CEO recruitment in Danish SME-construction companies: A study of the Danish construction-SMEs’ leader competency requirements
Translated title
CEO recruitment in Danish SME-construction companies
Author
Christensen, Andreas Brorson
Term
4. term
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-01-10
Pages
163
Abstract
Byggebranchen bliver stadig mere kompleks, og især små og mellemstore virksomheder (SMV’er) er pressede af begrænsede ressourcer. Fordi mange SMV’er har en flad struktur og få formelle processer, får lederen en nøglerolle. Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan en SMV-leders personlighed kan matche branchens vigtigste udfordringer, set i et rekrutteringsperspektiv. Brancheanalysen bygger på to systematiske litteratursøgninger og fem semistrukturerede interviews med relevante aktører. Med udgangspunkt i SWOT-rammen (styrker, svagheder, muligheder, trusler) blev der udvalgt fire scenarier, som beskriver de største udfordringer for bygge-SMV’er. Med principper fra Interactionist Model (som forklarer, hvordan situationen modererer sammenhængen mellem personlighed og adfærd) blev scenarierne koblet til Five Factor Model, også kaldet Big Five (åbenhed, udadvendthed, samvittighedsfuldhed, venlighed og emotionel stabilitet/neuroticisme). Resultaterne peger på, at SMV-ledere i højere grad end den generiske leder bør have personlighedstræk, der fremmer strategisk samarbejde. Åbenhed for nye erfaringer (openness to experience) er vigtigst, efterfulgt af udadvendthed (extraversion) og samvittighedsfuldhed (conscientiousness). Det hænger sammen med, at strategiske alliancer kan hjælpe SMV’er med at udligne størrelsesrelaterede ulemper. I et teoretisk rekrutteringsperspektiv vil ledere med disse træk forventeligt præstere bedre end ledere med lavere niveauer af dem. Specialet peger også på begrænsninger: Den foreslåede SMV-lederprofil er overvejende teoretisk og bygger på en generisk virksomhed frem for en specifik. En profil skræddersyet til én konkret SMV vil være mere valid for den virksomhed. Et casestudie er derfor et naturligt næste skridt for at matche og teste en sådan profil. Five Factor-modellen rummer et stort potentiale i rekruttering, men den er kompleks at anvende i praktiske, situationsbestemte forløb.
The construction industry is becoming more complex, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are especially affected due to limited resources. Because many SMEs have flat structures and few formal processes, the leader plays a pivotal role. This thesis examines how an SME leader’s personality can be matched to the industry’s key challenges, with a focus on recruitment. The industry analysis draws on two systematic literature searches and five semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders. Using the SWOT framework (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), four scenarios were selected to represent the main challenges faced by construction SMEs. Guided by the principles of the Interactionist Model (which explains how situations moderate the link between personality and behavior), these scenarios were mapped to the Five Factor Model, also known as the Big Five (openness to experience, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism/emotional stability). Findings indicate that SME leaders, more than generic leaders, need traits that support strategic collaboration. Openness to experience is most critical, followed by extraversion and conscientiousness. This aligns with the study’s identification of strategic alliances as a way for SMEs to offset size-related disadvantages. In a theoretical recruitment perspective, leaders with these traits are expected to perform better than those with lower levels. The thesis also notes limitations: The proposed SME leader profile is largely theoretical and based on a generic SME rather than a specific company. A profile tailored to one SME’s challenges would have higher validity. A case study is therefore a natural next step to match and test such a profile. The Five Factor Model shows strong potential in recruitment, but it is complex to apply in practical, situation-specific processes.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
SMV ; Personlighed ; Leder ; Byggebranchen
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