i MANAGERIAL ROLE PERFORMANCE OF WOMEN LEADERS AND SUBORDINATES WORK ATTITUDES IN THE UNIVERSITIES, SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA BY NWOKONKO, ROBERTA NWADIUTO (949003132) B.Sc (Ed), M. Ed A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D) IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT OCTOBER, 2017 ii iii iv DEDICATION This work is dedicated to God Almighty for making this degree a reality for me. It is also for the women striving to make it to the top. v ACKNOWLEDEGEMENTS My gratitude goes to God Almighty, the merciful Father, who gave me the ability, wisdom, patience, intelligence and the understanding required for the completion of this thesis to the satisfaction of Postgraduate School of the University of Lagos. I am extremely grateful to my supervisors who contributed to the success of this study, Professor Aloy Ejiogu, and Dr. S.A. Oladipo for their scholarly support, guidance and encouragement. Your immense motivation and support assisted me academically. I also wish to acknowledge Prof. R.A. Alani whose efforts spurred me towards the painstaking completion of this programme. My sincere appreciation goes to the Head of Department, Educational Management, Professor S.A. Oyebade, for his contribution. I also, express my profound gratitude to Prof. (Mrs) B.O. Ogonor of University of Benin, who was my external examiner and the School of Post Graduate representative, Prof.R.K.Ojikutu, for their contribution to my work. I am very grateful to Prof. Virgy Onyene for her timely intervention in this work and for being such a good role model for women generally. I appreciate Prof. S.A. Bello, Prof P.O. Okunola, Dr. S.C. Madumere, Dr. N.E. Uzoka, Dr. S.A. Sule, Dr. J.A. Adetoro, Dr, E.E. Oshinoebo, Dr. Adekunle, Dr. M.A. Oladejo, Dr M.N. Amadi, Dr J. Adejanju, Mr, C.O. Olatoku and my very dear Dr. E.V. Abolo, for their scholarly contributions which changed the entire outlook of this study. My unreserved appreciation goes to Dr. P.N. Emeri, Dr. Furo Welis, Dr. K. Ibe-Moses, Dr. V.O. Gideon, Mrs P. Nnabugwu,Mr. N. Ozomadu, and Mr P. Onyekwere,for their contributions, efforts, goodwill and prayers. I extend my heart-felt gratitude to Dr.C Okiki, Mr. C. Unorka, Mr. E. Isaac and Mr. J. Dixon for their technical assistance. On a specific note, I need to appreciate the support of all the administrative staff of the Department of Educational Management, especially Mr E. Idehen and Mr A..A.Ali, for being there for me and for their encouragement. My profound gratitude goes to my lovely and wonderful parents, HRH. Eze Robert and Ugoeze Sabina Nwaigwe, who were both school principals and headmistresses in a school for creating an academic environment that, stimulated me intellectually and emotionally, which also set me on the right academic direction. I appreciate my husband, Chief George vi Okechukwu Nwokonko, for pushing me forward towards actualizingthis dream. To my wonderful children: Adaku, Chidinma, Ihuoma, Nwanyioma, Onyinyechi, Okechukwu,(Jnr) and Chiamaka, I say a big “Thank you”, for their tremendous support, patience and encouragement throughout myacademic journey towards obtaining a doctorate degree. I am also immensely indebted to my brothers; Kayce, Ikechi and Onyebuchi Nwaigwe for being there for me and my lovely sisters, Ugochi Iyasara, Uchechi Unogu and Amaka Nwaigwe, for their sisterly roles. My unreserved gratitude goes to my Uncles, Apostle Eze Wanorue, Jude Nwaigwe, Chief Reagan Ufomba and Nze Chidi Onwudara and to my Aunties, Mrs.Ruth Wanorue and Mrs. Justina Nwokonko A work of this magnitude would not have been carried out successfully except through the spiritual support of my Catholic faith and Pastor Femi, I ‘thank you’for your prayers with me throughout the period of this programme. Thank You All. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Title page i Certification ii Authors Statement iii Dedication iv Acknowledgements v Table of Contents vii List of Tables x List of Figures xi List of Appendices xii Abstract xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background to the Study 1 Statement of the Problem 6 Purpose of the Study 8 Research Questions 9 Research Hypotheses 9 Scope and Delimitation of Study 10 Significance of the Study 11 Operational Definition of Terms 12 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Overview of University Management 14 Concept of Attitude 16 Work Attitude Formation and Functions 18 Attitude and Behaviour 21 Attitudinal Measurement 21 Subordinates Attitudinal Change 25 Managerial Role Performance of Leadership 27 Subordinate Attitude to Work 28 Interpersonal Roles and Subordinates Acceptance of Work 29 viii Informational Roles and Subordinates Commitment to Work 33 Decisional Roles and Subordinates Involvement to Work 36 Subordinates Factors and Attitude to Work 39 Gender and Attitude to Work 40 Teaching and Non- Teaching 41 Attitudes of subordinates in Public and Private Universities to Work 42 Managerial Roles and Subordinates Work Attitude Relationship 43 Types of Work Attitude in the Universities 45 Leadership, Gender and Subordinates’ Attitude to work 47 Stereotypes and Women in Leadership 51 Women in Leadership Positions 55 Discrimination against Women Leaders 57 Positive Contributions of Women Leaders 59 Review of Empirical Related Studies 61 Appraisal of Reviewed Literature 82 Theoretical Framework 83 Role Congruity Theory 83 Cognitive Dissonance Theory 85 Managerial Theory 86 Social Identity Theory 86 Conceptual Framework 88 CHAPTER THREE:RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Design 90 Population of the Study 90 Sample and Sampling Techniques 91 Research Instruments 92 Managerial Roles and Subordinates Work Attitude Questionnaire (MRSWAQ) 93 Interview Schedule 93 Validity of the Instruments 94 Reliability of the Instruments 94 Procedure for Data Collection 94 Scoring of the Instruments 95 Method of Data Analysis 95 ix CHAPTERFOUR: RESULTPRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS Presentation of Results 96 Answers to Research Questions 98 Hypotheses Testing 113 Summary of Findings 119 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OFFINDINGS,IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION Interpersonal Role Performance of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Acceptance 122 Informational Role Performance of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Commitment 123 Decisional Role Performance of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Involvement 124 Male and Female Subordinates Work Attitude to the Managerial Role Performance of Women Leaders 125 Teaching and Non- Teaching Subordinates Work Attitude to the Managerial Role Performance of Women Leaders 126 Public and Private Universities’ Subordinate Work Attitude to Managerial Role Performance of Women Leaders127 Summary 129 Conclusion 129 Implications of Findings 131 Implications for Practice 131 Implications for Policy 133 Contributions to Knowledge 135 Suggestions for Further Research 136 References 137 Appendices 154 x LIST OF TABLES Page Table Table 1: Public and Private Universities selected by Departments 92 Table 2: Demographic Information of the Participants 96 Table 3: Interpersonal Role Performance of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Attitude 98 Table 4: Informational Role Performance of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Commitment 100 Table 5: Decisional Role Performance of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ job Involvement 102 Table 6: Male and Female Subordinates’ Work Attitude to Managerial Role Performance of Women Leaders 104 Table 7: Teaching and Non-Teaching Subordinates’ Work Attitude due to the Managerial Role Performance of Women Leaders 107 Table 8: Subordinates’ Work Attitude in Public and Private Universities due to Role Performances of Women Leaders 111 Table 9: Relationship between Interpersonal Role Performances of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Attitude 113 Table 10: Relationship between Informational Role Performances of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Work Commitment 114 Table 11: Relationship between Decisional Role Performances of Women Leaders and Subordinates’ Job Involvement 115 Table 12: Difference in Male and Female Subordinates’ Work Attitude 116 Table 13a: Teaching and Non-Teaching Subordinates’ Work Attitude. 117 Table 13b: Differences in Teaching and Non- Teaching Subordinates’ Work Attitude 118 Table 15: Differences in Subordinates’ Work Attitude to Women Leaders Managerial Role Performance in Public and Private Universities 119 xi LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of Interrelationships of Managerial Role Performance and Subordinates’ Work Attitude in the University 88 xii LIST OF APPENDICES Page Appendix Appendix A: Managerial Role Performance and Subordinates Work Attitude Questionnaire (MRPSWAQ) 153 Appendix B: Women Leaders Managerial Roles and Subordinates Work Attitude Interview(WLMRSWAI) 157 Appendix C: The Summarized Interview Schedule with Women Heads of Departments in Public and Private South-West Universities 158 Appendix D: Acronyms161 xiii ABSTRACT Different views, most often innuendos, have often been made regarding managerial capabilities of women in leadership positions. This is even so when some women all over the world have distinguished themselves quite creditably in the workplace. This study sets out to investigate the nature of the relationship between university women leaders’ managerial behaviour and their subordinates’ work attitude towards them in universities, southwest Nigeria. The managerial role performance of women leaders was measured using the indicators of interpersonal, informational and decisional roles while the subordinates’ work attitude indicators were measured using commitment to wok, acceptance of duties, and job involvement. Six research questions and their corresponding hypotheses were developed to guide the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all the teaching and non-teaching subordinate staff of the selected universities in southwest Nigeria. Through Multi-stage sampling technique, two thousand and four hundred (2,400) subordinates were sampled. A 36- item questionnaire titled ‘Managerial Roles and Subordinates’ Work Attitude Questionnaire’ (MRSWAQ) was used to elicit data from participants. Also, an unstructured interview schedule titled ‘Women Leaders Managerial Roles and Subordinates Work Attitude Interview (WLMRSWAI) was administered to the women Heads of Departments in the universities. The questionnaire has a reliability coefficient of 0.84. The data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 20, involving both descriptive and inferential statistics. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation, t-test and One-Way Analysis of Variance(ANOVA) were used for testing the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The finding of the study shows that managerial role performance of women leaders has implications for subordinates’ work attitude of acceptance of duties, work commitment and job involvement; teaching subordinates had a more positive work attitude towards the managerial role performance of women leaders in the universities than the non-teaching subordinates; also, the subordinates in private universities had more positive work attitude than the subordinates in public universities. Female subordinates showed more positive work attitude to women leaders in the public universities than male subordinates, while male and female subordinates have the same work attitude in the private universities. Based on these findings, it was recommended that women leaders should be favourably disposed to their managerial performance in relation to their subordinates’ positive work attitudes outcomes. Also, the universities should provide leadership as well as technological and skill-building training for women and girls before and while in leadership positions. Keywords: Women, Managerial role performance, Subordinates’ work attitude