THE DETERMINANTS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE IN ORGANIZATIONS: A STUDY OF UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA (UBA) PLC IN ENUGU METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

Leadership has been seen by management practitioners as one of the key functions of management and as such has been a subject of considerable research. Various studies conducted on leadership styles identified three basic styles, namely: autocratic, democratic, and laissez faire or free rein. But the particles style to be adopted has created a lot of problems to many group leaders. This  study  therefore  is  to  find  out  the  determinants of effective leadership style with special emphasis on United Bank for Africa in Enugu metropolis. To achieve these objectives, questioners were distributed to two hundred and thirty six (236) respondents which were sampled from the total population of three hundred and thirty nine (339). Data  were  collected from  the  respondents and  analyzed  using  simple percentages and Chi-square (x2). From the analysis, the following were discovered as the determinants of effective leadership style; organization’s external environment, personality of leaders and subordinates, the organization’s culture and polices the organization’s structure, time element and others. It was also discovered that leadership style has a significant relationship with the subordinate performances. Based on the analysis and findings, we conclude that no one trait is common to all effective leaders and no one style of leadership is effective in all situations. In other words, the effectiveness of a particular leadership style depends on factors in each situation. We finally recommended that for a leader to be effective, he should consider the situation or his leadership environment in order to determine the best style of leadership for effective achievement of the group objectives.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Leadership is a fascinating concept in which philosophers, historians, psychologists, sociologists, politicians, and all kinds of executives, have shown much  interest.  It  is  considered as  one  of  the  key functions of management and, as such, has been a subject of considerable research. According to Igboeli, (1990:151), leadership may be defined as a process by which people are directed, guided and influenced in achieving group goals. A leader is a person who is central in a group goals interaction. According to Ile, (1999, 208), a leaders is one who influences his or her followers  or  group  to  achieve  an  objective  in  a  given  situation.  The followers may be his or her superiors or peers as well as the subordinates of the leader. It is the willingness of people to follow that makes a person a leader.  Moreover, people tend to follow those  whom they perceive as providing a means of achieving their own desires, wants and needs.

By the nature of their position, managers are placed in a leadership position in organizations to influence the behaviour of the formal work group. Their effectiveness can be measured by the accomplishment of the group vis-à-vis the organizational goals and objectives. Leadership consists

of two types – formal and informal. Formal leaders are appointed to their leadership positions while informal leaders are selected by the group. Each type  of  leader  relies  on  a  different  source  of  authority  to  influence members. A manager, who relies exclusively on his formal authority to influence group members, falls into the formal leadership category.

According to Ile, (1999:217) there are some important implications in the concept of leadership, for instance, leadership involves others. In other words, leadership involves followers. The followers may be superiors, or peers, as well as the subordinates by their willingness to follow, accept directions from the leader, group members help define the leader’s status and  make  the  leadership process  possible. Thus, leadership demands followership. Leadership involves unequal distribution of power between leaders and group members. This is implied that group members are not powerless; they can and do shape group activities in a number of ways. Leadership involves ability to use difference forms of power to influence followers’ behaviours in a number of ways. According to Appleby, (1981:117) leadership also involves the acceptance of responsibility for the achievement of the group objectives. Because of this, it is therefore, essential for trust and cooperation from both sides to be in evidence all the time.

Therefore, without leadership, an organization is but a muddle of men and machines. In other words, without leadership, an organization would be comprised of uncoordinated groups of people lacking unity and direction.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It has been recognized throughout history that the difference between success and failure, whether in a business, war or game can be largely attributed to leadership style. According to Okenwa and Ugbo, (2001:108) leadership styles are the behaviours patterns of a leader when integrating organization and personal interest in pursuit of some goal or objectives. They have been variously classified but the most acceptable styles are autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire leadership.

An  autocratic  leader  makes  all  decisions.  He  is  always  very conscious of his position and has little trust and faith in his subordinates.. Close control and supervision, a high degree of centralization, and minimal involvement of groups and individual characterized an autocratic leadership style (Igboeli 1990: 157). The democratic leader shares decision-making with the group. He decentralizes authority and encourages free flow of communication. The third type of leader uses his or her power very little, it al all, giving subordinates a high degree of independence, or free rein, in

their operations. Such leaders depend largely on subordinates to set their own goals and the means of achieving them (Koontz and Weihrich 1988:

480).

Researches have observed that effective leadership depend on many variables, such as organizational culture and the nature of tasks. No one trait was effective in all situations. The problem is therefore how to identify those factors in each situation that affect the effectives of a  particular leadership style. In other words, what are the determinants of effective leadership style. It is against this background that this work is carried out.

1.3    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to identify the determinants of effective leadership style on a group with special emphasis on United Bank for Africa (UBA) in Enugu metropolis

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Considering the general objective of this study, the specific objectives of this study are;

i.       To determine the impact of organization’s external environment on leadership style determinant.

ii.      To  determine the  impact  of  the  personality of  a  leader  and  the personality of subordinates on the leadership style.

iii.     To   determine   the   relationship   between   leadership   style   and subordinates performance.

iv.     To make recommendations based on the analysis and findings.

1.4    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions are draw from the objectives of the study and they are:

1.      Does study organization’s external environment have any impact on leadership style determinant?

2.      Does the personality of a leaders and the personality of subordinates have influence on the leadership style?

3.      Is there a relationship between leadership style and subordinates performance?

1.5    RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

1.      HO:   Organization’s   external   environment   has   no   impact   on leadership style determinant.

	HI:	Organization’s   external   environment   has   an   impact     leadership style determinant.	on
2.	HO:	Personality of a leader and the personality of  subordinates     have no influence on the leadership style.
	HI:	Personality of a leader and the personality of  subordinates     have influence on the leadership style.
3.	HO:	There   is   no   relationship   between   leadership   style	and

subordinates performance.

HI:    There   is   a   relationship   between   leadership   style   and subordinates performance.

1.6    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be very beneficial to business managers and group leaders (both formal and informal group leaders) for it will assist them in determining the factors surrounding adoptions of a particular leadership study. The academic environment shall also benefit from this study in no small way. The study will serve as a reference material both to the lectures in higher institutions and the study therewith. The critics of this study shall also pave way for further academic study.

The government and its agencies as well as political office holders shall also see this study to be invaluable or to be of a high value.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study central on the determinants of effective leadership style in organizations with special emphasis on Unite Bank for Africa (UBA) in the Enugu metropolis.

1.8    LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The following areas posed some problems to us in the course of this study; Time, money and few respondents. As a student, the researcher had no enough money to study; the entire population would have given better result than sampling. Also some respondents were indifference in filling their questionnaire thereby leaving their opinion unknown.

₦5,000.00 – DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT Added to cart

---

---

---

---

Related Project Topics :