Assessing micro entrepreneur personality traits and behaviours via spatial measurement

Abstract

Developing a career in entrepreneurship is very promising, especially when there are various facilities like loan assistance given to new entrepreneurs like micro-entrepreneurs. In applying for the facilities provided, micro-entrepreneurs were required to undergo a specific assessment to evaluate the applicants' financial status and personal traits. Currently, there are no specific objective measurements to measure the personality traits and furthermore the personality traits are subjective and difficult to measure objectively. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore an objective alternative way to measure micro-entrepreneur's personality traits and behaviours via spatial measurements. The three main objectives for this research were to investigate the weakness in the current micro-entrepreneur personality traits and behaviours measurement used for micro-entrepreneurs, to evaluate the micro-entrepreneur personality traits and behaviours, and to validate the alternative entrepreneur's personality traits and behaviour measurement. To achieve the objectives, fifteen respondents were interviewed to investigate the related personality traits, behaviour, and the weakness of the current approach (Socially Desirable Responding - SDR, bias, and less objective measurement). Based on the initial finding, questionnaires were constructed and distributed to one hundred forty-five respondents, consisting of two categories with fifty-one micro-entrepreneurs and ninety-four evaluators from agencies that provide loans and aid to micro-entrepreneurs, respectively. The microcredit agencies involved are Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), TEKUN Nasional, Lembaga Kenaf dan Tembakau Negara (LKTN), Zakat Institution, MARDI, TERAJU, DUMS, KEDA, MARA, Department of Agriculture, and RISDA. Their responses were analysed using SmartPLS3 statistical analysis techniques and then further validated by interviewing three experts from the microcredit agencies personnel. The main findings indicated that most of the micro-entrepreneur's personality traits could be measured via spatial measurement. Those personality traits were efforts, perseverance, endurance, confidence, seriousness, responsible, creativity and innovation, risk-taker, opportunity-oriented, commitment, and locus of control. However, based on the statistical analysis, it was found that three from the eleven personality traits proposed were suggested to be removed which were confidence (micro-entrepreneur's), responsible (staffs), and risk-taker (both staff and micro-entrepreneur). This removal was also supported by the expert's opinions involved in this research, along with their respective justifications. The findings showed that it is feasible to evaluate an entrepreneur's personality traits and behaviours objectively via spatial measurement. This measurement could support more transparent decision-making, especially for agencies granting aid or loans to potential entrepreneurs. As such, this research could be expanded to other subgroups such as small and medium enterprises and online entrepreneurs. This will benefit the entrepreneurs in the future.