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Screening Enterprising Personality in Youth: An Empirical Model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2014

Javier Suárez-Álvarez ,
Ignacio Pedrosa ,
Eduardo García-Cueto  and
José Muñiz
Javier Suárez-Álvarez*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Oviedo (Spain)
Ignacio Pedrosa
Affiliation:
Universidad de Oviedo (Spain)
Eduardo García-Cueto
Affiliation:
Universidad de Oviedo (Spain)
José Muñiz
Affiliation:
Universidad de Oviedo (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Javier Suárez-Álvarez. Psychology Department. Universidad de Oviedo. Plaza Feijoo, s/n. Office 4. 33003. Oviedo (Spain). E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Entrepreneurial attitudes of individuals are determined by different variables, some of them related to the cognitive and personality characteristics of the person, and others focused on contextual aspects. The aim of this study is to review the essential dimensions of enterprising personality and develop a test that will permit their thorough assessment. Nine dimensions were identified: achievement motivation, risk taking, innovativeness, autonomy, internal locus of control, external locus of control, stress tolerance, self-efficacy and optimism. For the assessment of these dimensions, 161 items were developed which were applied to a sample of 416 students, 54% male and 46% female (M = 17.89 years old, SD = 3.26). After conducting several qualitative and quantitative analyses, the final test was composed of 127 items with acceptable psychometric properties. Alpha coefficients for the subscales ranged from .81 to .98. The validity evidence relative to the content was provided by experts (V = .71, 95% CI = .56 - .85). Construct validity was assessed using different factorial analyses, obtaining a dimensional structure in accordance with the proposed model of nine interdependent dimensions as well as a global factor that groups these nine dimensions (explained variance = 49.07%; χ2/df = 1.78; GFI= .97; SRMR = .07). Nine out of the 127 items showed Differential Item Functioning as a function of gender (p < .01, R 2 >.035). The results obtained are discussed and future lines of research analyzed.

Keywords

personalityassessmententerprising spiritentrepreneurbusiness
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 17 , 2014 , E60
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2014 

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