An investigation of the relationship between personality type and working culture

Personality type can affect job performance, but the issue has not been studied so far through a sociological approach. Using the Parsonian theory of personality and applying a survey study approach, the present study has attempted to investigate the impact of personality type on working culture. The sample consisting of 481 participants was randomly selected from the population of Azad University staffs in Fars, Bushehr and Kohkiluyeh and Buyerahmad provinces. The instrumentation consisted of a questionnaire whose construct validity was established through a factor analysis method and the reliability of which was established through Cronbach’s alpha. The findings indicated that the mean score of the personality traits (i.e., cooperation and commitment) and the working culture stood at a medium level. But the analytical results of the study showed that instrumental personality had a negative effect on working culture. Moreover, from among the demographic variables involved, only age and years of service had a significant relationship with working culture. The analysis of working culture in terms of the independent variables indicated that separation, collective interest and acquisition are the most powerful determinants of it and are responsible for 12% of its variation. Finally, the findings of the study have been compared to those of the previous ones and suggestions have been proposed to improve the status of the working culture among the staff.