LEADERSHIP AS A FACTOR TO ACHIEVING PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY AT NIPOST AWKA.

ABSTRACT: This study examined leadership and it contributing factor towards achieving public service delivery. The study subjects consist of a limited number of sampling units, which represent the target population of the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) Awka. Leadership is the process of influencing and supporting others to work enthusiastically towards achieving objectives. A sample of 112 staffs was selected from the population using simple random sampling technique method. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources presented in tables and analyzed using percentages and frequencies. Hypotheses were formulated and tested using Chi square method. It was discovered among other things that, there is a significant relationship between leadership behaviour and the implementation of programmes of NIPOST Awka; it was also revealed that the management structure of NIPOST influences the performance of the organization to a large extent; the study further revealed that there are measures that can be used to ensure effective leadership at NIPOST. Following the above findings, the researcher has recommended that in order to ensure administrative efficiency in NIPOST, superior and employees in leadership positions should delegate more authority and responsibility to subordinates to motivate them and make them feel like an integral part of the organization. The study also recommended that there is the need for a medium of communication to be established for employees to air their grievances and opinions, and these grievances and opinions must be given appropriate attention and due consideration.

AN OVERVIEW LEADERSHIP AS A FACTOR TO ACHIEVING PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY AT NIPOST AWKA.

CHAPTER ONE

• Introduction
  • Background of the Study

“Elephant and the public organisations both are saddled with inaccurate stereotypes. Elephants are believed to be slow and insensitive creatures, when in fact they can run very fast and are very sensitive. Similarly, public organisations are believed to be low-performing and unresponsive, when in fact many public organisations perform very well and are models of responsiveness” (Brewer and Selden, 2000). A successful example of such a premise is when comparing the organisational performance of the public and private sector. Despite, both sectors follow the same values of good leadership, management and governance. However, what separates the two are the quality and style of leadership, and the amount of bureaucracy and government interference that often undermine leadership (Dartey-Baah, Amponsah-Tawiah and Sekyere-Abankwa, 2011).

The aim of any organization whether public or private, is to survive and sustain its presence by improving performance its public service delivery. According to Arslan and Staub (2013) with the aim of meet the needs of the highly competitive markets, organizations should increase their performance. As said by earlier researchers such as (Peterson, Smith, Martorana, and Owens, 2003) the role of leadership is critically important for achieving the performance of organizations. On the other hand, it is considered that a company’s success is attributable to organizational performance, employee job satisfaction and employee affective commitment (Drucker, 2007). Some studies have suggested that leaders motivate and help their employees by using effective leadership styles to be competitive (Luftman, Bullen, Liao, Nash and Neumann, 2004). Consequently, due to promote standards of quality in the professional development of the employees of the organization the leader must use the effective leadership styles (LaRue, Childs, and Larson, 2006). A number of studies on leadership styles (Kouzes and Posner, 2007) and (Yukl, 2009) propose that the performance of the transformational leadership have a positive effect on the organizational performance.

Effective leadership also involves motivation, management, inspiration, remuneration and analytical skills. When all these are present, the organizations record increased employee satisfaction that positively that positively influences the productivity and the profits of public service delivery. The positive effect of leadership on organizational performance was measured by some researchers (Sila & Ebrahimpour, 2005) through human resources (turnover rate and job performance), organizational effectiveness (cost and quality) and financial performance (market share, profit, return on asset). To increase the organizational performance a leader must have the ability to promote creativity and innovation, stimulate the subordinates to challenge their own value systems and improve their individual performance.

The rapid pace of change is a challenge to organisations and has resulted in the need for more adaptive and flexible leadership (Bass, 2013). According to Bass and his colleagues adaptive leaders work more effectively in rapidly changing environments by helping to make sense of the challenges confronted by both leaders and followers and then appropriately responding to those challenges. Bennis (2011) contends that adaptive leaders work with their followers to generate creative solutions to complex problems, while also developing them to handle a broader range of leadership responsibilities. Fiedler (1996), one of the most respected researchers on leadership, has provided a recent treatise on the importance of leadership by arguing that the effectiveness of a leader is a major determinant of the success or failure of a group, organization, or even an entire country.

Indeed, it has been argued that one way in which organizations have sought to cope with the increasing volatility and turbulence of the external environment is by training and developing leaders and equipping them with the skills to cope (Hennessey, 1998). These claims are based on the assumption of a direct link between leadership and organizational performance. This assumption requires critical review. Moreover, leadership has long been seen as a key factor in organizational effectiveness, but interest in public sector leadership has increased over recent decades. An interest in transforming the public sector by learning from the business world contributed to this interest, as leadership was seen as one of the key elements that made private companies more effective than the public sector was perceived to be. An interest in learning from the private sector, where leadership has long been seen as an important element in business performance, is therefore a contributing factor in the blossoming of leadership in the context of the public sector (Murphy, 2006).

Some researchers have argued that the most common problems affecting organisational performance in Nigeria business and other institutions are poor attitude to work among workforce, inefficiency as well as ineffectiveness of leaders in most places, though others share a contrary view. This second school of thought believes that organisations in Nigeria are manged through leadership styles that are strange to typical Nigerian are managed through leadership styles that are strange to typical Nigerian culture. In the wake-up call to address this issue, management practitioners in Nigeria have embarked on series of studies in an attempt to establish the relationship between effective leadership and organisational performance. Some found out that effective leadership styles are positively related to organisational performance while others have a different view. Still there is no empirical evidence to show how effective leadership styles impacts on organisational performance. Again given our cultural background, educational qualifications, environmental factors it is still not too clear how effective a leader can be if he must combine the three types of leadership styles to achieve high performance in Organisations (Usoro, 2010).

The extent (degree) to which all members of an organisation use their abilities and influences in the effective utilization of resources depends upon how well the leaders of the organisation understand and perform their jobs. Iyang (2006) explain that leadership styles and other processes of the organisation must be such that can ensure maximum probability within all interactions and relationships with the Organisations, each member will in the light of his background, values and expectation view the expenses as supportive and one which can build and maintains his sense of personal worth and importance. Although there is no standard method through which a leader can be effective in achieving high performance in an organisation but that what is required is the modification and the combination of the variables that make a leader effective if the goals and objectives of the organisation have to be realized (Edem 2002).

• Statement of the Problem

Some researchers belief that leadership concept may become the most apt concept to embracing better value driven culture in public sector in the era of the 21st century (Draft and Pirola-Merlo 2009 ; Jing and Avery 2008; Ireland and Hitt 2005). Leadership in public sector tend to face the great challenges due to the prominent rule-based and too bureaucratic leadership styles, non-performance based HRM culture, and lack of innovative management practices. Several key roles of strategic leadership can be offered as strategies to sustain public organization performance outcome (Ireland and Hitt, 2005). The role of leadership is of fundamental importance to the performance and success of organizations public service (Breene and Nunes, 2006).

Managing people in Organisations is parts and parcel of 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 unemployment situation in the country which makes job switch difficult has resulted in the hardship workers face in their places of work in Nigeria. This behaviour/style of leadership has an impact on reforming and/or creating organisational culture which in turn affects organisational performance and commitment. 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 (Usoro, 2000).

Furthermore, some researchers are of the opinion that the most common problems affecting organisational performance in Nigeria businesses and other institutions are poor attitude to work among the workforce, inefficiency and ineffectiveness of leaders in most places, others still belief that organisations in Nigeria are managed through leadership styles and behaviours that are strange to typical Nigerian culture. In view of the above contending issues, it was necessary to look at leadership and it contributing factor towards achieving public service delivery at NIPOST Awka.

• Objectives of the Study

  Leadership As A Factor To Achieving Public Service Delivery

The major objective of this study is to examine leadership and it contributing factor towards achieving public service delivery in NIPOST Awka. The specific objective of the study includes;

1. To determine the effect of leadership behaviour on the implementation of the programmes of NIPOST Awka.
2. To find out the extent to which the management structure of NIPOST influences the performance of the organisation.
3. To examine different measures aimed at engendering effective leadership at NIPOST Awka.
   • Research Questions
4. What effect does leadership behaviour have on the implementation of the programmes of NIPOST Awka?
5. To what extent does the management structure of NIPOST influences the performance of the organization?
6. What measures can be used to ensure effective leadership at NIPOST Awka?
   • Hypotheses of the Study

In a bid to facilitate this research and make it more purposeful, the study will test the following hypotheses;

Hypothesis One

H_o: There is no significant relationship between leadership behaviour and the implementation of programmes of NIPOST.

H_i: There is a significant relationship between leadership behaviour and the implementation of programmes of NIPOST.

Hypothesis Two

H_o: The management structure of NIPOST does not influence the performance of the organization.

H_i: The management structure of NIPOST influences the performance of the organization to a large extent.

Hypothesis Three

H_o: There are no measures that can be used to ensure effective leadership at NIPOST.

H_i: There are measures that can be used to ensure effective leadership at NIPOST.

• Significance of the Study

The significance of any research study lies in the application of its findings for operational purpose. It is believed that this study will be of immense importance because the empirical finding will reveal how leadership effectively contributes towards achieving public service delivery. The study among others, seek identify the weaknesses or inadequacies of various variables of leadership. It is the researcher’s belief that this work through its findings will change the perception of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Awka leadership and other organisation’s leaders about their leadership behaviour and styles.

Furthermore the study will serve as existing literature to those who want to delve much into leadership and organizational performance. Finally this will give fore knowledge to management of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Awka before choosing leadership behaviour and styles.

• Scope of the Study

The study is meant to investigate the leadership and it contributing factor towards achieving public service delivery at Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Awka, Anambra State. The participants of this study are delimited to employees of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Awka.

• Limitations of the Study

In conducting this research project, the work would have been more thorough if the thirty six States Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) offices in the country including the National Headquarters were covered. However, it was difficult to study all the thirty six States Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) offices due to costs of associated logistics and time constraints. Owing to these constraints, this study focused on Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Awka Office, Anambra state alone.

A major limitation to research work in this part of the country is the inability of the researcher to get the necessary information which could have made the work richer were not obtained due to the unwillingness of the officials to give out rich information, so the researcher resorted to getting the little he could from the staff of the office. Also, due to lack of culture of proper record keeping, only very limited data were gotten by the researcher for this work. However, inspite of all these limitations and other constraints which may not be mentioned here, it does not in any way affect the reliability of the research work for the purpose of reference and its usage by all the stakeholders in Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), especially the Awka office.

• Definition of terms

Bureaucracy: This is seen as a system of official rules and ways of doing things that a government or an organization has, especially when these seem to be too complicated.

Effective: Having desired effect; producing the intended result

Efficiency: The extent to which a resource is used for the intended purpose; the ratio of useful work to energy expended.

Employee: an individual who provides labour to a company or another person.

Leadership: Leadership is a process by which one person influences the thoughts,
attitudes and behaviours of others.

NIPOST: Nigerian Postal Service

Organization: The activity of organizing

Staff: The employee of a business or organization