title: The Relationship Between Individual Personality Characteristics and Person-Job Fit Among Primary and Secondary School Teachers in New Zealand

authors: Chan, Jing Yi (Daphne)

abstract: Research has shown that individual personality characteristics are strongly related to an employee’s affective and behavioural responses to the job and/or workplace (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Judge & Bono, 2001, Kumar & Bakhshi, 2010). The perception of positive person-job fit was proposed as a favourable employee response in this research, and hypotheses that are relevant to individual personality characteristics and person-job fit were examined. The concept of person-job fit refers to the degree which an individual’s knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), preferences, needs and values align with his/her job requirements (Brkich, Jeffs & Carless, 2002). The two types of person-job fit are the match between the KSAs of an individual and the demands of the job, also known as demands-abilities fit, and the match between the preferences, needs and values of an individual, and what is supplied by the job, also known as needs-supplies fit (Lauver & Kristof-Brown, 2001). The relationship of person-job fit, both demands-abilities fit and needs-supplies fir with a number of affective and behavioural responses, such as job satisfaction, turnover intention and organisational commitment, was also explored.

A total of 179 teachers from 88 primary and secondary schools completed an online self-report questionnaire. The results revealed that extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability were positively and significantly correlated with demands-abilities fit, while extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability were positively and significantly correlated with needs-supplies fit. Both demands-abilities fit and needs-supplies fit were positively and significantly correlated with job satisfaction, turnover intention, affective commitment and normative commitment. Mediation analysis revealed an indirect effect for conscientiousness on the relationship between demands-abilities fit and job satisfaction, as well as for emotional stability on the relationship between demands-abilities fit and continuance commitment.  Emotional stability mediated the relationship between demands-abilities fit and job satisfaction, and needs-supplies fit and job satisfaction. The practical implications from these findings, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed

text: The Relationship Between Individual Personality Characteristics and Person-Job Fit Among Primary and Secondary School Teachers in New Zealand Research has shown that individual personality characteristics are strongly related to an employee’s affective and behavioural responses to the job and/or workplace (Barrick & Mount, 1991; Judge & Bono, 2001, Kumar & Bakhshi, 2010). The perception of positive person-job fit was proposed as a favourable employee response in this research, and hypotheses that are relevant to individual personality characteristics and person-job fit were examined. The concept of person-job fit refers to the degree which an individual’s knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), preferences, needs and values align with his/her job requirements (Brkich, Jeffs & Carless, 2002). The two types of person-job fit are the match between the KSAs of an individual and the demands of the job, also known as demands-abilities fit, and the match between the preferences, needs and values of an individual, and what is supplied by the job, also known as needs-supplies fit (Lauver & Kristof-Brown, 2001). The relationship of person-job fit, both demands-abilities fit and needs-supplies fir with a number of affective and behavioural responses, such as job satisfaction, turnover intention and organisational commitment, was also explored.

A total of 179 teachers from 88 primary and secondary schools completed an online self-report questionnaire. The results revealed that extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability were positively and significantly correlated with demands-abilities fit, while extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability were positively and significantly correlated with needs-supplies fit. Both demands-abilities fit and needs-supplies fit were positively and significantly correlated with job satisfaction, turnover intention, affective commitment and normative commitment. Mediation analysis revealed an indirect effect for conscientiousness on the relationship between demands-abilities fit and job satisfaction, as well as for emotional stability on the relationship between demands-abilities fit and continuance commitment.  Emotional stability mediated the relationship between demands-abilities fit and job satisfaction, and needs-supplies fit and job satisfaction. The practical implications from these findings, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed

year: 2012

title: Reply to Mahowald and Gibson and to Heggarty: No problems with short words, and no evidence provided

authors: Pagel, Mark

abstract: Mahowald and Gibson (1) suggest that the shorter word length of frequently used words, and not their stability, could mean that chance sound correspondences account for the pattern of results we report for cognate relationships among proto-words in our study of seven Eurasian language families (2). However, their −0.24 correlation between the phonological length of contemporary English words and our measure of cognate class size is not relevant to the question of chance sound correspondences among the proto-words from different language families. What must be demonstrated is that shorter proto-words were more likely to be judged cognate simply on the basis of their length.

text: Reply to Mahowald and Gibson and to Heggarty: No problems with short words, and no evidence provided Mahowald and Gibson (1) suggest that the shorter word length of frequently used words, and not their stability, could mean that chance sound correspondences account for the pattern of results we report for cognate relationships among proto-words in our study of seven Eurasian language families (2). However, their −0.24 correlation between the phonological length of contemporary English words and our measure of cognate class size is not relevant to the question of chance sound correspondences among the proto-words from different language families. What must be demonstrated is that shorter proto-words were more likely to be judged cognate simply on the basis of their length.

year: 2013

title: Māori social identities in New Zealand and Hawai'i

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

subjects: Maori

abstract: This research is comprised of two narrative interview studies of Māori in two different settings, New Zealand (n=20) and Hawai'i (n=30).  The data was gathered over the 1994-1996 period.  The two settings have some commonalities and differences.  In both settings Māori are required to make decisions about the continuity of their ethnic Māori identities and hereditary cultural identities of iwi, hapu and whanau, and the part that they wish these identities to play in their daily lives.  The focus of this research was about how Māori create meaning in their lives and maintain their social identities across and within those contexts they move through. 

The findings of this research suggest that Māori in New Zealand continue to value and gain meaning and satisfaction from their cultural collectivities and the social identities derived from them.  However, the results tend to suggest that there are changes in the ways that individuals conceptualise these identities and concomitantly, how they see of themselves.
For New Zealand participants, conceptions of hapu and iwi appear to be converging with an increasing focus on the physicality of marae, its environment and symbolism, and the social events and relationships negotiated in that space.  New Zealand participants saw some hapu and iwi maintenance activities as more legitimate than others.  More value was placed on returning to hapu and iwi homelands however irregular these returns were.  In contrast, conceptions of hapu and iwi held by participants in Hawai'i seemed less intense.  There were few opportunities to engage with other hapu or iwi members.  Being Māori had greater meaning and was understood, probed and valued by others in the culturally plural context of Hawai'i.  For New Zealand participants, being Māori was enacted in the context of being a discriminated, negatively constructed minority.  All were aware of the defining effect that the presence of a dominant majority could have and countered these effects by engaging in social justice and in-group solidarity activities.

The changing identity conceptions held by members of Māori social groups will have implications for a sense of community and social cohesion, for tribal asset management, service delivery and crown settlement processes.  If Māori are redefining and renegotiating their social identities to achieve greater meaning and satisfaction then these changes are important to respond to and recognise.

text: Māori social identities in New Zealand and Hawai'i This research is comprised of two narrative interview studies of Māori in two different settings, New Zealand (n=20) and Hawai'i (n=30).  The data was gathered over the 1994-1996 period.  The two settings have some commonalities and differences.  In both settings Māori are required to make decisions about the continuity of their ethnic Māori identities and hereditary cultural identities of iwi, hapu and whanau, and the part that they wish these identities to play in their daily lives.  The focus of this research was about how Māori create meaning in their lives and maintain their social identities across and within those contexts they move through. 

The findings of this research suggest that Māori in New Zealand continue to value and gain meaning and satisfaction from their cultural collectivities and the social identities derived from them.  However, the results tend to suggest that there are changes in the ways that individuals conceptualise these identities and concomitantly, how they see of themselves.
For New Zealand participants, conceptions of hapu and iwi appear to be converging with an increasing focus on the physicality of marae, its environment and symbolism, and the social events and relationships negotiated in that space.  New Zealand participants saw some hapu and iwi maintenance activities as more legitimate than others.  More value was placed on returning to hapu and iwi homelands however irregular these returns were.  In contrast, conceptions of hapu and iwi held by participants in Hawai'i seemed less intense.  There were few opportunities to engage with other hapu or iwi members.  Being Māori had greater meaning and was understood, probed and valued by others in the culturally plural context of Hawai'i.  For New Zealand participants, being Māori was enacted in the context of being a discriminated, negatively constructed minority.  All were aware of the defining effect that the presence of a dominant majority could have and countered these effects by engaging in social justice and in-group solidarity activities.

The changing identity conceptions held by members of Māori social groups will have implications for a sense of community and social cohesion, for tribal asset management, service delivery and crown settlement processes.  If Māori are redefining and renegotiating their social identities to achieve greater meaning and satisfaction then these changes are important to respond to and recognise.

year: 2007