Abstract

The study was undertaken with the objective of assessing groups influence on management style as related to University governance with University of Agriculture, Makurdi as a case study from academic staff perspective. The management style of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi between the period 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), indicating low concern for production and people, which answers to the impoverished management style of the grid model. Similarly, the reliability and internal consistency measures for groups influence and assessment of governance issues associated with management style adopted gave a Cronbach alpha of 0.991 and 0.984 respectively. Chi-square (χ²) 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 some of the groups influences and problems associated with University governance. A computation of the mean scores indicated that the Vice Chancellor himself and the in-group were responsible for the management style adopted and the various problems that bedeviled the University such as poor morale of staff and poor attitude to work, psyche and culture of confrontation and strikes, bitterness over issues of promotion, financial crises in the system leading to difficulties in payment of salaries, allowances, staff claims, disbursement of loans, etc as at when due, several court cases of staff against Administration, cases of bounced salaries and other University cheques and inability to organize convocation. The study recommends that mere entry of positions held in curriculum vitae or resumes is not enough indication of good governance ability without reference to proven and verifiable indicators as to how well such individuals had performed or are performing.

Key words: Groups influence, management style, University governance