Intellectual abilities are abilities needed to perform mental activities— thinking, reasoning, and problem solving. Most societies place a high value on intelligence, and for good reason. Smart people generally earn more money and attain higher levels of education. They are also more likely to emerge as leaders of
4
Define intellectual ability and demonstrate its relevance to OB.Ability
groups. Intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, for example, are designed to ascertain a person’s general intellectual abilities. So, too, are popular college admission tests, such as the SAT and ACT and graduate admission tests in business (GMAT), law (LSAT), and medicine (MCAT). Testing firms don’t claim their tests assess intelligence, but experts know they do. 59 The seven most frequently cited dimensions making up intellectual abilities are number aptitude, verbal comprehension, perceptual speed, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, spatial visualization, and memory. 60 Exhibit 2-2 describes these dimensions.
Intelligence dimensions are positively related, so if you score high on verbal comprehension, for example, you’re more likely to also score high on spatial visualization. The correlations aren’t perfect, meaning people do have specific abilities that predict important work-related outcomes when considered individually. 61 However, they are high enough that researchers also recognize a general factor of intelligence, general mental ability (GMA) . Evidence strongly supports the idea that the structures and measures of intellectual abilities generalize across cultures. Thus, someone in Venezuela or Sudan does not have a different set of mental abilities than a U.S. or Czech worker. There is some evidence that IQ scores vary to some degree across cultures, but those differences are much smaller when we take into account educational and economic differences. 62
Jobs differ in the demands they place on intellectual abilities. The more complex a job in terms of information-processing demands, the more general intelligence and verbal abilities will be necessary to perform successfully. 63
ability An individual’s capacity to perform the various tasks in a job.
intellectual abilities The capacity to do mental activities—thinking, reasoning, and problem solving.
general mental ability (GMA) An overall factor of intelligence, as suggested by the positive correlations among specific intellectual ability dimensions.
Dimension Description Job Example
Number aptitude Ability to do speedy and accurate Accountant: Computing the sales tax on a set of items arithmetic
Verbal comprehension Ability to understand what is read Plant manager: Following corporate policies on hiring or heard and the relationship of
words to each other
Perceptual speed Ability to identify visual similarities Fire investigator: Identifying clues to support a charge of arson and differences quickly and
accurately
Inductive reasoning Ability to identify a logical sequence Market researcher: Forecasting demand for a product in the in a problem and then solve the next time period
problem
Deductive reasoning Ability to use logic and assess the Supervisor: Choosing between two different suggestions implications of an argument offered by employees
Spatial visualization Ability to imagine how an object Interior decorator: Redecorating an office would look if its position in space
were changed
Memory Ability to retain and recall past Salesperson: Remembering the names of customers experiences
Dimensions of Intellectual Ability Exhibit 2-2
54 CHAPTER 2 Diversity in Organizations
Where employee behavior is highly routine and there are few or no opportu- nities to exercise discretion, a high IQ is not as important to performing well.
However, that does not mean people with high IQs cannot have an impact on traditionally less complex jobs.
It might surprise you that the most widely used intelligence test in hiring decisions takes only 12 minutes to complete. It’s the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test. There are different forms, and each has 50 questions. Here are a few examples:
● When rope is selling at $0.10 a foot, how many feet can you buy for $0.60?
● Assume the first two statements are true. Is the final one:
1. True.
2. False.
3. Not certain.
a. The boy plays baseball.
b. All baseball players wear hats.
c. The boy wears a hat.
The Wonderlic measures both speed (almost nobody has time to answer every question) and power (questions get harder as you go along), so the
A
s economic globalization continues to expand, the very idea of diversity management must expand to include a diversity of cultures and situations. Attitudes toward diversity programs range greatly across countries, with the idea of what constitutes a “diverse”workforce differing by culture and the demography of the country. The role of women in the workplace also varies, with some countries valuing sexual equality more than others.
Other categories of diversity, like sexual orientation, are not recognized in some countries but are important elements of the diversity picture in others. A consideration of three inter- national examples helps illustrate how diverse diversity programs can be.
In Singapore, diversity has become part of the national agenda. On “Racial Harmony Day,” street carnivals are held to celebrate the nation’s unique status as a crossroads of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and other cultures.
Besides applauding these distinct
national identities, the country’s lead- ers have also prioritized these celebra- tions as a moment to emphasize the shared identity of being Singaporean.
Brazil is a similarly diverse country; the major demographic groups addressed by Brazilian diversity policies include African descendant, European descen- dant, and Asian descendant, as well as disability status. Research suggests that diversity programs are relatively new to Brazil compared to Europe and North America, but companies are coming to see diversity management as a major component of their human resources systems. In India, diversity management often means addressing differences in social class and caste that do not arise in other countries, with affirmative action programs man- dating the number of individuals from lower castes who must be included in management positions for some types of organizations.
Multinational organizations will have to carefully consider how to create diversity strategies given the variety
of perspectives on diversity across countries. Many countries require specific targets and quotas for achiev- ing affirmative action goals, whereas the legal framework in the United States specifically forbids their use.
Some countries have strong prohibi- tions on sexual harassment, whereas in other countries behavior unaccept- able in U.S. workplaces is common.
Effectively managing diversity in multinational organizations is clearly a challenge of the global marketplace.
Sources: Based on D. P. S. Goh, “State Carnivals and the Subvention of Multi- culturalism in Singapore,” The British Journal of Sociology 62 (2011), pp. 111–133;
C. J. C. Jabbour, F. S. Gordono, J. H. C. de Olivera, J. C. Martinez, and R. A. G. Battistelle, “Diversity Management:
Challenges, Benefits, and the Role of Human Resource Management in Brazilian Organizations,” Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: An International Journal 30 (2011), pp. 58–74; and F. L. Cooke and D. S. Saini,
“Diversity Management in India: A Study of Organizations in Different Ownership Forms and Industrial Sectors,” Human Resource Management 49 (2010), pp. 477–500.
glOBalization!
Images of Diversity from Around the Globe
average score is pretty low—about 21/50. And because it is able to provide valid information cheaply (for $5 to $10/applicant), more companies are using the Wonderlic in hiring decisions. The Factory Card & Party Outlet, with 182 stores nationwide, uses it. So do Subway, Peoples Flowers, Security Alarm, Workforce Employment Solutions, and many others. Most of these companies don’t give up other hiring tools, such as application forms or interviews. Rather, they add the Wonderlic for its ability to provide valid data on applicants’ intelligence levels.
Interestingly, while intelligence is a big help in performing a job well, it doesn’t make people happier or more satisfied with their jobs. The correlation between intelligence and job satisfaction is about zero. Why? Research suggests that although intelligent people perform better and tend to have more interest- ing jobs, they are also more critical when evaluating their job conditions. Thus, smart people have it better, but they also expect more. 64