Record Detail

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate
organizational and occupational homogeneity, compare
homogeneity at different levels of composition, and
uncover a mechanism for homogeneity.
Design/Methodology/Approach Data were obtained from
an archival data base of current employees (N = 23,933) in
40 organizations, 19 major job groupings, 42 minor job
groupings, and 115 detailed job titles.
Findings Support for homogeneity within organizations
and occupations was found, regardless of the granularity
with which occupation were defined. Homogeneity esti-
mates were smaller than prior estimates in the literature
based on smaller, less diverse samples. Occupational
homogeneity was significantly greater than homogeneity at
the organizational level for neuroticism and extraversion.
As a potential mechanism, we demonstrated that occupa-
tional interest could predict personality at the occupational
level.
Implications Investigating homogeneity effects with a
large, representative sample and simultaneously consider-
ing occupation and organization helps to advance our