Personality traits and leadership styles of students: Evidence from Ecuador

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The study aims to evaluate how personality traits affect transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles. It uses the quantitative approach with a non-experimental research design; the data were collected cross-sectionally, with a correlational-causal scope. The sample included 418 professionals studying MBA at private universities in Ecuador and working in private companies. Personality traits were measured with the Revised NEO-PI-R Personality Inventory, while the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) measured leadership styles through the survey. Data analysis included the use of correlations and multivariate regression models. The results show that openness to experience (β = 0.100*), extraversion (β = 0.217**), conscientiousness (β = 0.239**), and work experience (β = 0.086*) generated a positive and meaningful effect on transformational leadership. Neuroticism was also significant but with a negative standardized coefficient (β = –0.445**). Also, extraversion (β = 0.169**), conscientiousness (β = 0.303**), and work experience (β = 0.222**) had a positive and significant effect on transactional leadership; neuroticism was also significant but with a negative standardized coefficient (β = –0.243**). Finally, extraversion (β = –0.311**) and conscientiousness (β = –0.192**) had a negative and significant effect, and neuroticism (β = 0.451**) had a positive and significant effect on the passive-avoidant leadership style.

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    • Table 1. Sample demographic information
    • Table 2. Descriptive statistics of personality domains
    • Table 3. Descriptive results of leadership styles
    • Table 4. Second-order confirmatory factor analysis for leadership styles
    • Table 5. Correlations between leadership styles and the Big Five domains
    • Table 6. Regression coefficients for transformational leadership style
    • Table 7. Regression coefficients for transformational leadership
    • Table 8. Regression coefficients for passive-avoidant leadership
    • Table A1. Factor loadings and congruence for factors in managers’ NEO-PI-R form rotated to the Normative American Structure
    • Conceptualization
      Danny Xavier Arevalo Avecillas, Rober Anibal Luciano Alipio
    • Formal Analysis
      Danny Xavier Arevalo Avecillas, Ronald Enrique Campoverde Aguirre
    • Methodology
      Danny Xavier Arevalo Avecillas, Ronald Enrique Campoverde Aguirre
    • Visualization
      Danny Xavier Arevalo Avecillas, Ronald Enrique Campoverde Aguirre
    • Writing – original draft
      Danny Xavier Arevalo Avecillas, Rober Anibal Luciano Alipio, Holger Cevallos Valdiviezo
    • Data curation
      Rober Anibal Luciano Alipio, Holger Cevallos Valdiviezo
    • Investigation
      Rober Anibal Luciano Alipio, Grimaldo Wilfredo Quispe Santivañez
    • Validation
      Rober Anibal Luciano Alipio, Grimaldo Wilfredo Quispe Santivañez
    • Supervision
      Ronald Enrique Campoverde Aguirre
    • Writing – review & editing
      Ronald Enrique Campoverde Aguirre, Holger Cevallos Valdiviezo, Grimaldo Wilfredo Quispe Santivañez
    • Project administration
      Holger Cevallos Valdiviezo, Grimaldo Wilfredo Quispe Santivañez