Kolb’s Learning Styles and Managerial Concern for People and Task: A Reflective Measurement Model

Carl Mark B Miniano ,Xun-Yuan Rui

doi:10.7176/ejbm/12-9-02

Abstract

The main aim of this paper is to develop a reflective measurement model utilizing the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), and employing Kolb’s four learning styles (activist, reflector, theorist & pragmatist) as predictors for the two managerial orientations (task & people) espoused by the Blake & Mouton’s Managerial Grid. The survey included 120 academic and academic-support managers from six higher education institutions in Metro Manila, Philippines. We assessed the PLS path using Consistent PLS algorithm and measured the construct’s convergent validity using both the Cronbach Alpha, rho A, and Composite Reliability, while the Fornell-Larcker test was used to measure the discriminant validity of the variable constructs. Outer loadings and Outer weights of the latent variables were extracted using the PLS Algorithm. We ran a complete bootstrapping to statistically test the significance of the PLS-SEM results. Among the findings of this research was the strong positive association of the activist learning style with managers’ task orientation while reflector, theorist and pragmatist learning styles have weak positive association with the people orientation of managers. Keywords: Learning styles, Managerial orientation, Leadership orientation, Philippines DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-9-02 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

Highlights

A large volume of researches conducted on learning styles focus on emphasizing that students learn through various ways due to individual differences (Curry, 1983; De Vita, 2001; Oxford & Anderson, 1995; Pashler, Mcdaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork, 2008; Slaats, Lodewijks, & van der Sanden, 1999)
A good number of those attempted to identify how students best learn, while others were aimed at determining the appropriate educational interventions and employing more effective instructional strategies to ensure success in student learning (Cuthbert, 2005; Haar, Hall, Schoepp, & Smith, 2010; Hunt, 1972; McLoughlin, 1999; Mickler & Zippert, 1987; SadlerSmith, 1996; Tulbure, 2011), still, others link learning styles with students’ academic performance
Several researches delved on understanding learning at work, applying learning theories in the workplace, how learning relates to training and development activities, and how learning styles are related to work performance (Boud & Garrick, 2012; Furnham, Jackson, & Miller, 1999; Hayes & Allinson, 1997; Hunt et al, 2005), but none so far has been conducted to determine if learning styles would be associated with managerial orientations

Summary

Introduction

A large volume of researches conducted on learning styles focus on emphasizing that students learn through various ways due to individual differences (Curry, 1983; De Vita, 2001; Oxford & Anderson, 1995; Pashler, Mcdaniel, Rohrer, & Bjork, 2008; Slaats, Lodewijks, & van der Sanden, 1999). Several researches delved on understanding learning at work, applying learning theories in the workplace, how learning relates to training and development activities, and how learning styles are related to work performance (Boud & Garrick, 2012; Furnham, Jackson, & Miller, 1999; Hayes & Allinson, 1997; Hunt et al, 2005), but none so far has been conducted to determine if learning styles would be associated with managerial orientations. The emergence of the learning style concepts can be traced back as early as 334 BC with Aristotle’s belief that, “each child possesses specific talents and skills” (Reiff, 1991). Having this as a precursor, more researches were conducted, and new concepts emerged. Among the popular theories along these field were the Experiential Learning Model (David A Kolb, 1984), the Visual-Auditory-Kinesthetic (VAK) Model (Barbe, Swassing, & Milone, 1979), Fleming’s VARK Model (Fleming, 1995), which is an extension of the VAK Model, the Mind Style Model (Gregorc, 1998), the Grasha-Riechmann Learning Style (Riechmann & Grasha, 1974), and the NAASP Model (Keefe, 1985)

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Methods

Conclusion