Exploring Leadership Effectiveness of Engineers at a Company in the Sugar Industry in South Africa

Abstract

Employees in management positions and leadership rolesincluding engineers − are under extreme pressure to achieve more with fewer resources. Engineers are at a critical organisational level, being the link between the general workforce and senior management. This study sought to explore the leadership effectiveness of engineers at a company in the sugar industry in South Africa. A qualitative research methodology approach, which incorporated purposive sampling and interviews was employed. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. During the interviews, several issues that had an impact on the effectiveness of such engineers were identified, the main issue being the perception from many of the engineers that the organisation was placing very little emphasis on their role as leaders, which led them to believe that they were not recognised as leaders. The study concluded with recommendations on how to improve the leadership capabilities of the engineers to enhance their effectiveness, implying that it is currently compromised.