Emotional inteliigence and mental ability as determinants of job performance among plant supervisors in selected manufacturing firms / Rommel Pilapil Sergio. 6

Thesis (M.A.) -- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 2001.;A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate School of Arts, Sciences and Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Industrial Psychology. 56

5

ABSTRACT: The study focused on the relationship of emotional intelligence and mental ability as predictors of job performance among first-line Filipino plant supervisors in selected manufacturing firms in Cavite. Specifically, the researcher tested if there was a significant relationship between the respondents' profile variables such as age, civil status, educational attainment, and work tenure on mental ability, emotional intelligence, and job performance. Likewise, job performance was correlated with mental ability and emotional intelligence. Consequently, the researcher also threshed out the relationship of mental ability and emotional intelligence. The study employed descriptive, correlational-survey method in assessing the relationship and the possible effect of emotional intelligence and mental ability on job performance of supervisors. In undertaking the study, a total of 134 plant supervisors from two multinational, manufacturing firms were involved wherein 100 percent of the population was considered as respondents of the study. The researcher utilized three types of measures-Emotional Competence Inventory, a standard mental ability test, and the supervisory performance appraisal in obtaining information. The data were encoded and were entered into the matrix software Statistical Program for Social Sciences for Statistical treatment. For the descriptive showcase of data, the frequency and percentage were used specifically in dealing with nominal data generated by demographic profile variables civil and educational attainment. For age and work tenure, the mean and standard deviation were utilized. To ascertain the relationship between the respondents' demographic profile variables and mental ability, emotional intelligence, and job performance, Chi-square was used. To determine the relationship between mental ability and emotional intelligence, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was employed. It was traced that majority of the respondents are under age 34 and above. There is a greater number of single respondents; mostly engineering graduates without graduate studies, with the highest work tenure of 3-5 years in the workplace. The respondents' level of mental ability was found to be above average; whereas, their emotional intelligence reached an interpretation of somewhat characteristics of the individuals-they were noted to have attained strength in self-management while the respondents must take into consideration the improvement on the area of social skills. The job performance of the respondents as a whole was characterized as excellent. The study confirmed that the age of supervisors had no significant relationship with mental ability and all the clusters of emotional intelligence but significant with job performance. Civil status bore significant relationship with mental ability, emotional intelligence, and job performance. Educational attainment was revealed to be related with mental ability and job performance, but failed to register significance with all the clusters of emotional intelligence. Consequently, the study attested that work tenure had no effect on mental ability, clusters of emotional intelligence, and job performance. It was transparent that the study elucidated a significant relationship when job performance was grouped according to mental ability and emotional intelligence. On the other hand, it was affirmed that mental ability and emotional intelligence were separate entities as they registered a very low and negligible correlation. In the light of the foregoing data, it is recommended that modification of job specifications or hiring qualifications in recruiting technical supervisors be conducted by including emotional intelligence as a determinant of future job performance. The study can also lead industries to include the practice of emotional intelligence in employees' training and development to instill productivity. Moreover, the Emotional Competence Inventory can be used as a multi-rater instrument at 360o, not only on a self-appraisal scheme as employed in this study. a parallel study can also be conducted using similar, additional, or different variables to contribute knowledge in the psychological field.

5