Effects of Personality Characteristics on Knowledge,Skill, and Performance in Servicing Retail Customers |
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| Authors: | Stephan J Motowidlo Amy L Brownlee Mark J Schmit |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, Rice University, PO Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251‐1892, USA. motowidlo@rice.edu;2. Department of Management, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA;3. APT Inc, 1200 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette, CO 80026, USA |
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| Abstract: | This study tested the idea that some personality variables are related to interpersonal aspects of job performance primarily through interpersonal knowledge and skill, just as cognitive ability has been shown to be related to technical aspects of job performance primarily through technical knowledge and skill. We measured personality factors, cognitive ability, customer service knowledge (through a structured interview), customer service skill (through role‐play simulations), and customer service performance (through supervisory ratings) in a sample of 140 retail store associates. As expected, results showed that interpersonally oriented personality characteristics are related to customer service knowledge even when effects of ability, conscientiousness, and experience are taken into account, and that customer service knowledge and skill together carry the indirect effects of personality characteristics, ability, and experience to customer service performance. We also found that conscientiousness moderates the relation between knowledge and performance such that knowledge predicts performance best for people who are highly conscientious. |
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