Profil psychologique des étudiants canadiens-français au M.B.A. : conséquences pour une politique de sélection The Psychological Profile of French Canadian M.B.A. Students : Consequence for a Selection Policy

Résumé

Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude du profil psychologique d'étudiants canadiens-français inscrits dans des programmes de maîtrise en administration des affaires (M.B.A.). L'objectif de l'étude est de comparer le profil de ces étudiants aux profils de l'entrepreneur et du«  manager » suggérés par les études sur ces deux types d'agent économique. Dans l'ensemble les étudiants ont un profil se rapprochant davantage du«  manager » que de l'entrepreneur ; cependant une forte proportion d'entre eux montre un profil se rapprochant ni de l'entrepreneur ni du manager. On montre de plus comment cette information pourrait être utilisée pour formuler une politique de sélection des candidats à un programme de M.B.Â.

Abstract

Since 1966, French-speaking universities in Québec have offered a Master's degree in Business Administration similar to programs offered for many years in American and Canadian Universities. The focus of this study is to compare the psychological profile of these students to the profiles of entrepreneurs and managers suggested by past research in this area. Thus, previous studies indicate that entrepreneurs have a high need for achievement, have a high level of self-confidence, are individualistic and autonomous and have economic values. Other studies indicate that managers are perseverant, have a high level of self-confidence, are sociable, domineering, agressive, ascendant and independent. These studies seem to indicate that managers and entrepreneurs have different profiles.

The objective of this paper is threefold : ( 1 ) to determine the profile of French Canadian M.B.A. students ; (2) to compare this profile to the profiles of entrepreneurs and managers suggested by previous studies; (3) to show how the type of information used in this study could be helpful in formulating a selection policy for M.B.A. candidates.

The results indicate that the profile of M.B.A. students is caracterized by a high need for power, for ascendancy, a high level of tolerance for change, a high degree of order and perseverance, a high level of aggressivity, a high self-esteem and a high level of interest in economies and politics. They have a very low need for dependence and deference and don't feel inferior. One should note that the need for achievement is quite low, contrary to what might have been expected.

Furthermore, the results indicate that the population is heterogeneous ; it is possible to identify six sub-groups of students which differ significantly in terms of their profiles. Generally, the profiles of all groups are closer to the profile of the manager than to the profile of the entrepreneur. However, a sizable proportion of subjects presented profiles which matched neiher manager nor entrepreneur.

The study also demonstrates how this type of information could be used by a School of Business in the formulation of its selection policy. Depending upon the objectives set for the M.B.A. programme, it was shown that a substantially different group of subjects would have been admitted.