Managerial Self-efficacy and Discretionary Behavior Improving Work Environment for Small Firm Performance

Mohammed-Aminu Sanda

doi:10.22610/imbr.v2i6.906

Abstract

This study explores the self-efficacies and discretionary behaviours exhibited by managers of small Ghanaian firms with the purpose of understanding how the interplay of these two attributes impacted on employee motivation and performances. The selection of participants was guided by the snowballing technique. Data was collected by distributing self-completion questionnaires entailing managerial self-efficacy and discretionary behavior items to 100 study participants who were managers of small firms in two Ghanaian metropolises. The collected data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using the statistical package for the Social Sciences software. The results show that the managers had strong senses of affective attachment to their firms due to the use of their self-efficacies to generate dynamic influences on their firmsâ€™ performances. They also exhibit discretionary behaviours that motivate their employees to work together to achieve organizational goals. The study concludes that the absence of interplay between the managersâ€™ self-efficacies and their discretionary behaviours constrains the efficient and effective performances of their firms.

Highlights

Small firms are known to play important critical roles in the economic and social development of most countries, especially in developing countries south of the Sahara
Over the years, many small firms in Sub-Saharan African countries could not achieve much, in terms of growth and competitive advantage for them to contribute towards economic and social growth. This was because the managerial behaviours required by managers of these firms to implement and make their business policies functional remained a problematic challenge. This challenge has resulted in the presumption that managers of small firms in most sub-Saharan African countries are not clear about their managerial roles
Based on the results and discussion, the managers of small firms in Ghana could be perceived as having shown a high level of autonomy and influence on the work they manage by appreciably combining their operant competences and their organizational citizenship behaviours

Summary

Introduction

Small firms are known to play important critical roles in the economic and social development of most countries, especially in developing countries south of the Sahara. Over the years, many small firms in Sub-Saharan African countries could not achieve much, in terms of growth and competitive advantage for them to contribute towards economic and social growth. This was because the managerial behaviours required by managers of these firms to implement and make their business policies functional remained a problematic challenge. This challenge has resulted in the presumption that managers of small firms in most sub-Saharan African countries are not clear about their managerial roles. Many of these managers seemingly have the same jobs roles as their subordinates (Kagire & Munene, 2007)

Methods

Results

Conclusion