The variables that are most closely related to leadership and achievement in career aspirations
Abstract
The variables that characterize achievement career aspirations include self-efficacy, work orientation goals, and proactive personality. Proactive personality is the anticipatory, self-initiated behavior and change-oriented in significant situations like the place of work. Strength in character positively correlates to the both subjective and objective success in the careersStack (2010). Career success depends on the behavior of the workers in the sense that it directly affects performance and general workplace coherence. Personality traits, for example, neuroticism and conscientiousness are linked to the understanding of goal orientation, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009).
Self-efficacy is the ability of an individual to exude confidence, precision, and steadfastness when executing a managerial course of action, Stack (2010). This study attempts to ascertain the effect of work self-efficacy on the general performance at the workplace. Proactive personality, work self-efficacy, and work orientation goals exhibited a positive correlation with achievement in career aspirations. According to this study, these variables are vital for the organizational success.
Introduction
The complexity and the dynamic nature of challenges facing the organizations can only be curbed by the managers’ resilience and focus on their workforce. The environment is also part of the changes that these organizations face besides technological and societal changes. Therefore, personal traits are a crucial factor in the career success algorithm. The ability of the workforce to adapt and accept change creates competitive advantage for the organization, Wendt, (2011).
Past research has it that the flexibility and resilience of the management guarantees an organization’s success in the sense that careers can only be modified by behavioral tendencies that hoardover time,Liff (2009).According to Wendt (2011), weak points always characterize the work situation. To eliminate, or at least minimize, these weak points the workers personality plays a vital role. Many contemporary concepts in the organizations are person-driven, not organizationally driven, Wendt (2011).A typical proactive personality is a type of personality that is not constrained by situational forces. Interactionism is the root of proactive personality. The big five personality traits relate to better organizational performance in some ways, according to this research, Peter Creed, Nick Buys, Clare Tilbury, Meegan Crawford (2013).
Previous research suggests that self-efficacy facilitates career adaptability. Career adaptability is the ability to cope with both the predictable and unpredictable circumstances in an organization,Liff (2009).
The methods of data collection involved researchers recording the responses from the participants on a 5-point Likert response. The participants were a sample of 230 UWS students. The results showed a positive correlation betweenCareer Aspiration and age, Proactive Personality and age, and proactive personality and career success.
Hypotheses
The tentative conclusions for this research about the effects of the three variables on organizational performance are summarized as follows:
There exists a positive relationship/ correlation between Proactive personality andleadership and achievement in career aspirations
Work orientation goals positively correlate to leadership and achievement in career aspirations
There exists a positive relationship between work self-efficacyandleadership and achievement in career aspirations.
Methodology
Quantitative correlation analysis
This research used quantitative correlation analysis as a method of data analysis. Quantitative correlation analysis refers to the establishment of a relationship between variables using numerical values. The sample used in this research was randomly selected to minimize chances of subjective bias. A sample of 230 UWS students was selected as the respondents. Data on the 230 participants was collected and analyzed.
The available data for the Research Report came from 230 participants who were students studying OrganizationalBehavior from the Parramatta campus of the University of Western Sydney. There were 125 males (54.3%) and 105 females (45.7%). The mean age of the participants was 21.08 (DS=3.61).
The major requirements for the survey were the measures of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, goal orientation, and career aspirations and planning. The research also examined the general big five personality traits in the effort to ascertain their effects and significance on organizational performance. The students, which were the respondents in this study, had their responses recorded using a 5-point Likert response format. The endpoints for this scale were 5=strongly agree, and 1=strongly disagree. Higher scores on the 5-point Likertindicated higher levels of a construct. Gender was also a factor in the data collection process, where the participants were categorized as male and female (Wendt,2011).
Results/findings
After the data collection process, the data was organized in a systematic way for easier interpretation. Proper data collection and recording paved way for the process of data analysis and presentation. Various descriptive statistics including the mean and the standard deviation were recorded. The standard deviation indicates the deviation of the data from the mean value. The standard deviation shows the degree of variation of the data. Male and female respondents exhibited slight differences in the distribution of the data. However, there were no significant differences between males and females in some measures.
Descriptive statistics on the female and male participants
The meansinTable 1above indicate the position of the participants on the Likert scale that was used since the researchers divided the cumulative/total by the number of items in every scale. This, therefore, means that, as indicated in the table, the means of 4.57 to 4.65 shows that both the female and male participants had scores above the midpoint of 4.0.
The research aims at ascertaining the relationship that exists between the variables and the overall organizational performance. Correlating the variables indicates these relationships.
Descriptive statistics on the correlation between the variables
InTable 2abovethesignificant correlation between Career Aspiration and age is -0.3, Proactive Personality and age r=0.10, Occupational Self-Efficacy and age, r=.08, Performance Goal Orientation and age, r= -.13, and Avoidance Goal Orientation and age, r= -0.15. The correlations continue between the variables as indicated in Table 2. The research was carried out at 99% confidence interval hencep<.001.Some variables exhibited negative correlation amongst them while others exhibited positive correlations.
Critical discussion
Proactive personality
Individuals in the work force have a responsibility to be proactive if they intend to be successful in the career related constructs due to the emergence of protean careers. Selecting, creating and influencing of work situations, is what proactive individuals do. These work situations influence the probability of career success, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009). Basing on the results in this research, pro-active personality is positively correlated to subjective career accomplishment. The career accomplishment comprise of both job satisfaction and career satisfaction. Personality predictors associated with career success are more related to subjective work related success than objective work related success,Liff (2009).
Referring to the results section, the results obtained in this research exhibited positive correlations between the constructs. The results, therefore, supported all the hypotheses.
In the results section, pro-active personality exhibits a weak positive correlation with age at r=.1 while r=.46 for career aspiration. The hypothesis regarding pro-active personality stated; proactive personality positively correlates to leadership and achievement in career aspirations. From the results, the researcher accepted the hypothesis and concluded that pro-active personality positively correlated to career success. The underlying rationale as to why pro-active personality and career success are positively correlated is the fact that people with pro-active traits are likely to have pro-active behavior, Wendt (2011). These individuals exhibit the tendencies of taking personal initiatives in an extensive continuum of situations and/or activities. Pro-active behavior encompasses a wide spectrum of constructs including voice behavior. The empirical evidence in the results section can prove this. Pro-active behaviors are distinguishable (empirically). This means that the relationships between and behaviors vary, Wendt (2011).
The ability to take initiatives by people exhibiting pro-active behavior gives them an upper hand in career performance. They are likely to perform better when it comes to consultation with others and the whole process of career planning. Their ability to easily network helps them interact with other individuals who can assist them at different levels. Such people have the ability to come up with new ways of doing things and as such, dispute the status quo, which characterizes a future oriented apparition.
Career success
This is the positive psychological achievements- mainly work related. These achievements are attained when an individual accumulates them through work experience. Career success can be looked at from the objective and the subjective dimension. Objective career success dwells on tangible variables/measures of success, for example, salaries, promotions, ranks, among others. Subjective career success, on the other hand, stems from personal perceptions like job satisfaction career satisfaction,Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009). Through contest system of mobility, career success can easily be achieved. According to the upward mobility model, an organization can only experience positive advancement through improved job performance among other means. This defines the relationship between career success and other variables like work efficacy and pro-active personality, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009).
The protean perspective views a protean career as one that is driven by an individual/a person. This means that this career will change over time as the environment and the person change. Such a career is one that is managed pro actively by a person and guided by the individual’s intrinsic values. There is more freedom in terms of psychological and physical movement among and across organizational boundaries. Therefore, employability, self-efficacy among other variables determines career success, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009).
Self-efficacy
Individuals who have had past experiences of success are said to exhibit higher work self-efficacy compared to those who have not. Efficacy, in many cases, is resistant to transient influences and linked to self-evaluation constructs such as loci of control and self-control, Liff (2009).
Work orientation goals
The three aspects of goal orientation are performance- avoid, learning, and performance –prove orientations. The concepts attempt to explain the variability in situational or dispositional goal inclinations that a person implicitly sets for themselves in success situations. Goal orientation aids in the providing of the motivational structure of how individuals judge, perceive, and interpret vital happenings in their lives,Stack (2010). One vital use of goal orientation is the ability to predict work related upshots. According to research, goal orientation has the capability to impact a wide continuum of outcomes and their subsequent performance including leadership styles, training, adaptability, and meta-analysis, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009). Goal orientation has diverse conceptual standpoints concerning the overall organizational success, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009).
In the results section, goal orientation depicts a positive correlation with career success, r=.17.
Weaknesses/limitation of the methodology
Quantitative correlation analysis uses numerical data to and concepts to present evidence and information. The data collection process involved interviews, where the respondents were required to give their opinions on the constructs under study. To quantify the responses could be accurate and precise enough; the methodology exhibited notable susceptibility to error and bias. In addition to this, there is a likelihood of confounding variables, since the methodology accounts for none.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the research ascertained that all the three variables, work self-efficacy, pro-active personality, and work orientation goals had a positive correlation with career success. The strength of character is a major milestone in the success of any organization’s success. Performanceis directly linked to the personality of the work force, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009).The ability of workers/individuals to come up with new initiatives is the preliminary step towards career success. The hypothesis for work orientation goals was; Work orientation goals positively correlate to leadership and achievement in career aspirations, the researchers, therefore, accepted the hypothesis and concluded that work orientation goals and career success are correlated positively. The hypothesis for self-efficacy was; Work self-efficacy correlate positively with leadership and achievement in career aspirations. The researchers would, therefore, accept the hypothesis and conclude that work self-efficacy and career success are positively correlated.
Efficacy is resistant to transient influences and linked to self-evaluation constructs such as loci of control and self-control. Individuals who have higher efficacy exhibit better performance, Bryan Fuller, Laura, Marler (2009). On the other hand, those who have pro-active personalities also exhibit better performance. The flexibility and resilience of the management in an organization guarantees its success in the sense that careers can only be improved by behavioral tendencies that hoard over time. Therefore, employability, self-efficacy; pro-active personality among other variables determines career success Wendt, (2011).
References
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Peter Creed, Nick Buys, Clare Tilbury, Meegan Crawford (2013).The relationship between goal orientation and careerstriving in young adolescentsJournal of Applied Social Psychology 2013, 43, pp. 1480–1490. Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University
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Wendt, M. (2011). How Horses Feel and Think Understanding Behaviour, Emotions and Intelligence. Chicago, Cadmos Books. http://public.eblib.com/EBLPublic/PublicView.do?ptiID=716590.
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