Leadership Styles and Attitude to Work in Formal Organizations: A Study of Universities in South-South Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined leadership styles and attitude to work in formal organizations: A study of universities in South-South Nigeria. Two specific objectives and hypotheses were formulated for the study. The contingency and situational leadership theory was used to support the argument in the study. The cross sectional design was used for the study. The sample of 400 was derived from the population of 8054. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the reliability of the instrument with a reliability score of 0.59. The data were analysed through descriptive statistics such as mean and inferential statistics using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) to determine or establish the linear relationship between the independent and dependent variable in the study. The study revealed that autocratic leadership style does not elicit favourable attitude from workers toward work in Nigerian universities. The study also found that bureaucratic leadership style does not improve workers attitude to work in Nigerian universities. The study recommended that autocratic system of leadership should be discouraged from use in modern organisations as it has the capacity to de-motivate workers as established t=from the findings of the study. It also recommended that bureaucratic leadership style should be used in situational context and not as the only method in use to elicit a favourable attitude from workers.