predict behavior at work.
, • Conscientiousness at work- Employees with a high score in conscientiousness develop higher levels of
job knowledge. These levels correspond with higher levels of job performance. Conscientious people are
also more able to maintain their job performance when faced with abusive supervision.
• Conscientious people show persistence, attention to detail and setting high standards.
• Highly conscientious people may prioritize work over family, resulting in more conflict between their
work and family roles. They may also become too focused on their own work to help others in the
organization, and they don’t adapt well to changing context. Conscientious people may have trouble
learning complex skills early in a training process because their focus on performing well rather than on
learning.
Discuss John Holland's personality-job fit theory.
• Personality- job fit theory- Theory that identifies 6 personality types and proposes that the fit
between personality type and occupational environment determines satisfaction and turnover.
Type Personality Characteristics Congruent Occupation
Realistic- prefers physical activities Shy, genuine, stable, conforming, Mechanic, drill press operator,
that require skills, strength, and and practical. assembly line worker, farmer.
coordination.
Investigative- Prefers activities that Analytical, original Biologist, economist,
involve thinking, organizing, and curious independent mathematician, news reporter.
understanding
Social- Prefers activities that Sociable, friendly, cooperative, Social worker, teacher,
involve helping and understanding counselor, clinical psychologist.
developing
others.
Conventional- Prefers rule- Conforming, efficient, practical, Accountant, corporate manager,
regulated, orderly and unimaginative, inflexible bank teller, file clerk.
unambiguous activities
Enterprising- Prefers verbal Self-confident, ambitious, Lawyer, real estate agent, public
activities in which there are energetic, domineering relations specialist, small
opportunities to influence business manager.
others
and attain power
Artistic- prefers ambiguous and Imaginative, disorderly, idealistic, Painter, Musician writer, interior
unsystematic activities that allow emotional, impractical decorator.
creative expression.
Describe the five value dimensions of national culture as identified by the Hofstede's framework for assessing
cultures.
• Power distance- The degree to which people in a country accept that power in institutions and
organizations is distributed unequally. High rating on power distance means large inequalities of
power and wealth exist and are tolerated in the culture, as in class or caste system that discourages
upward mobility. Low power distance rating characterizes societies that stress equality and
opportunity.
• Individualism Vs Collectivism- Degree to which people prefer to act as individuals rather than as
members of groups and believe in individual rights above all else. Collectivism emphasizes a tight social
framework in which people expect others in groups of which they are a part to look after them and
protect them.
• Masculinity Vs Femininity- Masculinity is the degree to which the culture favors traditional
masculine roles such as achievement, power and control. Femininity means the culture sees little
differentiation between male and female roles and treats women as equals to men in all respects.
• Uncertainty Avoidance- The degree to which people in a country prefer structure over unstructured
situations. High scores have people with increased anxiety about uncertainty and ambiguity and use
