ABSTRACT
The study investigated the practice of
leadership style among expatriate and Nigerian managers comparatively from the
oil sector in Nigeria. The sample size for this work was 199 respondents
randomly selected. Questionnaires prepared in three sets were administered. The
first set administered to all the selected respondents irrespective of their
levels of education and management hierarchy. The second set was directed to
managers at middle level, while the third set was administered to highly
educated managers, so to say. There were three research questions and three
hypotheses in this research work. Z-test and chi-square were the statistical
tools used in analyzing the research questions and the hypotheses. The result
showed that there is significant difference between the proportion of
expatriate managers who practice autocratic leadership style and the proportion
of Nigerian managers who practice autocratic leadership styles. It also showed
that middle level-expatriate managers are less autocratic than their Nigerian
counterparts. That, there is no significant difference between the proportion
of highly educated Nigerian managers who practice democratic leadership style.
The major determinant of these significant differences could be seen to be
cultural variable. Lastly, education seemed to be the dictator of the lack of
significant difference between the proportion of highly educated Nigerian and
expatriate managers that practice democratic leadership style. Based on the
above findings, some recommendations were made and the work has implications
for both expatriate managers and their Nigeria counterparts and suggestion for
further studies were made.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Pages
Title Page – – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – iv
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – v
Table of
Contents – – – – – – – – vi
List of Tables – – – – – – – – –
List of
Figures – – – – – – – – –
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 6
1.3 Objective of the Study – – – – – – 6
1.4 Research Questions – – – – – – – 7
1.5 The hypotheses of the Study – – – – – 8
1.6 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 8
1.7 Scope of the Study and Limitation of the
Study – – 9
1.8 Definition of Terms – – – – – – – 9
References – – – – – – – – – 11
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 Leadership – – – – – – – – 12
2.3 Leadership Theory and Research – – – – 16
2.4 Styles of Leadership – – – – – – – 23
2.5 Employee Job Satisfaction – – – – – 34
2.6 Managerial Ability – – – – – – – 36
2.7 Leadership Styles of Male and Female Managers – 37
2.8 Summary – – – – – – – – – 43
References – – – – – – – – – 44
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – – 45
3.2 Area of Study – – – – – – – – 46
3.3 Population – – – – – – – – 46
3.4 Sampling and Sampling Techniques – – – – 46
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection – – – – – 46
3.6 Validation of the Instrument – – – – – 47
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument – – – – – 47
3.8 Procedure for Data Collection – – – – – 48
3.9 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – – 48
References – – – – – – – – – 50
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Analysis and Tabulation of Data – – – – 51
4.2 Hypothesis Testing – – – – – – – 61
4.2.1 Statement of hypothesis One – – – – 61
4.2.2 Research Question One – – – – – 62
4.2.3 Statistical Presentation – – – – – 62
4.2.4 Statement of Hypothesis Two – – – – 64
4.2.5 Research Question Two – – – – – 64
4.2.6 Statistical Presentation – – – – – 65
4.2.7 Statement of Hypothesis Three – – – – 66
4.2.8 Research Question Three – – – – – 66
4.2.9 Statistical Presentation – – – – – 67
4.3 Summary – – – – – – – – – 69
References – – – – – – – – – 70
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Research Findings – – – – – – – 71
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 74
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – 75
5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies – – – – 77
Appendix I – – – – – – – – – 78
Appendix II – – – – – – – – – 79
Appendix III – – – – – – – – – 80
Appendix IV – – – – – – – – – 81
Appendix V – – – – – – – – – 82
Bibliography – – – – – – – – – 85
LIST
OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Sex Respondents – – – – – – 51
Table 4.2: Nationality of Respondents – – – – 51
Table 4.3: Positions of the Respondents – – – – 52
Table 4.4: Qualification of the Respondents – – – 53
Table 4.5: Respondents span of Control – – – – 53
Table 4.6 Reprimanding Subordinates – – – – 54
Table 4.7 Type of Control – – – – – – – 55
LIST
OF FIGURES
Figure
1: Shows Likert’s Four
Basic Leadership Styles or Management Systems from Heavily Autocratic to
Heavily Democratic – – – – – – – 28
Figure
2: Argyris’s Immaturity
– Maturity Continuum – 30
Figure
3: Concern for
Production – – – – – 32
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1 Background of the Study
Leadership is an art. It is a secular
subject which is necessary for both expatriate and Nigerian managers to
understand. Without the knowledge and skills of leadership your company
organization is going nowhere.
Whenever there is a good leader, you
will notice a great deal of development and you will notice prosperity. The
absence of leadership can be seen clearly in the two worlds. You will notice
the absence of leaders in the spiritual or church world. When there is lack of
good leadership in the organization or secular world, you will notice poverty,
lack of development of the organization, lack of knowledge coming due to none
teaching from those expected to impact the knowledge.
Directing the human resources of an
organization to achieve organizational goals could be the most difficult
functions of management. In big organizations like Shell and Elf, different
people from all walk of life come together to make use of the physical
resources to achieve the companies plans. The fact that no two human beings are
the same makes leadership functions very complex.
The leader as a human being comes into
the organization with a different aspiration, temperament and intellectuality.
The way he plays his role determines how other people perceive him. Leadership
has been subjected to many definitions. This means that there is no general
opinion regarding how the term “leadership” should be defined. This lack of
opinion is not really, an outcome of lack of assets.
Many years of studies and researches
have led to series of theories and models. Supporting this, Nwachukwu (1998)
states that “many studies have been built-up creating more confusions”. He also
cited another scholar who shares the same view with McCall, Jr., who states
that “the growing mountain of research data has produced an impressive mass of
contradiction”.
There are almost as many definitions of
leadership as there are researchers who have studies the topic (and over 3000
empirical studies of leadership have been carried out)” cited in Feldman and
Aronold (1983). Wexley and Yukl (1980) equally hold that,
“During the last few decades,
hundreds of laboratories and field studies have been conducted to learn about
the nature of leadership in organization. Most of the early studies of
leadership were attempts to identify unique traits that are characteristic of
successful leaders but not unsuccessful leaders or non-leaders”.
However, Nwachukwu in his book defines
leadership as “a social influencing process for attainment of goals”. He cited
other scholars-Alam and Robert who defined leadership as a process where one
person (or group of persons) exert(s) social influence over the members of a
group. Elaborating on this, he states further that “a leader is the most
influential person in an organization who provides direction, guides group
activities and ensures that group objectives are attained”. A good leader,
therefore, should be able to persuade others to move willingly and
interestingly towards the achievement of group goals or objectives.
Bernard (1983) cited in Adag and Brief
(1981) defined leadership “as the ability of one person to influence the
behavior of another”. It is, therefore noteworthy to mention that the concept
of leadership involves the concept of influence that induces any attempt
directed at influencing the behavior of others for goals that may or may not
coincide with those of the organization.
This led us to realize that in any
typical organization, leadership exists in two forms-formal and informal.
Somebody who is elected, appointed or nominated to a position of authority is
said to exercise formal leadership. While informal leadership is exerted by a
person who emerges as influential over others as a result of possessing special
skills of resources which others do not have.
The influence a leader has helps him in
obtaining and maintaining a high level of employee-test motivation and
willingness to implement decisions. In addition to inducing subordinates,
leaders in organizations usually perform very many other important functions.
Such functions as ensuring the efficient organization of the group to perform
its tasks in the most desirable way, ensuring that workers receive essential
instruction and information, proper and immediate conflict management among
subordinates, and maintenance of group cohesion and team work.
Leadership style indicates the pattern
of leadership behaviour that characterizes a certain leader. Rue and Byers
(1983) comment that studies conducted in the 1970’s by Kurt Levin, Ronald
Hippit, and Ralph K White concentrated on the manner or style of leadership,
these studies identified three basic leadership styles, autocratic,
Laissez-faire and democratic”. Generally, the democratic leader guides and
encourages the group to make and participate in making decision. A lassiez-faire
leader allows individuals to make all decisions. And an autocratic leader makes
all decisions for the group. The choice of a leadership style can be said to be
determined by many factors which are leader’s motivational str
