Perceptions and attitudes towards leadership styles and staff morale in Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury

Title: Perceptions and attitudes towards leadership styles and staff morale in Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury
Creator: Tsheqane-Sonn, Nandipa
Subject: Leadership --South Africa --Eastern Cape
Subject: Employee morale -- South Africa--Eastern Cape
Date Issued: 2020-12
Date: 2020-12
Type: Master's theses
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50731
Identifier: vital:42398
Description: The Eastern Cape Provincial Government is comprised of 14 departments, including the Provincial Legislature, and ten (10) public entities. The legislative mandate of Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury (ECPT) is delegated by National Treasury to ensure transparency, accountability and sound financial controls in the management of public finances in accordance with the Constitution, PFMA and Treasury Regulations. The focus of the study is to investigate the perceived leadership style that exists at ECPT. Data was collected by means of a survey questionnaire which consisted of closed questions and distributed to a sample of employees at ECPT who hold positions for senior managers, middle managers and other employees outside these categories, such as administrative assistants. The following leadership styles were examined: Autocratic leadership style, Democratic leadership style, Laissez-faire leadership style and Transformational leadership style. The leadership styles were considered as dependent variables, including Intention to resign, while staff motivation was considered to be the dependent variable. Leadership is described as the social process of persuading people to work towards an institutional goal happily, enthusiastically and persistently. The results of the study revealed autocratic leadership was perceived as the most dominant style that exists at ECPT. Recommendations are made to management to pay attention to the autocratic leadership style as this style has been proven by researchers to have a negative effect on employee motivation. Motivation is described as the force within us that stimulates, directs and sustains our behaviour. The research study further explored the perceptions of employees on motivation. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory was explored as part of the motivation theories. Results based on this theory revealed that the Physiological needs of staff at ECPT are not met. These needs include biological needs such as water, food and air. Chapter 2 of the Constitution of South Africa states that everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water. In light of the constitutional requirements on human rights and legislative environment that ECPT operates in, it is recommended that management ensures employees have access to clean water and basic sanitation and accommodation, particularly in the working environment. McClelland’s needs ix theory revealed that staff at ECPT have a high need for achievement, moderate need for power and a low need for affiliation as respondents remained neutral on whether their needs for affiliation were met. It is recommended that management adopts initiatives such as team building, meeting teams regularly to communicate departmental strategies and to involve staff in decision-making and policy updates. The study confirms that when employees are motivated, they go the extra mile in fulfilling responsibilities and by ensuring that staff morale is considered and boosted, ECPT stands to benefit from a motivated workforce that will lead the department in excelling on its mandate of ensuring that the lives of the people of Eastern Cape are improved. It further adjudicates that the appropriate style of leadership is needed that will augment staff morale.
Description: Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences , Business School, 2020
Format: computer
Format: online resource
Format: application/pdf
Format: 1 online resource (154 pages)
Format: pdf
Publisher: Nelson Mandela University
Publisher: Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences
Language: English
Rights: Nelson Mandela University
Rights: All Rights Reserved
Rights: Open Access

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