The extent to which personality traits predict service orientation

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to utilize biodata instruments to measure personality traits in an attempt to determine the extent to which the Big Five personality factors are correlated to an individual's service orientation. Previous studies on biodata instruments have proven that there are personality factors that are related to service orientation, however, they did not use the Big Five categorization of traits. This study collected the responses of applicants for a financial customer service position in the Midwest on a biodata questionnaire, and assigned each respondent a service orientation rating determined by a mock interaction with a customer. The items in the questionnaire were then categorized into Big Five factors and were correlated to the service orientation score. This study found that the Big Five personality factors explain 22 % of the variance in service orientation, with agreeableness, surgency, and conscientiousness explaining 21.8% of the variance in Service Orientation. The ramifications of the finding are discussed, along with areas of future research and the implications for human resource professionals.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

1999

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Jones, Foard

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Business Administration

Degree Program

Management

Subjects

Business Administration -- Dissertations, Academic;Dissertations, Academic -- Business Administration;Customer services -- Psychological aspects;Performance -- Psychological aspects;Personality

Format

Print

Identifier

DP0021599

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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