Effect of Locus of Control on Job Performance: Evidence from Australian Panel Data

This paper aims to examine the importance of locus of control for job performance. We draw on Australian panel data and use the fixed effects panel data analysis technique to estimate the causal effect of locus of control on working people’s job performance. Our findings reveal that locus of control positively affects the adaptive performance dimension of job performance. Employees with a more internal locus of control tend to be better able to adapt to conditions and events in the workplace, leading to better performance on their jobs.