ABSTRACT

The research titled “The Impact of Management Style on the Efficiency
of Selected Government Owned Companies In Enugu State” started with the
introduction, where the researcher discussed the background of the
study including finding out the impact of management style on the
efficiency of some government owned companies. To find out the
management style adopted by the companies under study, to find out why
there is poor attitude to work in those companies, to find out where
there is poor performance and improper accountability in these companies
and to ascertain the causes of the manager’s inefficiency and
instability. The significance of the study include that the study will
be immense help to the managers to understand the impact of management
style on their companies. The companies covered where Enugu State Water
Corporation, Enugu State Printing and Publishing Company and Sunrise
Flour Mill. Under the literature review, the researcher discussed the
theoretical framework of the study, the objective of governments in
business, performance of government owned companies in Nigeria etc. The
population was 700 and the sample size used was128 employees from the
three companies. The sample size was determined using the Yaro Yammani’s
Formula. The major instrument of data collection is the questionnaire.
The researcher presented the data in tables using frequencies and
analysized the data using inferential statistics, the hypothesis were
tested using the Chi-Square formula. The summary of findings include
that the management style adopted by these three companies were mainly
permissive autocratic and directive democratic. The researcher concluded
by saying the management style has a great impact on the efficiency of
government owned companies. The accommodations included that the state
government owned companies should be managed by people who have the
necessary experience and training.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The problem of management in effectiveness and bad attitude to work
among Nigerians is widespread in government owned companies. There has
been growing concern among Nigerians on the poor organisational
performance and managerial ineffectiveness recorded in these
organisations. This concern perhaps is a result of the size of economic
and social influence of these government institutions on Nigerian
development. (Akpala, 1990:193).
Inspite of the huge capital investments in these companies, the results
have been extremely poor. As a result of government, as trustees for the
ultimate owners of public enterprises have appointed tribunals,
commissions and panels to find ways and means to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of the enterprises (CMD, 1985:5).
At the managerial and operative performance levels, the problem is also a
general one. In an attempt to explain and subsequentlyliniment
government owned companies, two schools of thought emerge. One is of the
opinion that the problem is from ill implication of the known theories
and principles of management in government owned companies. The other
holds that the problem stems from not applying management philosophy
that is based on Nigerian culture.
This takes us to the meaning of management. Management can be defined as
the art or science of working in an organisation through being directed
by and by directing and co-ordinating the activities of people to
achieve one’s personal goals in the context of the goals of one’s
organisation (Ejiofor,1985:3).
Management involves the performance of all the management functions
which include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling and
co-ordinating of activities to attain optimum result with organisation
resources. Management is concerned with the achievement of objectives,
performances result, success, efficiency and effectiveness.
The survival of any company in realizing its objectives, depend among
other things in proper management of its human and material resources.
No company or organisation can have its activities moving on without a
manager. Managers and company goes hand in hand. The need for managers
arises because companies exist. One cannot exist without the other.

Managers have to perform many roles in an organisation and how they
handle various situations will depend on their style of management. A
management style is an overall method of leadership used by a manager.
There are two sharply contrasting styles that will be broken down into smaller subsets later.
(i) Autocratic
(ii) Permissive
Each style has its own characteristics Autocratic:leaders make all
decisions unilaterally. Permissive: leader permits subordinate to take
part in decision making and also gives them a considerable degree of
autonomy in completing routine work activities combining those
categories with democratic (subordinates are allowed to participate in
decision making) and directive (subordinates are told exactly how to do
their jobs) styles gives us four distinctive ways to manage (IEBM,
1998:201). Directive democrat: makes decisions participatively i.e.
closely supervises subordinates. Directive autocratic: makes decisions
unilaterally; closely supervises subordinates.

Permissive democrat: makes decisions participatively gives
subordinates latitude in carrying out their work. Permissive autocrat:
makes decisions unilaterally gives subordinates latitude in carrying out
their work.
Managers must also adjust their styles according to the situation that
they are presented with. Below are four quadrats of situational
leadership that depend on the amount of support and guidance needed.
Telling: work best when employees are neither willing nor able to do the job (high need of support and high need of guidance).
Delegating: works best when the employers are willing to do the job and
know how to get about it (low need of guidance and low need of support).
Participating: works best when employers have the ability to do the job,
but need high amount of support (low need of guidance but high need of
support).
Selling: works best when employees are willing to do the job, but don’t
know how to do it (low need of support but high need of guidance).
The different styles depend on the situation and the relationship
behaviour (amount of support required and task behaviour (amount of
guidance required).
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The effect of management style on the efficiency of government owned
companies cannot be discussed without looking into the problems
militating against these management styles. These upsetting difficulties
and problems are:
a) Poor attitude to work/poor performance
b) No proper accountability
c) Inefficiency
d) Wrong management style
e) Poor quality service (Norber M. Ile)
These problems have attracted incessant criticisms from people. Some managers lack good management capabilities.
It is all these that made the researcher to endeavour to determine the
impact of the management style on the efficiency of government owned
companies.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is as follows:
1. To find out the impact of the management style on the efficiency of some government owned companies.
2. To find out the management style adopted by these companies.
3. To find out why there is poor attitude to work in these companies.
4. To find out why there is poor performance and improper accountability in these companies.
5. To ascertain the causes of manager’s inefficiency and instability.
6. To make recommendations.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is the impact of management style on the efficiency of government owned companies?
2. What management style is adopted in Enugu State Water Corporation and
Enugu State Star Printing and Publishing Company Limited?
3. Why is there poor attitude to work in these companies?
4. Why is there poor performance and improper accountability in these companies?
5. What are the causes of manager’s inefficiency?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The important roles of government owned companies in our environment
cannot be overlooked. This is because of the part they play in solving
our social, political and economic problems. The study will be of
immense help to managers, to understand the impact of the management
style in their companies and the type to adopt for companyefficiency and
growth.
The study will be beneficial to the student who may find themselves as
managers in government owned companies, after graduation. This
researcher will definitely benefit from the study as the project is a
condition for graduation. The study will also be beneficial to the
university, in the sense that it will increase their data base.
Finally, the study will be beneficial to any person, who will further on this research work.
1.6 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
In a research project like this, it is always difficult to complete the
work, without going through a number of factors which constitute
impediments. Some respondents to the questions were not on seat in most
cases to give the required information. Some of the respondents were
reluctant to air their views.
The unwillingness by some managers to release some vital information
regarding the management and operations of the companies is one of the
factors that did not allow the researcher gain access to vital and
sufficient information. The time to move from one library to the other,
from one cybercafé to the other and the time to type and distribute the
questionnaires was another impediment. Finance was another constraint. A
lot of money was needed for transport, typing etc.
The researcher was a nursing mother during this period. Despite all these, the researcher did her best.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
To extend the impact of management style on the efficiency of all the
government owned companies in Enugu State, will be too much for the
requirement of the work. The researcher will limit the scope to some
selected government owned companies in Enugu State. It involves a survey
of selected managers with the companies.

REFERENCES

Ackoff, Russel (1963). Managers Guide to Operations Research Chicago; Rank McNally Publishers.
Akpala, A. (1990). Economic and Social Influence of Government Institutions in Nigeria Development. Lagos: Guardian Publishers.
C.M.D (1985). Mean of Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness of Nigeria Enterprise. Lagos: Heinemann Publishers.
Ejiofor, P. (1985). The Integrity Factor in The Management of National Development. Onitsha: African FEP Publishers.
I.E.B.M. (1998). Management Thinking. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Koontz, et al (1980). Management, International Student Edition. Tokyo: McGraw-Hill Inc

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