| dc.description.abstract | Participation of subordinates and supervisors in setting the organizational
goals is one of the most important themes in human relations. Participative
management is regarded by many as a means of enhancing productivity, adequate
communication links between workers and management and for developing human
potentials (McConkey, 1980; Kelly et. al.,1980). This management style lS
behaviouristic and focuses primarily on human motivation.
This paper examined the attitudes of the personnel managers in the State
Owned Enterprises (SOEs) towards allowing non-management employees to
participate in management decision making in their organizations. This highlighted
how participative management has been utilized in the public sector organizations.
This study was carried out in the state owned enterprises in Nairobi. The
information sought was collected using a structured questionnaire which was
completed by thirty nine personnel managers. Their views provided information
used in this report. The results indicated that subordinates are allowed to
participate in various methods of decision making in their organizations. Most
of the respondents felt that involvement of the subordinates in decision making
is a good thing.
It should be noted that the management responses might be different from
those of the non-management employees. Whereas the managements responses in
this study may not support the views of other writers like Wallender (1978) that
"decision by African managers are centralised", this was found to be true in
technical areas. Examples of these areas are during budget preparation and when
setting short and long term plans of the organization.
Other areas where participative management practised is .low is shown by
the little use of suggestion box, decision making, low level of information shared
and extensive centralization.
The size of the organization was tested whether it has any correlation with
the use of participative management. It was found that there was no relationship
between the organization size and the practice of allowing non-management to
participate in organizations' decision making. | en |
