New OPP articles on senior executives and entrepreneurship

Based on OPP research, ‘Senior executives: a characteristic personality profile?’, by Paul Deakin and Heather Coop, looks at whether a particular personality profile characterises senior executives, enabling them to cope effectively with high job demands.

The study at the heart of this article administered the 16PF instrument to a nationally representative sample, revealing significant differences between senior executives and the general population on a range of personality traits and workplace attitudes. Results suggested that there may indeed be a specific set of personality characteristics that enable executives to cope effectively with high job demands.

Our second article in the journal, ‘Identifying entrepreneurship across the UK: implications for employability’, by Paula Cruise and Melissa Russon, looks at the personality factors that may underlie the decision to start a new business.

The study upon which this article is based suggests that occupational psychologists and personality assessments have a potentially significant role to play in influencing national employment policies and business-development initiatives, notably during periods of recession.

Assessment and Development Matters (ADM) is the quarterly magazine of the British Psychological Society's Psychological Testing Centre, sent to over 9000 test users in the UK and overseas who are on the Register of Competence in Psychological Testing. The latest issue, containing the OPP articles, can be downloaded here.