Personality and job performance: test of the mediating effects of motivation among sales representatives.

Full Abstract

Research shows consistent relations between personality and job performance. In this study the authors develop and test a model of job performance that examines the mediating effects of cognitive-motivational work orientations on the relationships between personality traits and performance in a sales job (N = 164). Covariance structural analyses revealed proximal motivational variables to be influential mechanisms through which distal personality traits affect job performance. Specifically, striving for status and accomplishment mediate the effects of Extraversion and Conscientiousness on ratings of sales performance. Although Agreeableness was related to striving for communion, neither Agreeableness nor communion striving was related to success in this sales job. The importance of the proposed motivational orientations model is discussed.

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Author information

Author/s: Bartick, Murray R (MR); Stewart, Greg L (GL); Piotrowski, Mike (M);

Affiliation: Department of Management, Michigan State University Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, USA. m-barrick(-atsign-)uiowa.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The Journal of applied psychology (J Appl Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Feb; vol 87 (issue 1) : pp 43-51

Dates: Created 2002/03/27; Completed 2002/04/09; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 11916215, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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