Leadership Style and Employee Job Satisfaction: Dissertation

This dissertation proposal investigates the impact of leadership styles on employee job satisfaction within Marks Nigeria Limited. It begins with an introduction outlining the research topic, objectives, and rationale, followed by a comprehensive literature review exploring various leadership styles such as transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership. The research methodology chapter details the research design, approach, and data collection methods, including the use of a survey questionnaire. The data analysis chapter presents the findings, and the subsequent chapters offer conclusions, recommendations, and strategies to improve leadership styles. The study aims to determine the extent to which leadership styles affect employee satisfaction in the context of the Nigerian business environment, considering the cultural nuances and organizational dynamics of Marks Nigeria Limited. The proposal highlights the significance of effective leadership in fostering a motivated workforce and achieving organizational goals, emphasizing the need for further research in this area.

Running Head: DISSERTATION
Dissertation

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Abstract
Leadership is defined as the procedure wherein leader motivates the team member to achieve
organisation’s goals. Leadership style is technique that enables a leader to lead employee for
improving their performance. National culture is crucial to determine efficiency of leadership
styles. The literature review identifies many leadership styles like transformational
leadership, transactional leadership, and laissez-faire leadership. The primary aim of this
research is to understand “the leadership style impact on employee’s job satisfaction: in
context of Marks Nigeria Limited”. This research report discusses many chapters like an
introduction, literature review, research methodology, data analysis and findings, conclusion
and recommendation. The introduction chapter explains the research aim and objectives,
research question, dissertation structure, research rationale, company background, and
research significance. The second section critically analyse leadership styles and their impact
on the employee job satisfaction. The third chapter will discuss the research methodology that
supports to select appropriate techniques to obtain appropriate techniques about research
concern. In data analysis chapter, the collected data is examined through Ms-excel software.
The conclusion and recommendation section present the whole research study in precise
form.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................6
Research topic:.......................................................................................................................6
Contextualise background......................................................................................................6
Research problem...................................................................................................................8
Company Background............................................................................................................8
Research aim and Objectives..................................................................................................9
Research question...................................................................................................................9
Research rationale..................................................................................................................9
Dissertation structure............................................................................................................10
Introduction.......................................................................................................................10
Literature Review.............................................................................................................10
Research Methodology.....................................................................................................10
Data Analysis and Findings..............................................................................................11
Conclusion and Recommendation....................................................................................11
Chapter 2: Literature review....................................................................................................12
Introduction..........................................................................................................................12
To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles...................................12
To identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited,........................................................................................................16
To recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited.......................................18
Summary...............................................................................................................................20
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...........................................................................................21
Introduction..........................................................................................................................21
Figure 1: Research Onion Framework.................................................................................21
Research Philosophy............................................................................................................22
Research Approach...............................................................................................................23
Research Design...................................................................................................................23
Research Strategy.................................................................................................................24
Data Collection Method.......................................................................................................25
Sampling Method.................................................................................................................26
Data Analysis Method..........................................................................................................26
Research Limitations............................................................................................................27
Ethical Consideration...........................................................................................................27
Conclusion............................................................................................................................28
Chapter 4: Data analysis...........................................................................................................29
Survey Questionnaire leadership style and employee job satisfaction.................................29
Demographic Factor.............................................................................................................29
Table 1..............................................................................................................................29
Objective based........................................................................................................................31
To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles...................................31
To identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited.........................................................................................................36
To recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited.......................................40
Chapter 5 Findings...................................................................................................................45
4.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................45

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4.2 To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles.............................45
4.3 To identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited.........................................................................................................47
4.4 To recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited.......................................48
Chapter 5 Conclusion...............................................................................................................52
5.1 To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles.............................52
5.2 To identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited.........................................................................................................52
5.3 To recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited.......................................53
Recommendation..................................................................................................................53
To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles...................................53
To identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited.........................................................................................................54
To recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited.......................................55
References................................................................................................................................57
Appendix..................................................................................................................................66
To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles...................................66
To identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited.........................................................................................................67
To recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited.......................................68

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Chapter 1: Introduction
Research topic: ‘to what extent does leadership style impact on employees' job satisfaction:
in context of Marks Nigeria Limited’
Contextualise background
In existing business period, the organizational atmosphere is rapidly changing due to the
economic and social instability. Thus, only those firms could persist, which are capable of
dealing with changing the atmosphere, and capable to maintain motivated employee (Saleem,
2015). A leader could face major problem at the time of changing the policy of organization.
An effective organization could be created by both management approaches and good
leadership. There are many problems which could be faced by leader in the execution of task.
Therefore, it can be said that role of a leader is very complex at the working place (Goleman,
2017). There are certain leadership styles that are used by leaders in the working place like
transformational, laissez-faire, and transactional leadership styles. These leadership styles
could play an imperative role in the organization success. The team member, manager, and
leader could play an imperative role in an organization (Mathieu, Neumann, Hare, and
Babiak, 2014). Furthermore, it is also analyzed that when team member used transactional
leadership style then they could consider reward and punishment structure. In this, team
manager provides reward to encourage the performance of the employee and punish them for
bad behaviour. This leadership styles could lead the employee in the right direction for
completing the organizational goal (Nanjundeswaraswamy and Swamy, 2014). This study
demonstrates impact of leadership style on employee’s job satisfaction level.
The working culture of Nigerian is collectivistic and concentrates on making an effective
relation with employees at the working place. The research subject is to address the degree of
leadership style impact on the employee’s job satisfaction level: a case of Marks Nigeria
Limited It is obligatory for the organization to enhance their understanding about leadership

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styles for getting a competitive benefit (Leroy, Anseel, Gardner, and Sels, 2015). It is
complicated for leader to improve growth of business at the global level. It could aid an
organization to make a distinguish image in the consumer’s mind. Moreover, an effective
leadership style could support to inspire workforces towards their work as it would help to
enhance financial performance of company (Demirtas and Akdogan, 2015). Many
companies imply different leadership styles to motivate workforces and enhance their
abilities for improving the firm productivity. Moreover, leadership style could be effective as
it enables workforces to gain their new learning towards their working acts. It could aid
workforces to accomplish their task in targeted time and cost (Laschinger, Wong, Cummings,
and Grau, 2014). Furthermore, leadership implication could enable workforces to improve
their capabilities to obtain a large amount of profit. In the current period, company uses
leadership style in their working place to create an effective communication for controlling
unexpected occurrence. The organization could be supportive of inspiring workforces for
improving their job satisfaction level (Collins, Burrus, and Meyer, 2014). Moreover, a
company could be capable of develop their internal capabilities to manage the unexpected
situation and improve competitive benefit in the marketplace (Wang, Tsai, and Tsai, 2014).
In addition, it is also evaluated that leadership is significant concept by which a company
could improve their profitability. There is lack of research on the role of leadership styles in
improving the employee job satisfaction level. Furthermore, there are many reasons that
inspired research scholar to chosen this research problem like significance of research, data
availability, and lack of study on this particular concern. It will support research scholar to
obtain reliable and valid data in limited time and cost. This research enable reader and
researcher scholar to gain their knowledge towards leadership style in employee job
satisfaction.

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Research problem
The main problem of this research is to determine the impact of leadership style on the
employee job satisfaction level. In the existing business scenario, it is complicated for a
company to enhance the job satisfaction level. The research study would support the research
scholar and reader to gain their awareness towards the different kinds of leadership style on
the employee job satisfaction level. Inappropriate use of leadership style could create an issue
for the company to enhance their performance and inspire the workforces towards their job
(Bateh and Heyliger, 2014). In addition, there are certain elements that could influence the
organization performance. Moreover, effective leadership style could support the research
scholar to increase the employee job satisfaction level inadequate time and cost. Furthermore,
lack of knowledge about leadership style could create the major issue for the company to
motivate the employees towards their goal as it would support to improve organizational
performance (Men, 2014). The systematic execution of leadership style could favorably
impact on the improvement of organizational performance. It is effective for the company to
accomplish the specified goal and objectives. Moreover, leadership style could support the
organization to accomplish the targeted task. The employee inspiration could be supportive in
the perspective of business. The changes could be raised due to inappropriate organizational
performance. Lack of job satisfaction could also force the leaders to make changes in the
organizational rules (Keskes, 2014).
Company Background
Marks Nigeria Limited is a retail organization that established in 2002. It mainly concentrates
on retail and advertising promotional products. It has more than 400 employees in their
organization. It expands their business at the international level. The mission of this company
is to provide premium product and services to their consumers with specified budget and
time. Besides this, the vision of this company is to become a part of customer’s life.

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Research aim and Objectives
The main aim of this research is to address the degree of leader5ship style impact on the
employee’s job satisfaction level: a case of Marks Nigeria Limited. The following objectives
will be accomplished to complete the specified research aim:
 to explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles
 to identify the impact of leadership style on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited
 to recommend the strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited
Research question
 What are the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles?
 How leadership style has an impact on employees' job satisfaction: in context of
Marks Nigeria Limited?
 What could be strategies to improve the leadership style, which can impact on
employees' job satisfaction: in context of Marks Nigeria Limited?
Research rationale
This study critically analysis theoretical data towards the impact of leadership style on
employee satisfaction, which support to gain understanding of reader and researcher. It is
effective for an organization to enhance their knowledge and select an appropriate strategy in
the context of the leadership impact on the employee satisfaction level. The leadership style
plays an imperative role in the organization (Bateh and Heyliger, 2014). The best knowledge
of leadership style could help to improve the organizational performance by inspiring the
employee towards their specified goal. It could also imperative for the purpose of
professional aim. A huge quantity of information is accessible about the research concern as

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it would also be imperative for reader and researcher (Collins, Burrus, and Meyer, 2014).
This research concern could be imperative for research scholar in case researcher want to
make their profession in HRM department (human resource management) in future.
Dissertation structure
The dissertation structure is used to complete research in an effective way. The dissertation
structure is described as below:
Introduction
The first chapter of dissertation presents information about certain components like research
background, research topic, research aim and objectives, research rationale, research
background, research questions, and dissertation structure. It will support to gain
understanding towards research concern. This section is crucial for demonstrating the
research limitation that is faced by the research scholar during research (Herr and Anderson,
2014). This part aids researcher to complete research aim and objectives and get a reliable
outcome.
Literature Review
The literature review parts helps researcher to critically analysis research issues and obtain
accurate information. It could also critically analysis the research issue by applying models,
concepts, and theories. The literature review could enable the researcher to collect theoretical
data regarding research concern (Demirtas and Akdogan, 2015). A researcher has studied
many books, articles, and journals as it helps to create conceptual knowledge about research
concern. It is also crucial for the researcher to determine gap and build a base for using
primary data collection method.

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Research Methodology
The research methodology section aids researcher to gain their understanding about various
techniques that will support to complete particular research aim and objectives. Moreover,
there are certain techniques that are considered in the research methodology like research
philosophies, research methods, data collection method, research strategies, sampling
method, data analysis method, ethical consideration, and research limitation (Goleman,
2017). It could be imperative for enhancing the rationality and consistency of research
outcome. Moreover, the research methods could help researcher to meet their research aim
and objectives.
Data Analysis and Findings
This section helps researcher to examine collected data and obtain a reliable outcome. It
enables researcher to segregate gathered data and identifies them for each objective. It also
aids the researcher in managing data by considering an effective data analysis technique
(Bateh, and Heyliger, 2014). In this, the researcher will be able to demonstrate the
information to get a valid outcome.
Conclusion and Recommendation
In the dissertation, conclusion and recommendation is last section that aid researcher to
summarize the whole study on behalf of findings. It develops a connection between research
aim and objectives to obtain valid and reliable outcome (Demirtas and Akdogan, 2015). It
presents strategies for attaining the research aim and objectives. This chapter is significant to
identify practical effect for directing future research study.

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Chapter 2: a Literature review
Introduction
The literature review section supports researcher to enhance their knowledge towards the
research matter by discovering new information (Blais, 2015). An effective literature review
includes many sources like Journals, magazines, books, online and offline sources
(McCleskey, 2014). Furthermore, literature review helps to determine data about the
leadership style impact on employee job satisfaction level. It also develops knowledge
towards relationship between leadership styles and employee job satisfaction level. This
chapter also examines strategies that could support to improve the leadership styles to
enhance the employee job satisfaction level. Furthermore, it is also examined that literature
review section supports to offer the summary of the whole literature review.
To explore the types, meaning, and the concept of leadership styles
In the view of Urick and Bowers (2014) the leadership style is determined as a set of
behaviours that team leader perform during teamwork. The leadership style could enable the
organization to make an effective communication between team leaders and employee or
subordinates. A leader could control, direct, and lead employee towards their work to attain
their specified goal systematically. It is also stated that there are many factors that could be
supportive to determine the leadership styles of leaders like a leader and subordinate
characteristics and organizational atmosphere. In addition, it is also identified that personal
traits of leaders like knowledge, values, experience could shape the feelings of an individual
about leadership. It could also support to select appropriate leadership style in an
organization. In addition, it is also found that different employee has different skills and
knowledge as it would influence leadership style. Hence, an effective leader could understand
the perception of an individual and imply the leadership style appropriately.

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On the other side, Northouse, (2017) examined that leadership is also influenced by different
factors like organizational values, climate, type of work, and composition of the work team.
The leader could select their leadership style to direct their team member or subordinates as
per the situation. Leadership is social inspiration procedure by which a leader could supervise
subordinates to accomplish the organizational goal. An effective leader could be determined
as the person who has ability to attract others for accomplishing specified goal. In the current
scenario, the organization needs an effective leader who critically analysis the obstacles of
the fast-changing international atmosphere. If the aim is highly structured and team leader has
an effective relationship with subordinates then then could be capable to complete the
specified aim and objectives and obtain a favourable result. Moreover, it is seen that
democratic leaders involve group member in the discussion or decision making as it would
enhance morality and interest of an individual.
In support of this, Keskes (2014) stated that a laissez-faire leader is unable to supervise the
team member and fails to continue providing feedback to their team member. The highly
experienced employees are slightly influenced by laissez-faire leadership style. Moreover,
this leadership style declines productivity of workforces. The laissez-faire style demonstrates
lack of efforts from managers and top executives as it could lead to poor construction, higher
cost, and absence of control.
Day, Fleenor, Atwater, Sturm, and McKee, (2014) argued that autocratic leadership style
permits managers to make the decision independently without inputs of team members and
employees. In this leadership style, administrator forces subordinates to blindly follow their
instruction. It is also found that no one has power to change and deny the decision of
autocratic leaders. This leadership is beneficial for those employees and team member who
believed on close supervision. But at the same time, the creative employees detest this
leadership style.