INFLUENCE OF LEADERSHIP STYLE AS OCCUPATIONAL VARIABLES ON LIBRARY PERSONNEL TURNOVER INTENTIONS IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigates influence of leadership style as occupational variables on library personnel turnover intentions in private university libraries in South-South of Nigeria. The study adopted correlational survey design. The population of the study was 113 library personnel that comprised 39 professionals, 46 paraprofessionals, and 28 support staff. The instrument used for data collection was researcher developed questionnaire. To ensure the reliability of the questionnaires, the instruments were trial tested using Cronbach Alpha to establish the internal consistency of the items and yielded an overall reliability score of 0.87. The on-the-spot mode was adopted in the collection of data. A total of 103 copies of the 113 copies of questionnaire were retrieved which amounted to 91.15% return rate. The descriptive statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlational Coefficient (r) (PPMCC) were used to analyse data derived from the research questions. Linear regression analysis was used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The result shows that there is relationship between leadership styles and turnover intentions of library personnel in private university libraries in South-South, Nigeria. It reveals that the correlation coefficient (r) is 0.46. This obtained (r) indicates that there is a positive medium relationship between leadership styles and turnover intentions of library personnel. The findings show that there is a high relationship (r = 78) and significant relationship (0.00 < p 0.05) between occupational variables and turnover intentions of the library personnel. The study recommends that private university library management should properly scrutinise and ensure that only library managers with democratic leadership qualities, flair, and skills are employed to manage their libraries to ensure reduced turnover intentions.