Abstract

This study investigated the distinction between an employee's typical performance and maximum performance, and tried to explore the link between specific individual characteristics and the discrepancy level between the two types of performances. We expected that personality would affect the level of difference between typical performance and maximum performance. In particular, we believed that Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability from the Big-Five model of Personality would have an impact on the employee's goal setting, goal commitment, performance expectancy, and self-regulation, all of which would further influence the employee's discrepancy level between typical and maximum performance. We also examined the impact of trait affect as well as state affect on the dependent variable, hypothesizing that operating on the cognitive-motivation processes, affect would be related to the discrepancy level between typical performance and maximum performance. The sample of this study was composed of48 sushi chefs in the Canadian food industry. Each participant was observed for typical and maximum performance measurement in working place, and asked to fill out questionnaires. The findings showed a significant performance discrepancy within individuals, and self-regulation, negative trait affect, as well as job tenure contributed to the intra-individual typical/maximum performance discrepancy. Contrary to expectations, personality traits and other affectivity variables were not significant in this study. Possible explanations, contributions and limitations, along with directions for future research, are discussed.