THE FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE 21st CENTURY LEADERSHIP FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITY

Abstract

This research article aimed to (1) examine the level of importance of 21st-century leadership among undergraduate students in private universities, and (2) analyze the components of 21st-century leadership for undergraduate students in private universities. This study employed a quantitative research design. The sample group was selected through simple random sampling using the lottery method to obtain a list of ten private universities in Bangkok. Subsequently, questionnaires were distributed to a total of 800 respondents. The research instrument was a 21st-century leadership questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale, consisting of 71 items. Data were collected by distributing the questionnaires to undergraduate students in the selected universities, and the completeness of the data was verified before analysis. The statistical methods used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine the components of 21st-century leadership among students.

The research findings revealed that (1) the overall mean score of the importance level of 21st-century leadership among undergraduate students in private universities was generally at a high level; and (2) the results of the factor analysis identified nine components of 21st-century leadership among undergraduate students in private universities. These components included work competency and interpersonal relations; ethical work and creativity; adaptability and coping with work challenges; proactive work and analytical thinking; goal-oriented work performance; self-development; work discipline and communication; planning and problem-solving in work; and job responsibility.