Assessment of Relevant Personal Characteristics Of Potential Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This exercise provides a vehicle for providing potential entrepreneurs with self-feedback concerning personal characteristics seen as relevant to successful pursuit of small business activities. Four well documented psychological instruments are employed to tap the subjects’ need for achievement, flexibility arid openness to information, sense of independence and self-control, and potential creativity in problem solving and decision making. The instruments are: Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, Rokeach’s Dogmatism Scale, Rotter’s External-Internal Locus of Control Scale, and Mednick’s Remote Association Test. Use of the exercise as part of a traditional small business management course and its administration are discussed.