Addressing operational complexities through re-inventing leadership style: A systemic leadership intervention

Abstract

This research investigates leadership practice in private organisations in Nigeria. It focuses on learning about the application of leadership styles to address operational complexities in organisations. The research is based on a case study of a commercial livestock farm in Nigeria using systemic intervention as the methodology. Data collection tools, such as a workshop, semi-structured interviews, boundary setting and participant observation, were applied. Key leadership issues identified in the case study were addressed via the creation of an effective approach from different leadership underpinnings. Part of the findings is the difficulty in sustaining the implementation of a particular leadership style(s) due to unstructured nature of complexities involved in the determination of suitable leadership style at different stages of the research. The research wrapped up with the suggestion for further research on systemic leadership intervention to consider exploring the public sector, as well as the need to further review on the use of CATWOE in the research process, to avoid the occurrence of marginalisation in its apllication.

Lean Entrepreneurship and SME Practice in a Post COVID-19 Pandemic Era: A Conceptual Discourse from Nigeria

“…However, a key question is how much awareness do the practicing entrepreneurs have about the effects of social-economic challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, and how can these be addressed in preparation for a full post-COVID-19 pandemic business practice? Part of the aim of this study is to project a resilient means to achieve an effective post-COVID-19 entrepreneurship practice in the Nigerian context that embraces the needed flexibility in terms of meeting changes in customer values and other stakeholder interests in the implementation process (Evans & Bahrami, 2020 ; Singh et al, 2021 ; Ufua et al, 2020 , 2020a ; Ufua, Olujobi, et al, 2020 ; Ufua, Osabohien, et al, 2020 ).…”

“…While many Nigerian organisations adopt lean principles in their operations, they tend to decline from accepting it as a compound operational practice. This could be due to certain factors ranging from leadership thinking and contextual operational practices that may not align with complete adaptation to lean operations (Ufua et al, 2020 , 2020a ; Ufua, Olujobi, et al, 2020 ; Ufua, Osabohien, et al, 2020 ).…”

“…The current research focuses on how Nigerian entrepreneurs and SME managers can apply lean entrepreneurship to address the operational challenges in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges include host community pressure, inadequate power supply, theft and criminalities, scarcity of funds, weak legal systems support that can influence lean entrepreneurship practices among these practitioners and managers (Ufua et al, 2020 , 2020a ; Ufua, Olujobi, et al, 2020 ; Ufua, Osabohien, et al, 2020 ). This study embraces the need to search for a suitable approach to addressing these critical challenges, which necessitates the focus on lean entrepreneurship in the current study.…”

“…Therefore, it is arguable to suggest a refocus of the need for the current legal system to provide more support for practising entrepreneurs and SMEs, to provide the needed operational stability across various sectors of the Nigerian economy, where these businesses operate (Olujobi et al, 2020 a). It is also notable to state that the possible transformation of the current Nigerian SMEs to a broader operational scale is largely predicated on the effectiveness of the legal system in regulating business activities among entrepreneurial partners and SMEs (Ufua et al, 2020 , 2020a ; Ufua, Olujobi, et al, 2020 ; Ufua, Osabohien, et al, 2020 ). This can establish the legality of their practices and facilitate the strive to minimise criminalities among SMEs in the various sectors of the Nigerian economy (Abu et al, 2019 ).…”

“…According to Yu and Rehman Khan ( 2021 ), this will require a concerted effort of innovation and creativity through an engagement with relevant partners and stakeholders to find a suitable means to cope with the aforementioned profane challenges, especially in the areas of resource and sustainability management. It is also justified that most entrepreneurship outfits in Nigeria have minimal governmental support for their survival (see, Ufua et al, 2020 , 2020a ; Ufua, Olujobi, et al, 2020 ; Ufua, Osabohien, et al, 2020 ; Midgley, & Lindhult, 2021 ).…”