DARK TETRAD PERSONALITY TRAITS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL PERFORMANCE: MEDIATING EFFECT OF COLLABORATION

Abstract

Personality traits are known to influence entrepreneurial performance. As such, entrepreneurship is presented as a positive endeavour; neglecting the dark aspect and the collaborative efforts of entrepreneurs in industries such as the real estate. The dark entrepreneurial practices of real estate agents in Abuja have engendered unprecedented increase in rentage fees, scarcity of affordable houses for low- and middle- income earners, and polarisation of the city on the basis of highbrow and underdeveloped areas. This study therefore seeks to investigate the mediating effect of collaboration on dark tetrad personality traits and entrepreneurial performance nexus. The study adopts a cross-sectional survey design. Criterion sampling technique was employed to screen the 233 registered real estate agents with the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) in Abuja to 121 based on predetermined criteria. Linear and multiple regression were employed to analyse the generated data via questionnaire based on Baron and Kenny’s (1986) four step approach for testing mediating variable. The result shows a significant and positive mediating effect. The study concludes that despite the unethical nature of these traits, the real estate agents still thrive in their businesses because of the corrupt and unstructured business environment in the city. Hence, a stiffer control of the activities of REDAN, a more concerted fight against corruption and sensitisation of existing and would-be real estate agents on the grave consequences of wholly possessing and exhibiting dark tetrad personality traits in the conduct of dark entrepreneurial activities are recommended