Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria; Department of Business Management, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
Irtwange, S.V., Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria; Orsaah, S., Department of Business Management, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
The objective of this study is to assess the impact of management style on academic staff performance with University of Agriculture, Makurdi as a case study. The management style of the vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi between the periods, September 3, 1996 to September 3, 2001 was determined using the Ohio State University and University of Michigan Models. Based on a population of 269 academic staff, a sample size of 200 was selected using the purposive and random sampling techniques. Research questionnaire, interview and personal observations were employed as instruments for data collection. Analysis of data indicates that the vice chancellor was rated below desirable limits both on the considerate or employee centered management style (Cronbach alpha =0.978) and on the initiating structure or production centered management style (Cronbach alpha = 0.968). This indicates low concern for production and people, which answers to the impoverished management style of the grid model. Chi-square (X 2) test at 5% level of significance showed that there is a relationship between the management style of the vice chancellor of University of Agriculture, Makurdi and academic staff performance. As expected, academic staff of the university were found to have performed poorly on all six performance indicators - qualification, teaching/cognate experience, contribution to university and community, publications, current research and extension and administrative experience. The results of the study further indicate that with good management of men and materials, performance of academic staff in the Nigerian university system will be enhanced if they are appropriately motivated and rewarded. The study recommends that proven ability and capacity to professionally manage men, money and materials to deliver on the core mandates of the various universities in Nigeria should be the most important consideration in appointment of vice chancellors. © 2009 Academic Journals.