Understanding learners' completion intention of massive open online courses (MOOCs): role of personality traits and personal innovativeness

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kriti Priya Gupta

PurposeThe present study investigates the influence of five personality traits based on the Big Five model, i.e. extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness to experience and personal innovativeness on learners' intention to complete MOOCs.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model was empirically tested using cross-sectional design. The primary data were gathered through a survey of 515 students at five higher educational institutions in the National Capital Region of Delhi, India. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesized relationships in the proposed model.FindingsThe study has found significant associations between the personality traits, personal innovativeness and MOOC completion intention. The findings indicate that extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to experience and personal innovativeness have significant positive effects whereas neuroticism has no significant effect on MOOCs continuance intention. Personal innovativeness has been found to mediate the relationships between all the personality traits and MOOCs completion intention of learners.Practical implicationsOur findings can potentially address the issue of drop-out rates of MOOCs in developing countries such as India. The findings of the study are helpful for MOOCs providers and other stakeholders. The MOOC developers should develop courses with wide scope so as to accommodate learners with different personality profiles. Additionally, during the enrolment process, MOOC providers can identify the students' attributes through personality tests. This will help in customizing the study material and teaching pedagogy as per the needs of the students.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the growing area of research in MOOCs usage by exploring the influence of personality traits on learners' behaviour towards completing MOOCs. Since the learners' intention to complete MOOCs is a major concern for MOOC developers, hence the present study makes a worthwhile contribution as it is a relatively under-researched area.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Thi Phuong Nguyen ◽  
Duong Tuan Nguyen ◽  
Hang Thu Nguyen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of entrepreneurs’ personality traits on firm innovation performance through the mediation role of entrepreneurs’ innovativeness. Design/methodology/approach The data consist of 2,574 firms from a survey of small and medium-scale manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam, a developing and transitioning economy where SMEs constitute an integral part of the economy. The estimation results based on the structural equation model was applied to analyze the data. Findings The results indicate that an entrepreneur’s innovativeness is positively associated with his extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience but negatively accompanied with his neuroticism. Besides, the three traits – openness to experience, conscientiousness and extraversion have positive indirect effects, while neuroticism has a negative indirect effect on technological improvement and new technology adoption. However, the effects of agreeableness on entrepreneurial innovativeness and firm innovation performance are insignificant. In addition, the diverse backgrounds of the entrepreneur such as education and ethnics are also found to influence his innovativeness and to have indirect effects on firm innovation performance. Originality/value This study may contribute to the immature literature on the entrepreneurial process within SMEs by presenting empirical evidence on the relationship between entrepreneurial personality traits and firm innovation with a large sample of SMEs in Vietnam, an emerging economy where SMEs constitute an integral part of the economy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 500-513
Author(s):  
Seniz Özhan ◽  
Nevin Altug ◽  
Eylem Deniz

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the joint effect of two composite characteristics –openness to experience (OE) and nostalgia proneness (NP) – on product involvement (PI) and whether brand loyalty (BL) is a result of this PI. Design/methodology/approach In accordance with this purpose, a model suggesting that OE dimension of the five-factor model and NP influences PI and PI influences BL was developed and tested. The data used in the study were obtained from 1,392 participants from the Thrace region of Turkey. The authors use a structural equation model to test and confirm hypothesis. Findings OE influences PI and hence BL. On the other hand, it has been concluded that NP has no significant influence on PI. Research limitations/implications This is the first study to examine the influence of OE, one of the personality traits, and NP on BL. In this study, only OE, which is one of the five-factor personality traits, has been examined. Studies in the future may research the relationship between other personality traits and NP, PI and BL. Practical implications This paper provides managerial insights into why consumers’ personality traits and NP need to be taken into consideration in creating BL. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, the influence of OE and NP on BL has not been addressed in the current literature. Personality traits and NP are closely related to individuals’ behaviors as a consumer. Understanding the factors that influence consumer purchase decision processes is of crucial importance to managers and researchers alike. The paper is of great value for firms that consider enhance BL.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanieh Alipour Bazkiaei ◽  
Noor Ullah Khan ◽  
Ateeq-ur-Rehman Irshad ◽  
Adeel Ahmed

PurposeEntrepreneurship is a vital source of job creation and a key driver in promoting economic growth. The Malaysian government encourages higher educational institutions (HEIs) to develop more competitive and innovative graduates for the economy so that Malaysia achieves high-income nation status by 2025. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of attitude toward entrepreneurship (ATE) in the relationship between key psychological factors, that is, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), big-five (BF) personality traits, entrepreneurial motivation (EM) and educational factors (EFs) with entrepreneurial intention (EI) among Malaysian university students.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative design based on a positivist approach. The adopted questionnaire was used as the survey instrument. The primary data were collected from a sample of 251 final-year students in the management field who were enrolled in research-intensive Malaysian universities. Data were analyzed through the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using AMOS 24 software.FindingsFindings confirmed that the BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN, ATE and EFs were positively related to EI. Furthermore, ATE mediated the relationship between BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN, EF, and EI among Malaysian university students.Research limitations/implicationsThis research provides critical insights into the key antecedents, for example, psychological and EFs, in explaining the EI of university students and future graduates. However, results can only be generalized to research-intensive Malaysian universities.Originality/valueThis study investigated the relationship between psychological factors, that is, BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN and EFs in predicting EI of Malaysian university students. ATE mediated the relationship between BF personality traits, EM, PBC, SN, EF and EI among these students.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boonlert Watjatrakul

Purpose Individual differences and perceived values of technology have received much attention in technology adoption literature. However, there is a lack of understanding of their relationships and effects on online learning adoption. The study aims to investigate the effects of two important personality traits (i.e. openness to experience and neuroticism) and five perceived values (i.e. functional value, emotional value, social value, epistemic value and conditional value) on students’ intentions to adopt online learning. Design/methodology/approach A survey research method was used to collect information from university students. A sample size of 285 was used for data analysis. Structural equation modeling analysis using analysis of moment structure software was used to examine the construct reliability and validity, the model-fit indices and the causal relationships between latent constructs in the proposed framework. Findings The results show that neuroticism and openness to experience affect students’ intentions to adopt online learning through five perceived values of online learning. Particularly, students who are open to experience pay more attention to the quality of online learning. Students who are more neurotic avoid stress from learning in a situation that they are not familiar with. In addition, students tend to adopt online learning when they perceive online learning fulfills their emotional and social needs. Further discussions of the findings and implications for theory and practice are provided. Originality/value The study extends knowledge and understanding of online learning adoption associated with individual personality and perception of online learning’s values. It proposed a new framework to examine the effects of neuroticism, openness to experience and perceived values on online learning adoption. Universities might use the study results to plan and implement their online learning programs that will be considered valuable for students who have different personality traits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 3135-3155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Bellou ◽  
Nikolaos Stylos ◽  
Roya Rahimi

Purpose Despite the fact that hotels rely heavily upon frontline employees, extant evidence on what makes a hotel attractive in the eyes of job applicants is scarce. Thus, this paper aims to incorporate the Big Five personality traits model to identify what potential hotel job applicants are likely to seek in their prospective employers. Design/methodology/approach Applicants for non-managerial, frontline posts at upscale hotels were approached via three branches of a career agency located in England, UK; their responses were gathered via a self-administered questionnaire. The 522 usable responses were used in a covariance-based, multi-group structural equation modeling scheme to investigate three main research propositions with regards to the applicants’ personality traits’ influence on their perceptions of a hotel’s attractiveness as a potential employer. Findings Analysis of responses indicates significant differences regarding the impact of extraversion, conscientiousness and openness on perceived facets of employer attractiveness. Additionally, findings suggest that high self-esteem does make applicants more demanding, while work experience also influences their preferences regarding the hotels’ profiles as an employer. Research limitations/implications The results of this study are limited to applicants for non-managerial, frontline job positions in upscale hotels in the UK. Practical implications Practically, this study offers practitioners valuable feedback regarding the potential applicant’s personality profile that grants the best fit with an upscale hotel. Originality/value While different studies tried to identify the organizations’ attributes that attract potential applicants, evidence on what attracts individuals to a hotel is very limited. Hence, the present study tries to address this gap and link potential applicants’ personality profiles with that of hotels as employers.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahereh Hasani ◽  
Norman O'Reilly

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to depict the effects and relative importance of technological, organizational, environmental and managerial factors on the organizational performance of start-up businesses. Design/methodology/approach This research’s primary data was collected from 389 start-up companies in Malaysia. Principle component analysis and the orthogonal model with Varimax rotation method are used to perform exploratory factor analysis test. Structural equation modelling is also used in confirmatory factor analysis to explore the relationships between independent and dependent variables. Findings The findings suggest positive effects of technological and environmental characteristics on the organizational performance of start-up businesses. The managerial characteristics do not have any positive effect on the organizational performance of start-up businesses. The organizational characteristics split into two parts: the availability of internal financial resources, which positively affects the organizational performance of start-up businesses; and the availability of business incubation, which does not have any important effect. Moreover, start-up companies should choose the one with the highest perceived advantage as it would have the most significant positive effect on their organizational performance. In addition, it was detected that venture capitalists’ (VCs) support has the most positive influence on organizational performance and social customer relationship management adoption even more than governmental supports in the context of Malaysia. Originality/value The proposed framework of this research can be used not only as a research tool for examining determinant factors affecting organizational performance of start-up businesses but also by governments, VCs and other investors to detect best-performing start-up businesses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1607-1625
Author(s):  
Anita Gaile ◽  
Ilona Baumane-Vitolina ◽  
Erika Sumilo ◽  
Daina Skiltere ◽  
Ricardo Martin Flores

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the differences in the values and behaviours of employees and entrepreneurs and to develop guidelines for employers to foster entrepreneurial thinking in their organisations. Design/methodology/approach To determine individual behaviours, the authors used the career adaptability scale developed by Savickas and Porfelli (2012), complemented with the statements regarding relationships in the workplace and reward, designed by Gattiker and Larwood (1986). The individual values were evaluated by Schwartz’s individual value framework. The career success of individuals was defined by income level and job satisfaction. Data from a sample of 473 respondents were analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings This paper reveals that there are differences in the behaviours and the values of employees and entrepreneurs. Employees are more concerned with relationships at the workplace, rewards and confidence, whereas entrepreneurs focus solely on relationships. Self-direction value has a direct positive impact. Universalism, conformism, achievement, stimulation and safety have indirect positive effects on career success for employees. There is no specific individual value driving career success for entrepreneurs. Originality/value This paper follows the recent trends in organisational culture development whereby organisations seek to incorporate the entrepreneurial mindset at all levels of the organisation. Until now, there has been scarce empirical evidence on the differences between entrepreneurial and employee values. This research provides evidence that the value gap between these two distinct groups is considerable enough to question the ability of the average employee to adopt the entrepreneurial behaviour required by modern organisations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1369-1392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena-Mădălina Vătămănescu ◽  
Juan-Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro ◽  
Andreia Gabriela Andrei ◽  
Violeta-Mihaela Dincă ◽  
Vlad-Andrei Alexandru

Purpose In the context of resource scarcity, the affiliation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to strategic networks has emerged as a fruitful path towards knowledge sharing as a reaction to fierce competition and with a view to enhance their innovative performance. In this framework, this paper aims to investigate the influence exerted by a specific relational design (i.e. types of strategic networks) and methodology (i.e. channels and content) of knowledge sharing on SMEs innovative performance. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire-based survey with 102 top managers of European SMEs in the industrial field was conducted from June to August 2019 and a partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was used. The database was initially filtered to ensure the adequacy of the sample and data was analysed using the statistics software package SmartPLS 3.0. Findings The results concluded that the structural model explains 38.5% of the variance in SMEs innovative performance, indicating the positive effects exerted by offline and online and by competitive knowledge sharing on the dependent variable. Research implications The study has both theoretical and practical implications in that it sets out a reference point for the key performance indicators for strategic networks structure, formation and development and, implicitly, for the selection of the most efficient relational design and methodology. Originality/value The pivotal originality elements reside in the advancement of a more comprehensive conceptual and structural model combining a two-fold operationalization of SMEs strategic networks (founded on business abilities or on the personality of the partner) and in the investigation of knowledge transfer processes at the inter-organizational levels within a context-centric approach.


Author(s):  
Khaira Amalia Fachrudin

The inherent socioeconomic characteristics and personality traits of individuals can have direct effects on their financial satisfaction. There has been no research that examines the effects of these two factors on financial satisfaction with financial behavior acting as the mediating variable even though it is very important to know whether individuals with certain characteristics and personality traits are able to increase their financial satisfaction by improving their financial behavior. 2. Methods This research involved 600 respondents in Medan, Indonesia. The primary data were obtained from the questionnaire. Data analyses were performed by using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. 3. Results and findings The test results show that at 5% of alpha, the financial behavior, which consists of investment behavior, debt behavior, and spending behavior, is able to mediate the effects of gender, age, level of education, income, and neuroticism traits on financial satisfaction. In addition, it is also found that the higher the individuals' scores on neuroticism are, the worse their investment, debt, and spending behaviors will be; however, their herding behavior and financial dissatisfaction increase. Moreover, these people are also not financially well-off. Keywords: Debt behavior, financial satisfaction, investment behavior, neuroticism personality traits, spending behavior.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junaidi Junaidi ◽  
Ready Wicaksono ◽  
Hamka Hamka

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether and how religiosity (e.g. extrinsic and intrinsic) influences the mediator variables (consumers’ commitment and materialism) in the Islamic bank consumers context. It also examines how the mediators should be influence consumers’ preferences. Design/methodology/approach In total, 658 Muslim people and Islamic bank consumers were recruited for a survey study and structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The empirical results indicate that religiosity (e.g. extrinsic and intrinsic) has significant and positive effects on consumers’ commitment and materialism, whereas intrinsic religiosity has no significant effect on consumers’ commitment which subsequently influences consumers’ preference. Furthermore, mediator variables (e.g. consumers’ commitment and consumers’ materialism) have partial mediators between religiosity and consumers’ preferences. Research limitations/implications The current study was limited to Indonesian Muslim people; there is a future need to study consumers’ attitudes and engagement in religious products and services (e.g. Islamic brands). It is can help practitioners, regulators and researchers to observe the dynamic behavior to elaborate on the impact of religion and Islamic products on consumers’ preference. Practical implications The bank managers and regulators should enhance the information of products and services Islamic banks and the difference principle between conventional banks. Moreover, enlighten the consumers about the principle operation of Islamic banks from the perspective of marketing and religiosity. Originality/value This study contributes to consumers’ behavior literature and, specifically, for the decision-making process through developing and testing a model of religious determinants toward Islamic bank products, as well as offers new insights into the determinants of religion and consumers’ decision process toward Islamic banking.


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