English

Bell Clement,Rvanniekerk Roelf,Nel Petrus

doi:10.5897/ajbm2013.7299

Abstract

Scholars have argued that demographic variables are critical factors that could also be used together with other factors to explain the variances in the behaviour of effective leaders. They are very significant to virtually all kinds of modern organizations. The current workforce is increasingly getting younger and highly educated. And an increasing proportion of female managers are also found in today’s organizations. The present study therefore, explored the relationship between some demographic variables and leadership effectiveness among local government managers in Eastern Cape Province. The data were collected from a sample of 222 local government managers using a self-designed biographical and occupational data questionnaire, and a leadership effectiveness questionnaire adopted from Fleenor and Bryant. Leadership effectiveness was measured as a unitary concept. The results indicated that gender, age and education have a positive and significant relationship with leadership effectiveness. The present study therefore, recommends that, local government departments should consider these demographic variables when assigning leadership responsibilities to managers.   Key words: Demographic variable, gender, age, education, leadership effectiveness.

Highlights

An understanding of leadership effectiveness often varies among different scholars (Avolio et al, 2003; Yukl, 2006).it is perceived globally, as something critical for the success of an organisation (Phipps and Prieto, 2011).Scholars have spent more than a century trying to understand the characteristics of effective leaders (Zaccaro, 2007). Waldman et al (2001) argue that this variable continues to attract a lot of interest in scholarly research
The present study focused on the three most commonly examined demographic variables of age, education and gender (Murphy and Ensher, 1999)
Permission was obtained by the researchers from the top managers of local government departments used in present study

Summary

Introduction

An understanding of leadership effectiveness often varies among different scholars (Avolio et al, 2003; Yukl, 2006).it is perceived globally, as something critical for the success of an organisation (Phipps and Prieto, 2011).Scholars have spent more than a century trying to understand the characteristics of effective leaders (Zaccaro, 2007). Waldman et al (2001) argue that this variable continues to attract a lot of interest in scholarly research. An understanding of leadership effectiveness often varies among different scholars (Avolio et al, 2003; Yukl, 2006). It is perceived globally, as something critical for the success of an organisation (Phipps and Prieto, 2011). Scholars have spent more than a century trying to understand the characteristics of effective leaders (Zaccaro, 2007). Ineffective leadership destroys the human spirit that is critical in ensuring that the organisation is effective (Alimo-Metcalfe and AlbanMetcalfe, 2003).

Objectives

Methods

Results