Emotional intelligence of MBA students

Abstract

Although recent research underlined the importance of emotional intelligence for managers, the perception exists that educational institutions do not focus enough on the fostering of emotional intelligence. Subsequently the following objectives were set for this study: (1) To give a concise overview of literature on emotional intelligence, (2) to investigate the theory of fostering emotional intelligence, (3) to design, conduct and interpret the results of an empirical study to test the hypothesis that the Potchefstroom Business School MBA does not foster significant growth in emotional awareness as part of the emotional intelligence of their students by way of the Telematic (study centre) delivery platform, and (4) to make recommendations towards the fostering of emotional intelligence by the Potchefstroom Business School MBA via the Telematic (study centre) delivery platform. From a cognitive perspective emotional intelligence was found to be the potential to habitually create contextually true outcomes through the interaction of emotional awareness, -assessment and -expression in personal and social experiences. This potential surfaces in a number of personal and social emotional competencies, of which the primary competency is emotional awareness. Emotional intelligence impacts on the character of an individual. The ontologie-contextual approach to learning focusses on the creation of situated and constructive learning environments. In these environments the interplay between tacit and explicit knowledge of emotional intelligence fosters growth in and the creation of emotional intelligence. With regard to the response group it was found that the MBA delivered by Potchefstroom Business School does not foster practically significant growth in emotional awareness by way of the Telematic (study centre) platform. Recommendations are made to initiate a process by which the Potchefstroom Business School could take the opportunity to produce graduates who not only command technical managerial expertise, but also excel in the manner in which they apply these skills.