Study Participant Demographics
Valid Study Participants = 360
Age
Gender
Level of Education
Race/Ethnicity
Years in Business
Number of Employees
Number of Startups
Business Location
Region Map (Dheer et al., 2014)
U.S. State Partcipation
Local Poplulation
Respondents are at least 32 years of age.
Respondents have some college, undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree.
Respondents have been in business over three years.
Respondents generated more than $1 million in revenue last year.
Demographic Multiple Regression Results:
Age was the strongest predictor of servant leadership behaviors
Geographic regions may adopt servant leader behaviors more than other
Annual revenue showed a positive relationship with both Servant leader behaviors & entrepreneurial success
Dissertation Study Results
Research Question 1: To what extent do self-reported servant-leader behaviors (SL-28) predict entrepreneurial success (MQES) among business founders?
Respondents perceive themselves as strong servant-leaders (Range 1 - 7)
Respondents perceive themselves as achieving elevated entrepreneurial success (Range 1-2)
Moderate positive correlation between SL behaviors and entrepreneurial success
As servant-leader behaviors increase, entrepreneurial success scores should as well.
0 = no relationship
+1 = perfect positive relationship
-1 = perfect negative relationship
Entrepreneurial Success Explained by SL behaviors
Model performed well and results are unlikely to be due to chance
One point increase in SL behaviors = 0.084 increase in ENTR Success
Positive linear relationship between the two variables
Statistically significant association and moderately positive relationship
Statistically significant association and moderately positive relationship demonstrating that as servant-leader behaviors increase, ENTR scores should as well.
Research Question 2: Which dimensions of servant-leadership (SL-28) are most strongly associated with entrepreneurial success (MQES)?
Variance in entrepreneurial success can be explained by servant-leader behaviors
Increase portrayed from 8.2 percent in the linear regression model demonstrates that the seven subscales of servant leadership offer more explanatory capacity.
Seven subscales of servant leadership explain a statically significant portion of the variance in entrepreneurial success scores.
Servant leadership subscales that demonstrated a statistically significant p-value.
Empowering Others was significant, but moderate (β = .185, p < .003). Those that were not significant included Helping Subordinates Grow and Succeed, Putting Subordinates First, Behaving Ethically, and Emotionally Healing (Liden et al., 2008).
Servant Leaderhip items (28) that demonstrated statistically significant relationships with entrepreneurial success:
I can tell if something work related is going wrong. (Positive)
I am able to effectively think through complex problems. (Positive)
I encourage my subordinates to handle important work decisions on their own. (Positive)
I have a thorough understanding of our organization and its goals. (Positive)
I encourage my subordinates to volunteer in the community. (Positive)
I put my subordinates’ best interests ahead of my own. (Negative)
Demographic variables explain correlation; when added to SL behaviors significant increase.
Servant-leader behaviors significantly improve the ability to predict entrepreneurial success beyond demographics.
Research Question 3: To what extent do personal development outcomes within the MQES reflect identity-related dimensions of entrepreneurial success?
Entrepreneurial success items that may relate closest with personal development:
Do you feel professionally fulfilled? (MQES Item 11)
In the long term, do you feel satisfied building your own professional career? (MQES Item 15)
Are you satisfied with your current work (in the context of self-employment)? (MQES Item 16)
Are you satisfied with yourself as an entrepreneur? (MQES Item 20)
Are you satisfied with the business decisions you make? (MQES Item 21)
Do you think you have achieved/are achieving success in running your business? (MQES Item 22)
Are you satisfied with yourself in the context of achieving the business goals you have set for yourself? (MQES Item 23)
Do you feel satisfied that you are providing people with good jobs, fair wages, contributing to economic development, and creating additional utility and value (the social dimension of your business)? (MQES Item 24)
Seven servant leadership subscales together account for the variance in personal development scores.
Once adjustments are made for sample size and the number of predictors, the variance equates to 16.1 percent. The model is statistically significant based on the output (F (7, 352) = 10.843, p < .001).
Servant-leader behavior demonstrated statistically significant relationships with personal development outcomes in entrepreneurial success in these subscales:
Creating Value for Community (β = 0.224, p = < 0.001)
Conceptual skills (β = 0.272, p = < 0.001)
Empowering others (β = 0.177, p = < 0.004)
Research Question 4: To what extent does social desirability bias influence self-reported servant-leadership or entrepreneurial success scores?
Social desirability bias did not influence the relationship with entrepreneurial success.
Servant-leader behavior and social desirability bias moderated entrepreneurial success.
For certain individuals, social desirability may influence how strongly servant-leader behaviors relate to an entrepreneur’s perceived success.
Dissertation Study Conclusions
There is a statistically significant correlation between servant-leader behaviors and entrepreneurial success
There is a low possibility that results are due to chance
Respondents appeared confident to launch and manage successful ventures
Participants demonstrated resilient servant leader characteristics
This study confirmed that the seven subscale servant leadership regression model is statistically significant
If respondents focus attention on Creating Value for the Community and Conceptual Skills, they are more likely to make the most progress exhibiting behaviors of servant-leadership and improving their chances for entrepreneurial success.
Empowering Others, demonstrates moderate significance on entrepreneurial success
Servant-leader behaviors are statistically significant and account for a moderate 16.1% of the explained variance that entrepreneurs report growing personally
Servant-leader traits are allied to higher levels of perceived personal growth in venture founders
Social bias significantly moderated the relationship between servant-leader behaviors and success, but not alone with entrepreneurial success
In Summary:
Servant-leader behaviors show positive correlation with entrepreneurial prosperity and indicate a statistically significant and meaningful relationship.