Personality trait determinants of frontline employee customer orientation and job performance: a Russian study

Purpose: Despite major market-orientated reforms to enhance the competitive advantage of Russian domestic firms, the antecedents and consequences of frontline employee (FLE) customer orientation (CO) remain poorly understood. Acknowledging this paucity of research, the authors draw upon a hierarchical model of personality to examine personality trait determinants of CO and job performance in the context of the Russian financial services sector. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from 186 FLEs using a self-administered survey questionnaire and analyzed using AMOS. Findings: The results identify which basic personality traits matter in translating FLE CO behavior into higher job performance in the Russian retail-banking sector. Research limitations/implications: Limitations of the study include the generalizability of the findings within one organizational context. Future research should examine whether the found associations hold true for FLEs working in other service sectors in other parts of the country. Practical implications: Study findings differ significantly to Western-based research and provide valuable insight into the process that motivates Russian FLEs in a commercial retail setting to perform better in their jobs. Originality/value: This is the first empirical study that employs a hierarchical model of the effects of basic personality traits on FLE CO and job performance in a former socialist/communist economy. We also advance existing research on FLE CO by distinguishing between two types of CO behavior. Findings provide an understanding of those personality traits that affect the ability of Russian FLEs to better satisfy customer needs and to interact and serve customers in an enjoyable way.