Job attitudes in management: VI. Perceptions of the importance of certain personality traits as a function of line versus staff type of job

Abstract

In a questionnaire study, over 1800 managerial respondents rank-ordered 5 Other-Directed or Organization Man personality traits and 5 Inner-Directed traits in terms of their importance for job success. Responses were tabulated by 3 types of managerial positions: line, combined line-staff, and staff. Results showed that staff managers placed relatively more emphasis on the Other-Directed traits and less emphasis on the Inner-Directed traits than did line managers. Managers in combined line-staff jobs were intermediate between the other 2 groups in their responses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)