Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Management
Program Name/Specialization
Management and Organizational Behaviour
Faculty/School
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics
First Advisor
Simon Taggar
Advisor Role
Supervisor
Second Advisor
Greg Irving
Advisor Role
Committee Member
Third Advisor
Amy Christie
Advisor Role
Committee Member
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between personality and the preferences expressed by latent entrepreneurs among different ways of creating value. Latent entrepreneurs are individuals who would prefer to be an entrepreneur rather than a salaried employee. Latent entrepreneurs take all the first time decisions on entering entrepreneurship and their entry choices have been linked in the literature to their expressed preferences. The study addressed the personality-value creation relationship through two goals. The first addressed the personality-value creation preference relationship directly. Value creation was operationalized using the Competing Values Model (Quinn & Rohrbaugh, 1983). Each approach to value creation was regressed on hypothesized personality traits. It was found that a different, hypothesized, personality trait was associated primarily with each of the personality-value creation relationships. The second goal, based on theoretical insights by Schneider et al. (1995) and Schein (2004) tested the role of goal orientation as a possible mediator of the personality-value creation relationship. Three of the four goal orientations of contemporary goal orientation theory (Elliot & McGregor, 2001) were found to mediate the different personality-value creation relationships. The study represents a break with traditional personality research in entrepreneurship, which focuses on the entrepreneur rather than on the venture the entrepreneur creates. The theoretical and practical implications of this different approach are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Kay, Michael J. PhD, "The Relationship between Personality Traits, Goal Orientation, and Preferred Paths to Value Creation: The Case of Latent Entrepreneurs." (2015). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 1692.
https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/1692
Convocation Year
2015
Convocation Season
Spring
Comments
This study marks a break with traditional personality research in entrepreneurship. It shifts the focus from the personality of the entrepreneur per se to the relationship between personality and the type of venture the entrepreneur may start.