Analysis of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in Management Context

This report examines the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and its application in management. It explores the historical context of the MBTI, including its origins with Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, and its use in assessing psychological preferences. The report discusses the four dichotomies of the MBTI: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving, and how these influence individual behaviors and preferences. The report includes a review of relevant literature, including studies on the MBTI's validity and reliability. It presents arguments for and against the MBTI's use in management, considering research on its convergent validity and criticisms regarding its theoretical framework. The report also explores how the MBTI can be used in different forms of counseling, teaching and learning, and for understanding leadership styles. Furthermore, the report mentions the views of different researchers regarding the reliability and validity of MBTI. Finally, it concludes with a discussion on the practical implications of the MBTI in the workplace, providing an overview of its strengths, weaknesses, and relevance in management practices.

RUNNING HEAD: MANAGEMENT
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Myers Briggs Type Indicator

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The Myers Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an introspective self-report questionnaire
that helps in to know psychological preferences of people. The concept of MBTI was developed
by two Americans Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs. The MBTI was established
in the late 1940s, with the assumption that people have specific preferences in the way they
experiences, and these preferences underline their needs, interests , motivation and values (Stein,
& Swan,2019). The data collected about groups and individuals from the MBTI are useful in
different forms of counseling, in teaching and learning, and for understanding leadership styles.
The MBIT uses four pairs of dichotomies that have technical meaning and point score
from these four pair of preferences differ person to person. According to McGoey, Cowan,
Rumrill, & LaVogue, 2010, the MBTI scores of the UK and US populations were collected using
data from two samples of different populations that included managers and student. From
research it was found that MBTI four dimensions; Extraversion and Extroversion, Intuition and
Openness, Feeling and Agreeableness, and Judging and Conscientiousness were true measures of
personality. McPeek & Breiner,2013, found that ENFJ (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and
Judging) type high more on the extraversion scale. This seems as the evidence of convergent
validity. McPeek & Breiner,2013, stated that the reliability of four scales was very good as all
the dimensions were correlated and showed same result compare to managerial style concept.
However, on the other side, Furnham, 2014, argued that data gathered for MBTI was collected
from theoretically unsystematic way. He summarized that result of the study was not reliable
and valid. Further, criticized the concept of MBTI and reported a six factor structure. Fumham,
2014, analyzed the result and concluded that the scale of EI and JP are measure of sociality and
impulsivity. Furnham & Crump,2015, conducted test on different individuals and found that
MBTI is not reliable and valid in situation when the mood of the respondents was depressed or
elevated. Furnham & Crump, 2015 argues that this is poor result because “MBTI is not a trait
theory and implies these preferences where the classes are mutually exclusive” and did not
believe that everyone personality can be stated.

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References
Furnham, A. (2014). The dark side of the MBTI: Psychological type and interpersonal
derailers. Psychology, 5(02), 166.
Furnham, A., & Crump, J. (2015). Personality and management level: Traits that differentiate
leadership levels. Psychology, 6(05), 549.
McGoey, K. E., Cowan, R. J., Rumrill, P. P., & LaVogue, C. (2010). Understanding the
psychometric properties of reliability and validity in assessment. Work, 36(1), 105-111.
McPeek, R. W., & Breiner, J. (2013). Convergent validity of the MBTI® and MMTIC®
assessments. Journal of Psychological Type.
Stein, R., & Swan, A. B. (2019). Evaluating the validity of Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator theory:
A teaching tool and window into intuitive psychology. Social and Personality
Psychology Compass, 13(2), e12434.