INFLUENCE OF EMPLOYEE PERSONAL REPUTATION ON CAREER SUCCESS IN NANDI HEKIMA SACCO LIMITED, KENYA

Abstract

Personal reputation is construed to be critical to career success. Despite the existence of a growing body of literature on personal reputation to date, misunderstandings still exist regarding the phenomenon. This study was based on the psychological contract and leader member exchange theories. The specific objectives of the study were: to determine the relationship between influence tactics and career success, to establish the relationship between career success and social effectiveness, to determine the relationship between career success and personality and to establish relationship between career success and challenges faced by employees. This study adopted a survey research design. The target population for the study was 54 respondents consisting of strategic level, middle level and operational level managers. Data was collected from the entire population in the study. Questionnaires were the main data collection instruments. Data analysis was achieved using Statistical Package for Social Scientists. The results of this study showed a positive relationship between career success and influence tactics (F=8.727, R2 =0.214, P=0.006), social effectiveness (F=16.075, R2 =0.341, P=0.000), personality (F=34.105, R2 =0.516, P=0.000). The study concludes that, exchange influence tactic, social astuteness and conscientiousness trait of personality influence career success with conscientiousness contributing more to variation in career success and exchange tactics made least contribution. This study recommends that, personality be aligned with the job of an individual during the recruitment process for the organization to gain competitive advantage. The implications of this study indicate that management should consider employee personal reputation as an integral component of career success and by extension organizational success.