Francoise Contreras

Afrontamiento al estrés y modelo psicobiológico de la personalidad en estudiantes universitarios

The purpose of this study was to observe the relationship between personality dimensions suggested for Temperament/Character Model and Coping in 150 undergraduate students in a randomized stratified sample. Results indicate that participants tended to use active strategies for coping. Assumptions about biological and cultural aspects of the Personality Model are confirmed and there is evidence that coping is closely related to personality traits, especially to Character dimensions (Self directiveness and Self transcendence), and to Temperament dimensions especially to avoidance. The implications of these results are discussed.

Psychometric Properties of the General Self-Efficacy Scale in a Colombian Sample

The self-efficacy construct has been studied from two different viewpoints. Firstly, in a specific manner, as it was originally proposed and secondly, in a generalized way, defined as an optimistic self-belief of personal capability to cope efficiently and competently with a variety of situations. In order to measure this construct at the broadest level the General Self Efficacy Scale (GSE) was designed and adapted to Spanish in Costa Rica. This study aimed at validating the scale in a Colombian sample composed of college students. Participants were also administered the Situational Personality Questionnaire (named in Spanish as Cuestionario de Personalidad Situacional, CPS) and its factors have, theoretically speaking, a certain relationship with the studied construct. According to the results, the GSE showed a high internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha value of .83). Convergent and discriminant validity of this instrument were evaluated through the CPS and positive correlations were obtained with efficacy, confidence, self-concept and emotional stability while negative correlations were obtained with anxiety. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the unidimensional structure of the scale was validated.

Leadership: Prospects for Development and Research

The purpose of this study is to raise some theoretical issues of development on the theme of leadership, through the retrospective analysis of the concept. This raises the need to continue studying the leadership from perspectives increasingly broad and comprehensive so that they can embrace the complexity of the phenomenon. It was also emphasizes the importance of conducting applied research to serve as sustenance for the development of models of leadership adjusted to the current conditions of the organizations.

Propiedades psicométricas del test de adjetivos de Pitcher para la evaluación del liderazgo

The psychometric properties of Pitcher Adjective Test, to assess leadership, were obtained. Participants were 400 health workers in the cities of Bogota, Cali, Bucaramanga and Barranquilla, in Colombia. By applying a logistic model, with difficulty and discrimination parameters, they were analyzed the properties of the items. The function of information of the test resulted more informative at the intermediate level (from -1.4 to 1.6), the indicators of difficulty and discrimination, were appropriate. A marginal reliability coefficient of .94 was obtained. Multiple correspondence analysis drew a two-dimension solution of leadership and by a latent class analysis, with a partial credit model, participants were classified into three leadership styles. According to this, it is concluded that psychometric properties are appropriate, and Pitcher Adjective Test is of interest, yielding a classification that does not correspond with those commonly used.

Entrepreneurial intentions of Colombian business students

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reconceptualize the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in the light of social cognitive theory to investigate the role of social capital, specifically the leadership skill as a social capital generating influence in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach A new conceptualization of TPB is proposed to allow the impact of bonding and bridging cognitive social capital to be mediated by TPB constructs of perceived desirability and feasibility of entrepreneurship. Hypotheses are developed related to leadership skills, family background and social norms as external and internal indicators of social capital, and tested on primary data from 322 student respondents in a Colombian business school. Findings Leadership skills, indicative of bridging cognitive social capital, are found to be strongly and significantly associated with entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of the core TPB constructs. Evidence for the role of bonding social capital through measures of the social acceptability of entrepreneurship and family background is mixed, and in the case of family background no indirect association with intentions is found. Research limitations/implications Although the Latin American context would suggest significant population variation in personal and background resource, there is relatively little variation across this sample, particularly in terms of family background. Thus, rates of graduate entrepreneurship may relate more closely to constraints acting on entry into higher education than on other background characteristics, and therefore future work in similar contexts ought to be conducted across a wider socio-economic sample. Practical implications Opportunities to develop and enhance student perception of leadership ability through either education or experience might improve levels of graduate entrepreneurship, alongside traditional activities to raise self-efficacy and perceived salience of entrepreneurship. Originality/value Student leadership skills have rarely been addressed in the context of entrepreneurship development. This paper highlights the relevance of this in a developing economy context.

Entrepreneurial intentions of Colombian business students: Planned behaviour, leadership skills and social capital

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reconceptualize the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in the light of social cognitive theory to investigate the role of social capital, specifically the leadership skill as a social capital generating influence in the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach A new conceptualization of TPB is proposed to allow the impact of bonding and bridging cognitive social capital to be mediated by TPB constructs of perceived desirability and feasibility of entrepreneurship. Hypotheses are developed related to leadership skills, family background and social norms as external and internal indicators of social capital, and tested on primary data from 322 student respondents in a Colombian business school. Findings Leadership skills, indicative of bridging cognitive social capital, are found to be strongly and significantly associated with entrepreneurial intentions through the mediating role of the core TPB constructs. Evidence for the role of bonding social capital through measures of the social acceptability of entrepreneurship and family background is mixed, and in the case of family background no indirect association with intentions is found. Research limitations/implications Although the Latin American context would suggest significant population variation in personal and background resource, there is relatively little variation across this sample, particularly in terms of family background. Thus, rates of graduate entrepreneurship may relate more closely to constraints acting on entry into higher education than on other background characteristics, and therefore future work in similar contexts ought to be conducted across a wider socio-economic sample. Practical implications Opportunities to develop and enhance student perception of leadership ability through either education or experience might improve levels of graduate entrepreneurship, alongside traditional activities to raise self-efficacy and perceived salience of entrepreneurship. Originality/value Student leadership skills have rarely been addressed in the context of entrepreneurship development. This paper highlights the relevance of this in a developing economy context.

The influence of optimism and socioeconomic characteristics on leadership practices

The role of optimism and socioeconomic characteristics of managers on leadership practices in small enterprises, in Bogota, Colombia, was determined. Ninety managers completed the Leadership Practices Inventory and The Revised Life Orientation Test, as well as they provided information about personal and business socio-economic characteristics. Association measures between socio-economic and optimism variables with the Leadership Practices Inventory were taken. Besides, by Chi square test, Mann-Whitney`s U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, they were determined socioeconomic differences in leadership styles, and, by a structural equation model, the effect of age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, number of employees of the company, economic sector, and optimism on leadership practices was analyzed. Only optimism and number of employees showed to be significant.

Preliminary validarion of Fry's Spiritual Leadership Model in Colombian and Ecuadorian workers

The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the Spiritual Leadership model proposed by Fry (2003). Spiritual Leadership Questionnaire [SLT] (Fry & Matherly, 2006) was applied to 279 workers from Colombia and Ecuador. The two samples were equivalent by sex, age, education level and work experience. According to the results, all dimensions of the questionnaire showed to be highly consistent (alpha above .85) except Commitment dimension. Likewise, it found that just one of 35 items that composed the scale shows low item-scale correlation. In the most of the cases, the relationships between variables as well as the adjustment index of the model were lower than reported by Fry previously, which limited the construct validity. External evidences of validity of the model, demonstrated that the work experience and level of charge were significant for Spiritual Leadership dimensions. These findings were related to the psychometrics requirement of the scale and regarding of measured construct with organizational behavior. Finally, it is point out some research limitations and provide some suggestions for future studies.espanolEl proposito de este estudio fue examinar la validez del modelo de liderazgo espiritual propuesto por Fry (2003). Se aplico el Cuestionario de Liderazgo Espiritual [SLT] (Fry & Matherly, 2006), a 279 trabajadores de Colombia y Ecuador. Ambas muestras fueron equivalentes respecto a sexo, edad, nivel de formacion y experiencia laboral. De acuerdo con los resultados, todas las dimensiones del instrumento, excepto la de compromiso, demostraron ser altamente consistentes (alpha superior a .85). Asimismo, se encontro que solo un item de los 35 que componen el instrumento presento baja correlacion item-escala. En la mayoria de los casos, las relaciones entre las variables y los indices de ajuste del modelo fueron menores a lo reportado por Fry, lo que limito la validez de constructo. Las evidencias externas de la validez del modelo demostraron que la experiencia laboral y el nivel del cargo son significativos para las dimensiones del liderazgo espiritual. Se discuten estos hallazgos respecto a los requerimientos psicometricos del instrumento y la relacion del constructo medido con aspectos del comportamiento organizacional. Finalmente, se senalan las limitaciones del estudio y se hacen recomendaciones para futuras investigaciones. EnglishThe aim of this study was to examine the validity of the Spiritual Leadership model proposed by Fry (2003). Spiritual Leadership Questionnaire [SLT] (Fry & Matherly, 2006) was applied to 279 workers from Colombia and Ecuador. The two samples were equivalent by sex, age, education level and work experience. According to the results, all dimensions of the questionnaire showed to be highly consistent (alpha above .85) except Commitment dimension. Likewise, it found that just one of 35 items that composed the scale shows low item-scale correlation. In the most of the cases, the relationships between variables as well as the adjustment index of the model were lower than reported by Fry previously, which limited the construct validity. External evidences of validity of the model, demonstrated that the work experience and level of charge were significant for Spiritual Leadership dimensions. These findings were related to the psychometrics requirement of the scale and regarding of measured construct with organizational behavior. Finally, it is point out some research limitations and provide some suggestions for future studies. portuguesO proposito deste estudo foi examinar a validade do modelo de lideranca espiritual (Spiritual Leadership Theory, SLT) proposto por Fry (2003). Aplicou-se o Questionario de Lideranca Espiritual (SLT Survey) (Fry & Matherly, 2006) a 279 trabalhadores da Colombia e do Equador. Ambas as amostras foram equivalentes com respeito a sexo, idade, nivel de formacao e experiencia profissional. De acordo com os resultados, todas as dimensoes do instrumento, exceto a de Compromisso, demonstraram ser altamente consistentes (alpha superior a .85). Tambem se constatou que apenas um item dos 35 que compoem o instrumento apresentou baixa correlacao item-escala. Na maioria dos casos, as relacoes entre as variaveis e os indices de ajuste do modelo foram menores que o indicado por Fry, o que limitou a validade de constructo. As evidencias externas da validade do modelo demonstraram que a experiencia profissional e o nivel do cargo sao significativos para as dimensoes da lideranca espiritual. Discutem-se essas descobertas com relacao aos requerimentos psicometricos do instrumento e a relacao do constructo medido com aspectos do comportamento organizacional. Finalmente, indicam-se as limitacoes do estudo e fazem-se recomendacoes para futuras pesquisas.