Investigating the relationship between personalities and agile team climate: A replicated study

Abstract

ContextA study in 2020 (S1) explored the relationship between personality traits and team climate perceptions of software professionals working in agile teams. S1 surveyed 43 software professionals from a large telecom company in Sweden and found that a person's ability to get along with team members (Agreeableness) influences significantly and positively the perceived level of team climate. Further, they observed that personality traits accounted for less than 15 % of the variance in team climate. ObjectiveThe study described herein replicates S1 using data gathered from 148 software professionals from an industrial partner in Brazil. MethodWe used the same research methods as S1. We employed a survey to gather the personality and climate data, which was later analyzed using correlation and regression analyses. The former aimed to measure the level of association between personality traits and climate and the latter to estimate team climate factors using personality traits as predictors. ResultsThe results for the correlation analyses showed statistically significant and positive associations between two personality traits - Agreeableness and Conscientiousness, and all five team climate factors. There was also a significant and positive association between Openness and Team Vision. Our results corroborate those from S1, with respect to two personality traits – Openness and Agreeableness; however, in S1, Openness was significantly and positively associated with Support for Innovation (not Team Vision). In regard to Agreeableness, in S1 it was also significantly and positively associated with perceived team climate. Furthermore, our regression models also support S1’s findings - personality traits accounted for less than 15 % of the variance in team climate. ConclusionDespite variances in location, sample size, and operational domain, our study confirmed S1′s results on the limited influence of personality traits. Agreeableness and Openness were significant predictors for team climate, although the predictive factors differed. These discrepancies highlight the necessity for further research, incorporating larger samples and additional predictor variables, to better comprehend the intricate relationship between personality traits and team climate across diverse cultural and professional settings.