Eunhui Lee

Graduation Semester and Year

2007

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Human Resource Management

Department

Management

First Advisor

Gary McMahan

Abstract

This thesis examines the relationship between the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and neuroticism) and equity sensitivity and transformational leadership behavior, as well as interaction between equity sensitivity and specific personality traits (extraversion and agreeableness). The subjects include 95 MBA students. The Personality Inventory Questionnaire, Equity Preference Questionnaire (EPQ), and Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-Form 5X are used to evaluate their personality, equity sensitivity, and leadership behavior. Additionally, the Equity Sensitivity Instrument (ESI) is used to measure equity sensitivity, and by comparing the results between EPQ and ESI, potential differences in the measures of equity sensitivity are identified. v The data is analyzed through hierarchical multiple regression analysis. As hypothesized, agreeableness and openness to experience have a significant positive relationship with transformational leadership behavior. However, when the model includes equity sensitivity, the effect of agreeableness disappears. As assumed in this thesis, conscientiousness and neuroticism do not have any significant relationship with transformational leadership behavior. In addition, extraversion does not positively relate to transformational leadership behavior, and equity sensitivity does not interact with extraversion and agreeableness when predicting transformational leadership behavior. When equity sensitivity is measured by the EPQ, the results show a positive relationship between equity sensitivity and transformational leadership behavior, while there is no significant relationship when equity sensitivity is measured by the ESI. This study contributes to the determinants of transformational leadership by adding equity sensitivity. It explains that transformational leadership behavior is determined by individual characteristics. Future studies should extend the research on leadership behavior relating equity sensitivity based on the results of this study. Future studies should also regard the difference between the ESI and EPQ as a measurement of equity sensitivity. Furthermore, organizations and schools should consider benevolence as an important element of employee selection tests, and leadership education and development.

Disciplines

Business | Business Administration, Management, and Operations

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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