Influence of Big Five Personality Traits on Social Entrepreneurial Intention
Shakila Yasmin*
Ireen Akhter**
Abstract: The aim of this is research is to examine the influence of personality traits on social entrepreneurial intention, which focuses on creating social values besides generating financial return for ensuring sustainability of the venture. For the purpose of this study, the influence of big-five personality traits on the five dimensions of social entrepreneurial intention has been investigated on 220 final-year undergraduate students using a structured questionnaire. Pair-wise Bi-variate analysis and multiple regressions were done to review the empirical relationship among the dependent and independent variables. Based on the value and sign of correlation coefficient of the Bi-variate results it can be concluded that neurotic persons are likely to be low in social entrepreneurial intention; whereas agreeable and extrovert persons are likely to be high in social entrepreneurial intention. Results also indicate that all of the five personality traits have significant relationship with innovativeness and social value dimension of social entrepreneurial intention but none of the personality traits have significant association with financial return. Regression models are developed to represent social entrepreneurial intention and its five dimensions as functions of five personality traits. All regression models except one (for financial return) are found to be statistically significant at an alpha value of 5%. R-square values of the models range between 15% and 36%. Findings of this study will be useful not only for (social) entrepreneurship literature but also for educators, trainers and financiers in designing content/ curriculum and choosing the right person to pursue and finance.
* Shakila Yasmin, Assistant Professor, Institute of Business Administration, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. E-Mail: shakila@iba-du.edu
** Ireen Akhter, Professor, Institute of Business Administration, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh. E-.Mail: ireen_sm@yahoo.com