Abstract

The major objective was to investigate the effects of leadership style on employee’s performance. The specify objectives was Examine the effect on each leadership style on employee performance and make recommendation. For this study four kinds of leadership styles where used and there include autocratic, laissez fair, democratic and transactional. There was a cross survey and the population for the study was the management and employees of KAJEPI Print Ltd with a sample population of 40 employees. Data was collected in the form of questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and regression analysis. The findings shows that leadership style has a significant influence on employees performance  In respect to the above conclusion, leadership style has a significant effects on employees performance and  democratic leadership style in particular  in KAJEPI could further empower their employees by developing team and according some measure of power and authority to their employees, in this way, employees could ignite their potentials, feel part of an organisation and perform maximally for the organisation This will ensure better organizational results.

Also, large organizations should know who leadership style is best at and particular time and on the type of employees hence there is a need carry out more research on the effects of leadership style on employee’s performance.

Key words: leadership style, employee’s performance 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter explores the background of the study, problem statement, research questions objectives (main and specific), hypothesis and significance of the study.

1.1 Background of the study

In today’s competitive environment, organisations expand globally and face a lot of challenges to meet their objectives and to be more successful than others. Leaders play a vital role in the accomplishment of these goals and boost employee’s performance by satisfying them with their jobs, therefore it grasps the attention of researchers for many years, yet were unable to focus on a single definition. Many researchers focus on different aspect of leadership. According to Mintzberg (2010) leadership is the key of trust that comes from the respect of others. According to Raelin (2011) leadership is directly connected to the practice to which most people are dedicated.

Initial leadership research took place in the era influenced by the scientific management precept that there is “one best way” to accomplish a given objective. Also, the idea that leadership is an ephemeral quality of “great men” whose personal attributes made them “natural leaders” was dominant. The research was not directly concern with understanding leadership style; it was a quest to identify the characteristic that differentiates leaders from followers and ineffective leaders from effective leaders. This line of inquiry waned as research suggested that personality traits and intelligence play only a small role in leadership effectiveness (Bass, 2008).

 

1.2 Problem statement

Managing people in Organisations is parts and parcel of the management process. Therefore, managers should realize, that people are the critical elements in organisations and that they should be recognized as being synonymous with the organisation. But the problem is, to what extent do managers recognize this fact that employees are synonymous with Organisations and that they should be adequately motivated so that they can give their best to ensure high performance? Again the leadership behaviour/style in most organisations which believe that workers could be treated anyhow as a result of the unemployment situation in the country which makes job switch difficult has resulted in the hardship workers face in their places of work in Cameroon. This behaviour/style of leadership has an impact on reforming and/or creating an organisational culture which in turn affects employee’s performance? So given this situation, how effective can a leader be to elicit the best response from subordinates and make for the highest or best performance. Furthermore, some researchers are of the opinion that the most common problems affecting organisational performance in Cameroon businesses and other institutions are the poor attitude to work among the workforce, inefficiency and ineffectiveness of leaders in most places. From the above, the study seems to attempt to provide answers to the following research question.

• What is the effect of autocratic leadership style on employee performance?
• What is the effect of democratic leadership style on employee performance?
• What is the effect of laissez-faire leadership style on employee performance?
• What is the effect of transactional leadership style on employee performance?

 

1.3 Objective of the study

The main objective of the study is to examine the effect of leadership style on employee performance in kajepi print ltd.  

The specific objective of the study includes;

1. Examining the effect of autocratic leadership style on employee performance.
2. Examining the effect of democratic leadership style on employee performance.

• Examine the effect of laissez-faire leadership style on employee performance.
• Examine the effect of transactional leadership style on employee performance.
• Make the necessary recommendations to problems identified.

 

1.4 Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis guide the study

H01: Autocratic leadership style has no significant influence on employee performance

H02: Democratic leadership style has no significant influence on employee performance

H03: Laissez-faire leadership style has no significant influence on employee performance.

H04: Transactional leadership style has no significant influence on employee performance