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Behavior, 8e
Schermerhorn, Hunt, and
Osborn
Prepared by
Michael K. McCuddy
Valparaiso University
Demographic characteristics.
– The background characteristics that help shape what a
person becomes.
Important demographic characteristics for the
workplace.
– Gender.
– Age.
– Race.
– Ethnicity.
– Able-bodiedness.
Organizational Behavior: Chapter 4 10
What are demographic differences among
individuals, and why are they important?
Gender.
– No consistent differences between men and
women in:
• Problem-solving abilities.
• Analytical skills.
• Competitive drive.
• Motivation.
• Learning ability.
• Sociability.
Gender — cont.
– As compared to men, women:
• Are more conforming.
• Have lower expectations of success.
• Have higher absenteeism.
Age.
– Older workers …
• Are often stereotyped as inflexible.
• Sometimes complain that their experience and
skills are not valued.
• Have lower turnover.
• Have lower avoidable absences.
Able-bodiedness.
– Despite evidence of effective job performance,
most disabled persons are unemployed.
– Most disabled persons want to work.
Ability.
– A person’s existing capacity to perform the
various tasks needed for a given job.
– Includes relevant knowledge and skills.
• Situational factors.
– Intuitive-thinking (IF).
– Sensation-thinking (ST).
– Intuitive-thinking (IT).
– Dogmatism.
• Tendency to view the world as a threatening place.
Values.
– Friends.
– Teachers.
– Role models.
– External reference groups.
• Honesty.
• Fairness.
• Pursuit of leisure.
• Personal identity.
• Self-fulfillment.
– Microsoft.