Examining the Philosophical Foundations of Intelligence and Developing an Administrative Intelligence Test for Managers
Keywords:
Managerial intelligence, leadership and motivation, creative thinking and innovationAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to examine the philosophical foundations of intelligence and to develop and validate an administrative intelligence test for managers of public universities in Tehran.
Methodology: This study employed an exploratory mixed-method design. In the qualitative phase, 15 experts in higher education were selected through purposive sampling and participated in semi-structured interviews using the Delphi technique. Qualitative data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population consisted of managers of public universities in Tehran, from whom 300 participants were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Administrative Intelligence Test (Saadati, 1403). Construct validity was examined through exploratory factor analysis, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability indices.
Findings: Exploratory factor analysis extracted three philosophical factors: organizational insight, leadership and motivation, and creative thinking. The correlations among the factors were positive and statistically significant at p < .01. Cronbach’s alpha for the total scale was .94, and all subscales demonstrated reliability coefficients above .80. Composite reliability indices ranged from .65 to .91, indicating satisfactory internal consistency and reliability of the instrument.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the developed instrument demonstrates acceptable construct validity and high reliability and can be used as a robust tool for assessing managerial administrative intelligence in higher education settings. The results highlight organizational insight, leadership and motivation, and creative thinking as core philosophical dimensions of administrative intelligence.
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