Skip to main content

The Construction Manager’s Mask: A More Purpose-Fit Selection for South Africa

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences (AHFE 2019)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 963))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

The construction manager requires an educational background, technical skills, practical experience with specific soft skills in the competency domain and a specific personality profile – in order to ensure the success of a project. To enroll the correct profile student for construction management can reduce the probability of skills lost over time. The South African Personality Inventory (SAPI) was used to test the personality profiles of construction management industry participants sample (N = 10). The student group sample (N = 16) included students in their 3rd year of construction management studies enrolled at three different universities in South Africa. The online SAPI personality results suggested a remarkably similar profile between the industry group and the students’ group. The online SAPI personality tests’ main dimension results scored the highest in Intellect/Openness, followed by Conscientiousness, the lowest were Neuroticism and Negative Social Relational Disposition. Construction management students need to do practical work for a year before they start their studies. This will give them a better understanding of the work conditions, pressure and work-life balance associated with the construction industry, as this is not tested in the online SAPI personality test.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Swanepoel, B., Erasmus, B., van Wyk, M., Schenk, H.: South African Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice, 2nd edn. Juta & Co (Ltd.), Cape Town (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Mouton, S.: An investigation into the first- and second-order factor structure of the South African Personality Inventory (SAPI) on a relatively large South African sample. Masters of Commerce (Industrial Psychology), Stellenbosch, University of Stellenbosch (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  3. DeNisi, A.S., Griffin, R.W.: Human Resource Management. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Walker, A.: Organisational Behaviour in Construction, 1st edn. Wiley-Blackell, New York (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Jantan, H., Hamdan, A.R., Othman, Z.A.: Knowledge discovery techniques for talent forecasting in human-resource application. Int. J. Hum. Soc. Sci., 5–11 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Burma, Z.A.: Human-resource management and its importance for today’s organisations. Int. J. Educ. Soc. Sci. 1(2), 85–94 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sanders, B.A.: Using personality traits to predict police officer performance. Polic.: Int. J. Police Strat. Manag. 31, 129–147 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Guion, R.M., Gottier, R.F.: Validity of personality measures in personnel selection. Pers. Psychol. 18, 135–164 (1965)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Morgeson, F.P., Campion, M.A., Dipoye, R.L., Hollenbeck, J.R., Murphy, K., Schmitt, N.: Reconsidering the use of personality tests in personnel selection contexts. Pers. Psychol. 60, 683–729 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Schmidt, F.L., Hunter, J.E.: The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychol. Bull. 124, 262–274 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Van Aarde, N., Meiring, D., Wiernik, B.M.: The validity of the big five personality traits for job performance: meta-analysis of South African studies. Int. J. Select. Assess. 25, 223–239 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Fetvadjiev, V.H., Meiring, D., Nel, J.A., van der Vijver, F.J.R., Hill, C.: The South African Personality Inventory (SAPI): a culture-informed instrument for the country’s main ethnocultural groups. Am. Psychol. Assoc. 27(3), 827–837 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cilliers, C., Meiring, D.: Determining the best factorial fit for the South African personality inventory: comparison of block-and random-item formations (2014). . Master’s thesis. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/45929. Accessed 26 Aug 2016

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

van Heerden, A., Burger, M., Zulch, B. (2020). The Construction Manager’s Mask: A More Purpose-Fit Selection for South Africa. In: Karwowski, W., Ahram, T., Nazir, S. (eds) Advances in Human Factors in Training, Education, and Learning Sciences. AHFE 2019. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 963. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20135-7_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20135-7_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-20134-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-20135-7

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics