LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT : A Study Of How Leadership And Management Are Understood And Balanced In Micro-Enterprises
Alawo, Rabiu (2022)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022093060766
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022093060766
Tiivistelmä
As micro-enterprises continually become more important and contribute significantly to the global economy through employment, understanding leadership and management from the perspective of micro-companies is crucial. Because often micro-enterprises owners serve as both leaders and managers of their companies. Although leadership and management have been studied extensively, there seems to be an absence of significant studies related to leadership and management in micro-enterprises.
Thus, this study explores leadership and management from the perspective of micro-enterprises. The objectives of this study include exploring how leadership and management are understood in micro-enterprises, what the most effective and important attributes of leadership and management in micro-enterprises are, how individuals who work as leaders and managers simultaneously in micro-companies balance leadership and management, and what the advantages and disadvantages of having one individual working as an owner-leader and manager concurrently in a micro-company are. The theoretical foundation of this study was established by reviewing relevant concepts and theories. The empirical portion of this study was conducted using qualitative research method, eight micro-enterprises owners who work simultaneously as leaders and managers of their companies from various industries were interviewed using semi-structured interview format. And the data was analyzed using content analysis technique.
The study reveals that leadership and management are understood in micro-enterprises in a similar way as they are understood in large enterprises; additionally, the study indicates that democratic leadership is the most effective mode of leadership and modern management is the most effective management approach in micro-enterprises. Furthermore, the findings of the study show that visioning, co-working with subordinates, decision making, and coaching are the four most important leadership roles, while allocating resources, monitoring, disseminating information, and initiating projects are the four most important management roles in micro-enterprises. Moreover, the study’s findings indicate that micro-enterprises owners who work simultaneously as leaders and managers of their micro-companies balance leader-ship and management through two channels: (1) working at the workplace and (2) working at home. The study also reveals the advantages and disadvantages for both micro-enterprises and their owners when such owners work concurrently as leaders and managers of their companies.
This study adds value to the existing literature by providing important insights about leader-ship and management, as well as a model for how one person can balance leadership and management in a micro-company. This knowledge can be used to improve the abilities of current and future micro-enterprises owners who serve as both leaders and managers of their companies.
Thus, this study explores leadership and management from the perspective of micro-enterprises. The objectives of this study include exploring how leadership and management are understood in micro-enterprises, what the most effective and important attributes of leadership and management in micro-enterprises are, how individuals who work as leaders and managers simultaneously in micro-companies balance leadership and management, and what the advantages and disadvantages of having one individual working as an owner-leader and manager concurrently in a micro-company are. The theoretical foundation of this study was established by reviewing relevant concepts and theories. The empirical portion of this study was conducted using qualitative research method, eight micro-enterprises owners who work simultaneously as leaders and managers of their companies from various industries were interviewed using semi-structured interview format. And the data was analyzed using content analysis technique.
The study reveals that leadership and management are understood in micro-enterprises in a similar way as they are understood in large enterprises; additionally, the study indicates that democratic leadership is the most effective mode of leadership and modern management is the most effective management approach in micro-enterprises. Furthermore, the findings of the study show that visioning, co-working with subordinates, decision making, and coaching are the four most important leadership roles, while allocating resources, monitoring, disseminating information, and initiating projects are the four most important management roles in micro-enterprises. Moreover, the study’s findings indicate that micro-enterprises owners who work simultaneously as leaders and managers of their micro-companies balance leader-ship and management through two channels: (1) working at the workplace and (2) working at home. The study also reveals the advantages and disadvantages for both micro-enterprises and their owners when such owners work concurrently as leaders and managers of their companies.
This study adds value to the existing literature by providing important insights about leader-ship and management, as well as a model for how one person can balance leadership and management in a micro-company. This knowledge can be used to improve the abilities of current and future micro-enterprises owners who serve as both leaders and managers of their companies.