Military Leadership Potentials as Related to Birth Order, Family Size and Socio Economic Status in Bangladesh

Abstract

The dynamic factors of society have made the selection in military as a continuous developmental process. The basic objective of the present study was to discover the effects of birth order, family size and socio economic status (SES) on potential traits of military leadership. Birth order consisted of three different levels as first born, middle born and last born. Single child, two children and more than two children were three different levels of family size. SES also comprised of three different levels as upper middle, middle and lower middle class in the present study. The dependent variables of the present study had been set few potential traits of military leadership as ascendancy, responsibility, emotional stability, vigour, cautiousness, personal relation, original thinking and sociability. Present research was a correlational study and the sample had been drawn (N = 718) from Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB) by following Simple Random Sampling (SRS). Bengali version of Gordon Personal Profile (GPP) and Gordon Personal Inventory (GPI) were used together to measure dependent variables. Validity of GPP and GPI had been checked in this study before these tests were administrated. Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis was applied for analysis of obtained data. Results showed that first born, middle born and upper middle class had positive effect on ascendancy (P = 9.423, p = 4.328 and P = 3.340). Whereas, negative effect had been found with single child (P = -4.869). Regarding responsibility, results showed that first born had positive effect on responsibility (P = 4.363). Whereas, negative effect had been found with single child and lower middle class (P = -3.433 and P = -1.550). Middle born and middle class had negative effect on sociability (P = -2.889 and p = -1.006). Whereas, positive effect had been found in individuals from more than two children families (P = 5.633). In measuring original thinking, Coefficients showed that first born had positive effect on original thinking(����= 0.776). Coefficients of multiple regression analysis showed middle born, single child, two children and lower middle class had negative effect on personal relation (P = -2.329, P = -8.205, p = -3.575 and P = -1.816). It was also found that first born and last born individuals; persons from more than two children and upper middle class families possess positive effect on vigour(����= 4.761, ���� = 3.706, ���� = 4.383 and����= 1.584). Whereas, single child showed negative effect on vigour (P = - 4.156). All the above mentioned ���� values were found statistically significant but no significant relation was found in measuring emotional stability and cautiousness.