Current and future leadership potential of students: What do business school students value?

Abstract

This research addresses two questions namely which leadership qualities matter in the short versus long run and what is the role of the business education in developing a person as a leader in the short versus long run. Data have been collected from 97 business school students on their current leadership qualities, current leadership potential and future leadership potential. Results revealed that being an achiever mattered only in the long run and being responsible mattered in the short run only. Being motivating, friendly and sociable mattered both in the short and long runs. While the quality o f the MBA program played a significant role both in the long run and short run, friends and peers played a significant role in the long run only. Interestingly, faculty did not play any significant role either in the short run or in the long run. The findings are of theoretical importance and are of practical significance to business schools.