Conscientiousness as a key to success for academic achievement among French university students enrolled in management studies

Abstract

This study aims to identify the role of the five-factor model in the prediction of academic motivation, procrastination, and academic achievement among French university students enrolled in management studies. Overall, 404 first- and second-year management students answered a questionnaire composed of the following scales: Big Five-fr, academic motivation, and procrastination. The study identified that management students with higher annual results are the most conscientious and intrinsically motivated, and they procrastinate less and are less amotivated. Thus, among management students, the trait of conscientiousness is the best predictor of academic achievement. On the whole, the contribution of this study is twofold: first, it brings to light the central role of conscientiousness, in particular as a moderator between amotivation and academic results; and second, it proposes the combined analysis of personality, motivation, and procrastination as explanatory variables for academic results. Finally, this study delivers useful insights on how to move towards greater engagement of first- and second-year students regarding French education policies. This is one of the first studies to provide evidence of the relationship between personality and academic success within the French context.