Individual, Personality and Attitudes Dr. G.D.R.U.U. Abeyrathne, Department of Economics, University of Ruhuna, Matara

Objectives To situate individual and personality in relation to organization To understand the relevance of attitudes in management To understand the process of attitude formation

What is organization What do you mean by organization?

Definition of Organization Organizations are a)social entities b) are goal directed c) are designed as deliberately structured and coordinated activity system, and, d) are linked to external environment.

Relation with Society We live an organizational life. They tie us to society It tell us our present status in society and our future When you ask “ Who are You? Sir, he will reply referring to his occupation Occupation is a handy social categorization e.g. Employed, Unemployable etc.

Relation to society Organizations are needed to satisfy our needs Our jobs tie us with past and present Organizations are means of realizing our dreams and aspiration

Two Key elements of Organization 1. Individual 2. Group

Individualism Individualism is the extent to which we value independence, personal freedom and personal uniqueness. Highly individualist people value personal freedom, self-sufficiency, control over their lives, appreciation of unique qualities that distinguish them from others

Collectivism Collectivism is the extent to which we value our duty to groups to which we belong as well as group harmony. Highly collectivist people define themselves by their group membership and value harmonious relationship within those groups

Personality Ethical, cultural and personal values are relatively stable characteristics They are important influences on personal behaviour The personality refers to the relatively stable pattern of behavours and consistent internal states that explain a person’s behavioural tendencies.

Internal and External dimensions External traits are observable behaviours and one can predict on one based on these behaviour Internal dimension represents the thoughts, values and genetic characteristics that we infer from the observable behaviours.

Determinant of Personality Personality is a product of heredity and environment Heredity provides the framework for potential-it determines physical and mental characteristics. Gene located in chromosomes, play an important role in this regard. Environment provide the nurturance whether a person would be able o actualise one’s potentials.

Big Five Personality Dimensions 1. Conscientiousness: The extent to which individuals are hardworking, organized, dependable and persevering(high Conscientiousness) versus lazy,disorganized and unrealiable (Low Conscientiousness). 2. Extraversion: the degree to which individual are gregarious, assertive and sociable (High) versus reserved, timid and quiet (Low)

Big Five Personality Dimensions 3. Agreeableness: the extent to which individuals are cooperative and warm (Highly agreeable) versus cold and belligerent (highly disagreeable) 4. Emotional Stability : The extent to which individuals are insecure, anxious, depressed and emotional (Emotionally unstable) versus calm, self confident and secure (Emotionally stable) 5. Openness to experience: The extent to which individuals are creative, curious and culture (open to experience ) versus practical and with narrow interest (closed to experience).

Attitudes There are many definitions of attitudes among psychologists They share a fundamental thing. i.e. treating it as readiness of a person to respond towards a certain object or class of objects in favourable or unfavourable manner. Attitudes involves certain prediction of a person’s behviour

Attitudes Our prediction is not always correct. Our prediction of the likely behaviour of persons’ are generally based on what we perceive as their behaviour. The accuracy of prediction depends on our observational ability.

Nature of Attitude It is bigger than belief. Belief is consisted of cognitive component, the elements of knowledge obtained from a perception of certain facts (either correctly or incorrectly) Attitudes has got two further elements. i.e. affective or feeling component (Attitude holder feels certain things, e.g. it is good to work and Behavioural tendency (predisposition to act towards the attitude objects).

Link between Individual, Personality and attitudes They are social construct sometimes stable and sometimes unstable. Individual built attitudes through selectivity. Some important problem for managers and employees in organizations are Actor-observer problem. Non-verbal physical feature based perception, Self-fulfilling prophecies.

Thank you.