A Study on Leadership and Role Orientation Among MBA Students in Business School

Leadership is often expected as a natural outcome of management education, yet MBA graduates often demonstrate stronger managerial or worker-oriented tendencies. This study explored the dominant role orientation of 77 MBA students in a business school setting, using a structured questionnaire with Likert-scale and situational items. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Findings revealed that managerial orientation was most common, followed by leadership orientation, while worker orientation was least frequent. Work experience significantly influenced orientation outcomes, with students having 1–3 years’ experience showing stronger leadership and managerial alignment. The results suggest that leadership development in business schools is not automatic but requires intentional, structured pedagogical interventions.