Personality correlates of Managerial talent: Cross cultural comparison

Abstract

In spite of the worldwide use of the Managerial Assessment Centre, little, if any, cross-cultural research has been done on the method. Another neglected area of AC-research, is the study of personality. This study is aimed at making a contribution towards both these areas by investigating the relationship between the managerial dimensions and personality attributes for a group of Canadian (N = 1199) and a group of South African (N = 177) middle level managers. The first step was to compare the measuring instruments which were used to test the two groups, so as to ascertain any similarities and/or differences between the two instruments. The data which was generated by the application of the instruments was then subjected to a correlational and discriminant function analysis. The result of these analyses was used to (a) define the personality correlates of managerial talent and (b) to identify broad tendencies with regard to the relative influence of culture on the relationship between personality and managerial talent.

Opsomming
Ten spyte van die wêreldwye gebruik van die bestuursbeoordelingsentrum (AC) is daar tot dusver weinig kruiskulturele navorsing hieroor gedoen. 'n Verdere verwaarloosde area van AC-navorsing, is die bestudering van persoonlikheid. Hierdie studie ondersoek die verwantskap tussen bestuursdimensies en persoonlikheidsattribute van 'n groep Kanadese (N = 1199) en 'n groep Suid-Afrikaanse (N = 177) middelvlakbestuurders. Die eerste stap was om die meetinstrumente wat gebruik is te toets en die twee groepe te vergelyk. Die ingesamelde data vir beide groepe is aan 'n korrelatiewe en diskriminant-funksie ontleding onderwerp. Die ontledings is gebruik om (a) die persoonlikheidskorrelate van bestuurstalent te omlyn en (b) breë tendense bloot te lê ten opsigte van die relatiewe invloed van kultuur op die verwantskap tussen persoonlikheid en bestuurstalent.