Relationship between the components of on-site training and emotional intelligence in the librarians of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Isfahan University with moderating role of personality characteristics.

INTRODUCTION: Training the man power is an inevitable necessity that the organizations need in order to survive and develop in today changing world. AIMS: The aim of the present study is to identify the relationship between the components of on-site training and emotional intelligence in librarians of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Isfahan University with moderating role of personality characteristics. SETTINGS AND
DESIGN: Descriptive correlation method was used in the present study. The statistical population of the study was all of the 157 librarians of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Isfahan University from whom the appointed individuals were selected through random sampling method. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The research tools included the researcher-made questionnaire of investigating the effectiveness of on-site training system and two other standard questionnaires of Shrink emotional intelligence, and NEO personality questionnaire, which all of them had the needed reliability and validity. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The descriptive indices (distribution and mean) and also the inferential methods (Pearson correlation, regression analysis and analysis of variance) were used through applying version 20 of SPSS software to analyze the obtained data.
RESULTS: There was a significant relationship with certainty level of 95% between the components of on-site training with emotional intelligence in those who obtained low grades in the features of being extrovert and between the individual aspects of on-site training with emotional intelligence in those who got higher grades in the characteristic of being extrovert.
CONCLUSION: The emotional intelligence is a promotable skill and considering the existence of a significant relationship between some components of emotional intelligence and on-site training, these skills can be institutionalized through conducting mentioned educational courses.

INTRODUCTION

Rapid changes in science and technology have impacts on all organizations. Since about 70% of the resources and assets of the organizations are human resources, hence, provision and improvement of this asset requires regular and consistent training activities at all levels.[1] Training of human resources is necessary to increase productivity and organizational development.[2] Librarians to play their roles well should work on acquiring the necessary skills with the growth of technology. One of the most important tools in professional updating of librarian is on-site trainings.[3] Due to the importance of organizations in meeting the community needs, many experts have emphasized on continuing on-site trainings.[4] Chiaburu and Tekleab have known on-site training as a planned interventional design to enhance job performance.[2] Peters has considered the on-site training inclusive of trainings that are provided to improve employee performance and thus the efficiency of the organization.[5] The advantages of on-site training can be mentioned as: (1) For the organization, (2) for the individuals and (3) for the human resources management[6] with consideration of attention to individual differences among individuals.[7] Among the affecting individual factors on learning outcomes, it can be pointed to personality characteristics.[8] Personality is the underlying cause of individual experience and behavior.[9] Personality characteristics refer to stable traits and tendencies and influencing human behavior.[10] In recent years, it was emphasized on five big personality factors as the basic structure of personality. The model parameters are: (1) Extraversion, (2) compromising, (3) conscientiousness, (4) emotional stability, and (5) openness to experience. Conscientiousness is included performing the tasks under the prescribed versions by the community. Conscientiousness causes to facilitate goal-directed behaviors and individuals’ tasks.[11] People with high conscientiousness have better performance compared with individuals with low conscientiousness at work. Conscientious people are reliable, efficient and activist. They take initiative to solve problems scientifically and precisely. Conscientious employees show higher levels of personal competencies.[12] People with extraversion characteristics have positive emotional states, and they welcome to interpersonal interaction.[13] In this research, according to the comments of a number of specialists in relevant areas, these characteristics were selected as personality characteristics. However, Simpson and Weiner stated that skilled emotional intelligence is educable, and it can be increased through specialized training courses for individuals.[14] Vice versa IQ, which is almost static, emotional intelligence, can be improved and expanded by education and training

Goleman has also expressed that emotional intelligence can be improved and developed by training[15] Solovey and Mayer have conceptualized emotional intelligence as a set of mental abilities associated with excitement and emotional information processing.[16] Shrink has considered five main components in emotional intelligence including self-awareness, self-control, self-motivation, social consciousness, and social skills.[17] People with high emotional intelligence are different than others in having a more satisfied life, enjoying family environment and sharing in the emotions of others.[18] The researcher in his self-studies did not find a study considering the moderating role of personality characteristics in relation with on-site training and librarians’ emotional intelligence. However, among the most relevant conducted researches in this area, it can be cited to the promotion of emotional intelligence through training (status quo and future orientation) in the study of Schutte1 and Malouff. The results of this study showed that it was possible to improve specialized training of emotional intelligence and its associated consequences in individuals (physical and mental health, community relations, and job performance).[19] Findings of Clarke showed that educational programs improved and developed emotional intelligence of individuals.[20] Experimental studies of on-site training and its effects on emotional intelligence scores were carried out by Muyia and Kacirek with the purpose of investigating the effect of training programs on emotional intelligence scores. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the participants’ pre- and post-training emotional intelligence scores.[21] Maleki and Sanei research found that training had significant and positive effect on the four personality traits of emotional balance, extraversion, confidence, and supremacist. Training had a negative significant effect on two of personality traits: Sociability and decreasing tendency in people nervousness.[22] Related studies to the relationship of emotional intelligence with personality variables have yielded conflicting results. However, majority of the studies indicated that emotional intelligence has significant positive correlation with the dimensions of extraversion, openness to experience, settlement proceeds, and conscientiousness.[2324] On the other hand, researchers such as Bastian did not report significant and substantial relationship between emotional intelligence and five dimensions of personality.[25] Khayeri et al. findings also showed that there was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and personality characteristics of employees in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.[26] According to the aforementioned content, emotional intelligence is an educable skill. Its learning is important to improve the level of providing better services by identifying and managing the emotions. Since, on-site training as well is a kind of training in organizations, it is essential to check the relationship of these trainings with emotional intelligence in librarians.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This research was a quantitative, descriptive- correlation study and regarding the target as an applied. The statistical population of this research was included all librarians at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Isfahan University in 2013 with a total of 157 subjects. Using the Cochran method, the number of samples was calculated as 96 people. Sampling method was simple random. Research tools included researcher-made questionnaire to evaluate effectiveness of on-site training system with 94.8% reliability, and two standard questionnaires: (1) Shrink emotional intelligence questionnaire with the reliability of 84%[17] and (2) five-factor questionnaire of character (NEO-PI-R, 1985) with the reliability of 83%.[27] The validity of the research tools has been confirmed by five relevant experts. Inclusion criterion was employment in the university libraries (regardless of their academic orientation) and the exclusion criterion was other universities’ employees. The questionnaires were completed by librarians, after explanation to the subjects about the research objectives. Required data were collected from eligible questionnaires.

SPSS software, V20 (IBM Corp:Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data. The descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and analysis of variance) were used too.

To conduct the study, used a questionnaire randomly distributed among librarians who working in mentioned universities after due process and obtain necessary permissions. At the beginning of the research the permissions of participating were given by all units, then the data were presented in relation to the objectives of the research and how to fill out the questionnaire, and they were assured that their information will remain strictly confidential; finally, the obtained data were analyzed. Analysis Data was performed through SPSS-20 Software by using descriptive indicators such as the method of distribution, mean, Pearson correlation, regression analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA)

RESULTS

In terms of the demographic variable of gender, 36.6% were male librarians and 63.4% were female librarians. In terms of educational status variable, 16.9% of the surveyed librarians had a master's degree or higher, 66.2% bachelor's degree, 8.5% college degree, and 8.5% high school diploma or lower. In terms of employment status variable, 35.8% of the librarians were under official employment, 26.9% with treaty contracts, 31.3% with contractual employment and 6% had other employment status. In terms of marital status variable, 70.4% of librarians were married, 25.4% were single and the rest had other marital situations. Finally, In terms of academic major variable, 70.3% were librarian and 29.7% were nonlibrarian (due to the use of nonrelated fields in the university libraries). The mean age of librarians was 39.26 years with a standard deviation of 8.12 years. Their work experience average was 14.33 years with a standard deviation of 8.05 years. The results showed the followings: The mean score of individual aspects of on-site training (27.47 ± 4.59), the mean score of organizational aspects of on-site training (26.30 ± 4.45), and mean score of management of on-site training (22.42 ± 4.4) at the upper limit of the average. The mean of emotional intelligence components were: Self-motivation (18.94 ± 3.93), self-consciousness (18.73 ± 4.66), self-control (20.04 ± 4.85), consciousness (16.34 ± 3.94), and social skills (13.11 ± 3.40).

Based on the results of Table 1 (at the level of P ≤ 0.05), the correlation coefficient between the components of on-site training was significant with the component of librarians’ self-motivation in the extraversion trait with low scores on extraversion. However, in other mentioned cases in the table, there was no statistically significant relationship between the components.

Table 1

The correlation coefficient between components of librarians’ on-site training and the self-motivation component of emotional intelligence with the moderator role of their personality characteristics

Based on the results as shown in Table 2, the correlation coefficient was not statistically significant between the components of on-site training and emotional intelligence self-awareness component in the low grades and high scores of extraversion and conscientiousness.

Table 2

The correlation coefficient between components of librarians’ on-site training and the self-awareness component of emotional intelligence with the moderator role of their personality characteristics

The results as shown in Table 3 showed that the correlation coefficient was statistically significant between the components of on-site training with self-control component in the low scores of extraversion at the level of P ≥ 0.05. However, in the same level, the correlation coefficient was statistically significant between on-site training components in the personal dimensions with self-control component, only in low conscientiousness scores, but in other cases, it has not been significant.

Table 3

The correlation coefficient between components of librarians’ on-site training and the self-control component of emotional intelligence with the moderator role of their personality characteristics

The results as shown in Table 4 showed that the correlation coefficient was statistically significant between the components of on-site training in the personal dimensions with the component of consciousness in the high scores of extraversion and as well as in the personal and managerial dimensions with the component of consciousness in the low scores of conscientiousness at the level of P ≥ 0.05 and it has not been statistically significant in other cases at the same level.

Table 4

The correlation coefficient between components of librarians’ on-site training and the emotional intelligence consciousness component with the moderator role of their personality characteristics

The results as shown in Table 5 showed that the correlation coefficient was statistically significant between the components of on-site training in organizational and managerial dimensions with the component of consciousness in the low scores of extraversion and in the personal and managerial dimension in the high scores of extraversion at the level of P ≥ 0.05. The correlation coefficient has not been statistically significant in the other cases.

Table 5

The correlation coefficient between components of librarians’ on-site training and the emotional intelligence social skills component with the moderator role of their personality characteristics

The results as shown in Table 6 showed that the correlation coefficient was statistically significant between the components of on-site training with emotional intelligence in the low scores of extraversion and personal dimensions of on-site training with emotional intelligence in the high scores of extraversion at the level of P ≥ 0.05, but it was not statistically significant in the other cases.

Table 6

The correlation coefficient between components of librarians’ on-site training and the emotional intelligence with the moderator role of their personality characteristics

DISCUSSION

This research was conducted to investigate the relationship between on-site training dimensions of the librarians of University of Isfahan and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences with the components of emotional intelligence considering two personality traits of extraversion and conscientiousness. Conducted researches in this area have carried out a general survey of the relationship between on-site training and emotional intelligence. In this study, it was focused on the related components in this regard. In general, the obtained results of this research were consistent with the studies of Clarke, Simpson and Weiner. As it would be discussed, there was a significant relationship between training and emotional intelligence.[1420] In this regard, the obtained results showed that on-site training for the librarians of mentioned universities with the low scores in extraversion trait has had a significant relationship with their emotional intelligence self-motivation component. On the other hand, the highest amount of these correlations has been related to organizational aspect of on-site training at the level of P = 0.001. Another outcome of this study was that the correlation coefficient has not been statistically significant between the components of on-site training with the component of emotional intelligence self-awareness of the studied librarians. The results have been inconsistent with the results of the study of Kazemi et al. regarding the relationship between training of emotional management skills with emotional intelligence and especially self-consciousness and management components.[28] On the other hand, on-site training of mentioned universities librarians with low scores in extraversion trait has had a significant relationship with self-control component of their emotional intelligence. The highest amount of these correlations was relevant to the organizational dimensions of on-site training at the level of P = 0.006. The lowest amount of this coefficient was observed in individual dimension of on-site training of librarians with high scores in conscientiousness trait (P = 0.318). Among the other obtained results, it can be cited to personal dimension of on-site training of mentioned universities’ librarians with high scores on extraversion trait, which has had a significant relationship with awareness component of their emotional intelligence. Finally, organizational and managerial aspects of on-site training of mentioned universities librarians with low scores in extraversion trait of personal and managerial dimension of on-site training of librarians with high scores on extraversion, has had a significant relationship with the component of their emotional intelligence social skill. The personal dimension of on-site training of mentioned universities’ librarians with low scores in trait of conscientiousness has had a significant relationship with self-control component of their emotional intelligence. Personal and managerial dimensions of on-site training of the librarians with low scores in trait of conscientiousness have had a significant relationship with the component of consciousness of their emotional intelligence. In other instances, there was no significant relationship between on-site training components of librarians with high and low scores in the mentioned personality traits with the components of emotional intelligence. In the performed studies, there was no research with the moderating role of personality traits in the relationship between on-site training and emotional intelligence of librarians. However, among the most relevant conducted studies in this regard, it can be cited to the coordination of the results of this study with the results of conducted researches by some scholars. The results of Muyia and Kacirek study showed that training would cause increasing the emotional intelligence of the people.[21] Schutte1 and Malouff study suggested that training has increased emotional intelligence and its associated consequences including: Physical and mental health, social relations, and job performance.[19] Results of Clarke study showed that on-site training of the managers in the UK improved their emotional intelligence.[29] In Iran, the results of Sadri et al. study showed that training of social-emotional skills has been effective in increasing the components of emotional intelligence of students.[30] The results of the present study showed that all aspects of emotional intelligence except for self-control aspect partially had a positive relationship with on-site training, which was consistent with the obtained results in the mentioned researches. However, in this regard, personality characteristics of librarians were also very influential. In this study, apart from the main indexes, dependent and independent variables and entry of personality traits caused to investigate the role on-site training on the target population in details. People with high emotional intelligence are different in comparing with others in having a more satisfied life, enjoying the family environment and sharing in the emotions of others. They are usually regular, warm, successful, motivated, optimistic, strong social ties, and sensitive about others.[15] Emotional intelligence ability is upgradable using strategies such as staff training about understanding and regulating their emotions and others. Therefore, due to the role of this skill in the improvement of organizational goals, organizations should show more respect to this variable to increase their performance and effectiveness in educational programs.

CONCLUSION

Emotional intelligence is the ability of understanding and perceiving of emotions. Librarians with the required skills offer their services and for more satisfaction of the clients, these skills should be upgraded for better services by training in organizational environments and especially in libraries. Librarians have frequent interactions with a lot of different spectra of the users. Consequently, identifying the relationship between the trainings and different dimensions of emotional intelligence of librarians could be the cause of better planning of the on-site trainings. Therefore, it could be upgraded by considering the personal, organizational and managerial dimensions of the trainings and also the components of emotional intelligence. On the other hand, the results of the present study showed that there was a significant positive correlation between on-site trainings with some components of emotional intelligence with moderating role of personality characteristics (extraversion and conscientiousness) of the librarians at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Isfahan University. Although there was no significant relationship between the mentioned trainings and self-awareness component of emotional intelligence of librarians, it should be noted that during distributing the questionnaires, most of the librarians were seeking for more information about emotional intelligence, and this item was new for them. Thus, training in this area seems to be crucial.

Limitations

Lack of cooperation of some members in filling the questionnaires

The statistical population distribution in all of Isfahan.

Suggestions

Assessment for specialized courses needed for librarians

Holding on-site training classes in training of emotional intelligence for librarians

More culturalization regarding the institutionalizing of the importance of on-site training among the librarians.

Financial support and sponsorship

Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

Conflicts of Interest

There are no conflicts of interest.