Leader’s Emotional Intelligence and Employee Performance: Does Leader’s Androgyny Matter? Empirical Evidence from Selected Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi, Kenya
Main Article Content
Keywords
Leader’s androgyny, leader’s emotional intelligence, employee performance, manufacturing firms
Abstract
Employee performance is essential for an organization's success and survival, yet records indicate that it varies by industry, environment and organization. Employee performance is affected by a range of variables, and studies in the manufacturing industry have found a relationship between a leader's emotional intelligence and employee performance. However, the mixed results and scarcity of empirical evidence on leaders' emotional intelligence and employee performance demanded more investigation into the relationship between the two variables. Furthermore, there is a lack of knowledge about androgyny as a moderator in the relationship between emotional intelligence and employee performance. As a result, this study aimed at determining the moderating effect of leader’s androgyny on the relationship between leader’s emotional intelligence and employee performance in selected manufacturing companies in Nairobi, Kenya. The research was based on Affective Events Theory, with a positivist philosophical framework and an explanatory design. The study's target sample consisted of 3,500 employees from chosen industrial enterprises at all levels. Yamane (1967) formula was used to calculate the sample size of 359 respondents of which 322 were used through structured questionnaire employing a simple random sampling technique. Data was collected through structured questionnaires, which were initially piloted to assess its validity and reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyse collected data with an aid of SPSS version 23. The hypothesis was tested using hierarchical regression analysis. The findings established that leader’s emotional intelligence had a strong positive and significant (r=0.608, p=0.000) relationship with employee performance. Also, leader’s androgyny had a strong positive and significant (r=0.452, p=0.000) relationship employee performance. Further, results revealed that leaders' emotional intelligence had a positive effect on employee performance (β=.584, p=.000) and lastly, leader’s androgyny had a positive significant moderating effect on the relationship between leader’s emotional intelligence and employee performance (β=.268, se=.039, LLCI=.185 and ULCI=.339, p=.000 <..05). This suggests that leaders use their androgynous features in their leadership positions and should grow on them in order to achieve better emotional intelligence, which in turn improves employee performance. The findings of the study contribute to the growing body of empirical evidence revealing the scarcity of empirical data in the manufacturing industry in developing countries, particularly Kenya.
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Zipporah C. Metto , Department of Management Science, School of Business and Economics, Moi University, P. O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Kenya
Department of Management Science, School of Business and Economics, Moi University, Kenya
Ambrose Kemboi , Department of Management Science, School of Business and Economics, Moi University, P. O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Kenya
Department of Management Science, School of Business and Economics, Moi University, Kenya
Joyce Komen , Department of Management Science, School of Business and Economics, Moi University, P. O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Kenya
Department of Management Science, School of Business and Economics, Moi University, Kenya