A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Masters
Degree of Business Administration in Corporate Management (MBA) at Mzumbe
University, Mbeya Campus College.
In this study which was carried in University of Dar es Salaam Computing Centre,
the main objective was to analyze the effect of leadership styles on employees’
performance in Tanzania. The specific objectives were; to examine the effect of
leadership styles as regards to employee performance in Tanzania. Based on the main
objectives of the study, it was found that various leadership styles were practiced
namely; transformational, transactional autocratic and laissez fair leadership styles.
In Headquarter (70%) Laissez fair leadership style was predominant influenced by
delaying necessary decisions. Mbeya (67%), City centre (51%) and Arusha (58%),
transformational leadership style was predominant influenced by leading with vision.
In Mwanza branch (53%) identified that transactional leadership style was
predominant. In Dodoma branch (56%) autocratic leadership style was predominant
characterised by the leader having absolute power over his/her subordinate. Based on
the characteristics of leadership styles, their effects are as follows; Transactional
leadership style (64%) positively influenced them to execute defined duties, Most
responded (56%) positively influenced them to give team input and (88%)
negatively influenced them not to meet departmental goals. Laissez fair leadership
style predominant in Head quarter (51%) positively influenced them to execute
defined duties, (58%) were positively influenced to give team input and (76%) were
negatively influenced not to meet departmental goals. Autocratic leadership style
predominant in Dodoma branch by (68%) negatively influenced employees not to
execute defined duties, by (58%) were positively influenced to give team input and
(56%) were negatively influenced to meet organizational goals. Transactional
leadership style predominant in Mwanza, (64%) positively influenced them to
execute defined duties, (56%) positively influenced them to give team input and
(88%) negatively influenced them not to meet departmental goals. In this study,
relationships among leadership styles practiced were analysed. It was observed that
transformation leadership style has the positive and strong relationship with other
leadership styles.Hence in this study it was observed that transformational leadership
style (47%) was the one which influences employee performance than any other
leadership styles which was followed by laissez fair leadership style (30%), followed
by autocratic leadership style (27%), the last was transactional leadership (13%).