A study of the perceived leadership orientations of selected leaders and members of the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University through application of the Competing Values Framework

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived leadership orientations of leaders and general members affiliated with the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, assess the validity and reliability for the Competing Values Instrument for the cadet population, and identify differences in leadership orientations of leaders and members of a student organization. The survey instrument used was an adaptation of Quinn's 1988 Competing Values Instrument. The two-part 32-item instrument was theoretically based on Quinn and Rohrbaugh's (1981, 1983) Competing Values Framework of managerial-leadership. The instrument divided the items into eight groups of leadership role orientations: Innovator, Broker, Producer, Director, Coordinator, Monitor, Facilitator, and Mentor. The instrument was administered to 520 cadets enrolled in 28 randomly selected Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and School of Military Science (SOMS) courses at Texas A&M University. Responses were compared using various background information and environmental factors. Responses were also examined to establish validity and reliability for the instrument when used with college student members of this student organization. Factor analysis procedures resulted in slight alteration of items within specific factors.
Results supported the idea that perceived leadership orientations are associated with academic classification, Corps classification, gender, age, leadership experience prior to college, involvement in college leadership experiences other than the Corps of Cadets, contract status, level of leadership position in the student organization, and military service affiliation. The contributions the student organization made to the development of leadership were assessed, and a better understanding of leaders' and members' perceptions of their leadership tendencies and practices was obtained. Survey instrument data indicated the Corps of Cadets was effective in enhancing students' perceptions of their leadership orientations. Recognizable differences were found to have existed in relationship to the complexity and nature of the leadership position. The higher the level of leadership position held by members of the Corps of Cadets, the more frequent those members' practice of leadership and management behaviors became. Military cadets were also more likely to practice leadership and management behaviors more frequently than non-military cadets. The study provided evidence that the Corps of Cadets has some effect on leadership development.