UNVEILING AND ADDRESSING CHALLENGES OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLE IN AN ORGANIZATION( A CASE STUDY OF NESTLE, CAMEROON)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Given that the business world is always changing, Lincoln (2018) noticed that old management theories have been replaced by new tools and methods. This means that a leader needs to use the best leadership style for the organization to stay strong and grow. In the same way, business rivalry and competition are always getting tougher because business practices are always changing. This means that a boss needs to have great management skills to get more work done. Business competition doesn't just affect big companies; it affects all companies, no matter how big or small they are or where they are located. Globalization has also made it easier for companies in different parts of the world to do business with each other. This means that what a company in Asia does may have indirect effects on companies in Africa. Because of this, the way these companies are led decides how competitive they will be in the market, no matter how big or small they are. The focus of this study is on democratic or participatory leadership, which, according to Housoi (2019) is a mix of open and controlled leadership styles to find a middle ground. The democratic leader actively pushes workers to work together and make decisions. After workers share their ideas and thoughts, the leader makes the final decision that everyone has to follow. There are many benefits to democracy leadership, such as bringing fresh plans and ideas to the table. Additionally, companies around the world have problems with poor financial performance, shady behavior, and high employee turnover. According to Rubio (2019), these problems are caused by bad leadership models. Zugu (2021) asserts that leadership is one of the most studied factors in the workplace that might affect how well employees do their jobs. But because many organizations' main goal is to reach their stated objectives, they need good leadership to keep everyone on track and keep them motivated (Housoi, 2019). Similarly, Kibra and Bella (2019)  states  that workers do their best work when they are happy, which is usually caused by the way the company is run. It was pointed out by Basat (2020) that leaders can see more and beyond the present when they have certain traits. This means that the effort to meet the workers' seen and unseen needs is present. In a company with a democratic leadership style, decisions are made with input from the workers, based on their reviews, suggestions, and needs. The leader still makes the final decision. Nevertheless, the level of performance of workers under a democratic leadership style will depend on how much the leader listens and talks with the employees. Because of this, a survey will be conducted in order to unveil and address the challenges of democratic leadership style in an organization( a case study of Nestle, Cameroon).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Most organizations in Cameroon seem to have task-oriented, routine work schedules that don't allow for any flexibility. Decisions and rules are also forced on subordinates. However, it found that employees do well when they are given clear goals and standards to follow. For employees to do their jobs, managers need to motivate the people who report to them, as well as their coworkers, bosses, and customers. However, despite  numerous advantages, implementing democratic leadership in an organization presents a variety of challenges. To use democratic leadership, leaders need to improve their skills and create an environment where everyone works together, communicates openly, and feels welcome. Making sure that everyone has a fair chance to participate and be heard in decision-making is hard, especially in big or diverse groups, where unequal engagement can lead to feelings of exclusion and hurt democratic leadership (Syakur, 2022). Furthermore, when there is decentralized authority and collective responsibility, it can be hard to keep people accountable and make decisions that make sense (Amini et al, 2019). This is why clear instructions and systems are needed to make sure that decisions are in line with company goals. Additionally, the effectiveness of democratic leadership can change based on things like the organization's culture, the way the industry works, and pressures from outside the organization. This means that different methods must be used to implement and adapt democratic leadership. Furthermore, a lot of research has been done on similar topics, but this paper thinks there is a gap in the study on the relationship between leadership and organizational performance. Leadership has mostly been looked at from the point of view of a company, with a focus on strategy and performance. Because leadership is so important in the workplace, it may also have effects on people inside and outside the company. However, experts haven't been very interested in how leadership might affect internal human resource issues. Thus, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to unveil and address the challenges of democratic leadership style in an organization( a case study of Nestle, Cameroon).

1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to unveil and address the challenges of democratic leadership style in an organization( a case study of Nestle, Cameroon). Specifically, the study will;

Find out the extent to which democratic leadership styles is adopted in Nestle, Cameroon.

Determine whether democratic leadership style have an impact on the productivity of employees in Nestle, Cameroon.

Determine whether democratic leadership style impact employees engagement in Nestle, Cameroon.

Determine whether there is a relationship between  democratic leadership style and organizational performance in Nestle, Cameroon.

Find out the challenges faced by leaders in adopting democratic leadership styles in Nestle, Cameroon.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

To what extent is the democratic leadership style adopted within Nestle, Cameroon?

Does the democratic leadership style have an impact on the productivity of employees in Nestle, Cameroon?

Does the democratic leadership style influence employee engagement in Nestle, Cameroon?

Is there a relationship between  democratic leadership style and organizational performance in Nestle, Cameroon?

What are the challenges that leaders face when attempting to adopt democratic leadership styles in Nestle, Cameroon?

1.5  Research Hypotheses

H0:  There is no significant relationship between democratic leadership style and organizational performance in Nestle, Cameroon.

Ha: There is a significant relationship between democratic leadership style and organizational performance in Nestle, Cameroon.

1.6  Significance of the Study

The results of this study will unveil the efficacy of democratic leadership approaches, fostering employee satisfaction, facilitating goal attainment, career advancement, and organizational growth and development. Moreover, the study will elucidate to Nestle Cameroon the impact of their leadership style on employees, aiding in the identification of optimal leadership strategies. Employing the appropriate leadership approach fosters trust and cultivates employee loyalty to the organization. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the unveiling and addressing the challenges of democratic leadership style in an organization( a case study of Nestle, Cameroon).

1.7 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on unveiling and addressing the challenges of democratic leadership style in an organization (a case study of Nestle, Cameroon). Empirically, the study will find out the extent to which democratic leadership styles is adopted in Nestle, Cameroon, determine whether democratic leadership style have an impact on the productivity of employees in Nestle, Cameroon determine whether democratic leadership style impact employees engagement in Nestle, Cameroon and find out the challenges faced by leaders in adopting democratic leadership styles in Nestle, Cameroon.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to  administrative staff of Nestle, Cameroon

1.8 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Leadership styles: the various approaches, behaviors, and attitudes that leaders adopt in guiding and influencing their team members or followers

Democratic leadership: also known as participative leadership, is a style where leaders involve team members or followers in the decision-making process.