There is research to indicate some people do BETTER in a multi-tasking environment. Specifically, they are more productive when they ARE bothered. Practically, their most productive time is when they first begin a task, not 15 minutes into it.

There are some software companies here in Phoenix that are using this information for hiring purposes: IT support needs to be staffed with multi-distraction (sic) folks, for example. The other two “types” used are: (1) weekly or monthly repetition and (2) single-project minded. They are looking at positions based on a timing-work filter first.