THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TYPES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAREER RESOURCES OF MANAGERS IN THE FAST-FOOD INDUSTRY IN THE WESTERN CAPE by CHRISTIAAN KOTZE submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANISATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF A M G SCHREUDER DECEMBER 2013 DECLARATION I, Christiaan Kotze, student number 37303619, declare that this dissertation of limited scope entitled, “The relationship between personality types and psychological career resources of managers in the fast food-industry in the Western Cape”, is my own work, and that all the sources that I have used or quoted from have been indicated and acknowledge by means of complete references. I further declare that ethical clearance to conduct the research has been obtained from the Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, University of South Africa, as well as from participating organisations. ____________________ Christiaan Kotze December 2013 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT “AAN GOD AL DIE EER” This dissertation is dedicated to Ilse, Ilané, my mother Francina and my late father Jan. I would like to express my gratitude to the following people for their assistance in the writing of the dissertation: My wife, Ilse, for giving up so much in life in supporting me to fulfil my dream. I thank her for her love, support and understanding. My supervisor, Prof Schreuder with the assistance of Prof Melinda Coetzee, for their guidance and help to complete this dissertation. Prof Kitt, Elizabeth and Barbara for their assistance with regards to the processing of the data, language editing and technical editing. I would also like to thank the relevant organisations, especially the franchisee’s and restaurant supervisors/managers who participated in this research study. Without your willingness to participate, this study would not have been possible. iii SUMMARY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY TYPES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAREER RESOURCES OF MANAGERS IN THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY IN THE WESTERN CAPE By CHRISTIAAN KOTZE SUPERVISOR: Prof AMG Schreuder DEPARTMENT: Industrial and Organisational Psychology DEGREE: M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between personality preference types (as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator [MBTI]) Form M and psychological career resources (as measured by the Psychological Career Resource Inventory [PCRI]) of managers in the fast-food industry and whether groups from different races, ages and gender differ significantly regarding personality types and psychological career resources. A quantity survey was conducted on a sample (N = 81) of managers in the fast food industry in the Western Cape. The extraversion, sensing, feeling, judging (ESFJ) and the introversion, sensing, feeling, judging (ISFJ) personality types were the dominant ones in the study. Personality type preferences were significantly related to psychological career resources. The personality types differed significantly regarding the following PCRI variables: variety/creativity (career preference), growth/development (career value), self/other skills (career enabler) and social connectivity (career harmoniser). Significant differences between personality types, psychological career resources and age, gender and race were also established. KEY TERMS MBTI, PCRI, introvert (I), extrovert (E) sensing (S), intuition (N), thinking (T), feeling (F), judging (J), perceiving (P), career preferences, career values, career enablers, career drivers, career harmonisers. iv TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARATION ...................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................ iii SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ iv KEY TERMS .......................................................................................................................... iv CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................................ 1 1. BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION FOR THE RESEARCH .................................... 1 2. PROBLEM STATEMENT ........................................................................................... 2 2.2.1 Research questions with regard to literature review ............................................. 3 2.2.2 Research questions with regard to the research ................................................... 3 1.3 AIMS ........................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 General aims .............................................................................................................. 4 1.3.2 Specific aims ............................................................................................................. 4 1.3.2.1 Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 4 1.3.2.2 Empirical Study ........................................................................................................... 4 1.4 THE PARADIGM PERSPECTIVE .............................................................................. 5 1.4.1 Industrial and Organisational Psychology sub-fields ........................................... 5 1.4.1.1 Industrial and Organisational Psychology ................................................................... 5 1.4.1.2 Career psychology and counselling ............................................................................ 5 1.4.1.3 Psychological assessments ........................................................................................ 5 1.4.1.4 Personnel psychology ................................................................................................. 6 1.4.2 Relevant paradigms .................................................................................................. 6 1.4.2.1 Humanistic paradigm ................................................................................................... 6 1.4.2.2 Behavioural paradigm ................................................................................................. 6 1.4.2.3 Psychodynamic paradigm ........................................................................................... 6 1.4.3 Applicable constructs and concepts ....................................................................... 7 1.4.3.1 Career ......................................................................................................................... 7 1.4.3.2 Career enablers ........................................................................................................... 7 1.4.3.3 Career drivers .............................................................................................................. 7 1.4.3.4 Career harmonisers ..................................................................................................... 7 1.4.3.5 Career preferences and values ................................................................................... 8 1.4.3.6 Personality ................................................................................................................... 8 1.4.3.7 Personality types ......................................................................................................... 8 1.4.3.8 Psychological career resources .................................................................................. 8 v 1.4.3.9 Central hypothesis ....................................................................................................... 8 1.5 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................. 9 1.5.1 Validity and reliability ............................................................................................... 9 1.5.2 Research approach ................................................................................................... 9 1.5.3 Research method .................................................................................................... 10 1.5.4 Research participants ............................................................................................. 10 1.5.5 Measuring instruments ........................................................................................... 10 1.5.5.1 The Psychological Career Resource Inventory ......................................................... 10 1.5.5.2 The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Form M ................................................................. 10 1.5.6 Research procedure ................................................................................................ 11 1.5.7 Statistical analysis .................................................................................................. 11 1.6 RESEARCH METHOD .............................................................................................. 11 1.7 CHAPTER LAYOUT ................................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 2 .......................................................................................................................... 14 PERSONALITY TYPES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAREER RESOURCES