Personality and Performance: How Innovative Work Behavior Mediates the Effect of Big Five Traits on IT Project Success in Pakistan?

Abstract

The primary aim of this research is to catalyze a shift in focus towards the enhancement of personal and organizational factors within the IT industry. By drawing attention to the importance of refining employees' personality traits and fostering a conducive organizational environment, the study advocates for a strategic approach to mitigate the high failure rates of IT projects in Pakistan. Moreover, it posits that innovative work behavior (IWB) plays a crucial role in the equation of project success, despite with the acknowledgment that such behaviors cannot be fully controlled or mandated. The study adopts a quantitative approach within a positivist framework to explore how the Big Five Personality Traits influence project success, mediated by Innovative Work Behavior in Pakistan's dynamic software industry. A convenient sampling method was used to minimize biases, ensuring greater data reliability. The analysis was based on responses to a structured questionnaire. The findings of this quantitative study provide compelling evidence that project success in Pakistan's IT firms is significantly mediated by employees' innovative work behavior, which, in turn, is driven by the Big Five personality traits: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Through the application of a comprehensive suite of statistical tests, the study not only establishes the validity and reliability of the proposed model but also underscores the critical role of personality traits and innovative behaviors in influencing project outcomes. The study underlines the importance of leveraging individual differences in personality traits to foster a culture of innovation in IT project management. By identifying and nurturing specific traits conducive to innovation, organizations can improve their project success rates. Recommendations for management practices include targeted recruitment strategies, tailored training programs, and leadership development aimed at enhancing the innovative capacities of IT professionals. This research contributes to the field by providing empirical evidence on how personality traits directly influence project success through innovative work behavior in Pakistan's IT sector. By applying a robust theoretical framework, this study highlights the critical role of individual differences in driving innovation within technology projects.

Keywords: Innovation, Big Five Personality, Innovative Work Behavior, IT Project Success, Trait Activation Theory