1.1 Introduction
Safety Leadership is a branch of knowledge of transformational Leadership and Transactional Leadership. Safety leadership demands more transformational leadership approaches than Transactional Leadership approaches. Leadership covers a very conspicuous position of group or organizational conduct. It is the heart of an organization, which without; organization or group cannot properly function. It is obvious, that leadership ensures orderliness in an organization when an economic venture is undertaken by an organization with a view to maximizing economic opportunities it calls for person to supervise, direct, control, and co-operation to ensure effectives. Leadership cannot be completely delineated from management, though the former can be spoken of in relation to unorganized groups, while the later exist in an organized structure.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Over the years, the leadership of a company is certainly considered to have a strong impact on its success, employee satisfaction, and employee engagement. Some researchers have concluded that by using effective leadership styles, leaders inspire and enable their staff to be successful (Bhargavi & Yaseen, 2016). Leaders must use effective leadership styles to encourage levels of performance in the professional growth of company employees. Leadership styles and organizational efficiency are strongly related. Effective leadership style is seen as a strong source of sustainable competitive advantage and growth management (Al Khajeh, 2018).
Leadership is a unique element in the growth and success of each organization. Organizational performance, including safety performance, is mostly drive-by Leadership. Many review articles indicated that positive safety-related leadership is connected with more excellent safety outcomes (Muchiri et al. 2019; Tao et al. 2020).
An existing systematic review revealed that various empirical studies stress leadership’s role in safety performance (Tao et al. 2020). A Prominent Scholar specified causality between safety leadership, safety climate, and safety performance has not been completely validated from a research method view (Wu et al. 2016). Researchers specified that causalities should be validated with panel data and time series, both of which are achieved by longitudinal studies (Wu et al. 2016). Similarly, many researchers indicated that safety measures should develop through recognizing the similarity among employees within an organization to avoid confusion (Buruck et al. 2016) as cited in Widodo et al. (2019). Some researchers have also pointed out that safety measurement refers to safety at a specific time and place, which is unstable and changes with the dynamics of the environment and policies (Buruck et al. 2016).
The application of Leadership in the safety notion is known as safety leadership. Generally, it is acknowledged that there are many ways of accomplishing positive safety behavioral change. Behavioral safety approaches are thought to aid in increasing safety performance. Many studies agreed there are two extensively used leadership types or theories, namely, transactional leadership and Transformational Leadership in the safety area (Muchiri et al. 2019; Xue et al. 2020; Cheung et al. 2021; Gracia et al. 2019).
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Contribution of Leadership in Safety Outcomes and Efficiency.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that safety performance issues are commonly related to Safety Climate and Safety Leadership (Saedi et al. 2020). There is difficulty in determining the effect of autocratic type of leadership on the occupational safety and health aspect of work climate, the influence of transformational leadership in the work place on the employee perceptions of the attitude aspect of the work climate. These difficulties (challenges) that lead to lack of gateways or barriers that lead to a problem which this study will attempt to solve. If these challenges are not properly handled, they could lead to negative employee perceptions if the appropriate managerial styles are not adopted, the situational management may become inefficient and ineffective.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Contribution of Leadership in Safety Outcomes and Efficiency. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine the aspects of leadership style employees and supervisors describe as important safety performance;
- To examine the various leader actions that manifest in the land-based operations of an Organization;
- To identify the essential role of safety leadership on safety climate; and
- To determine the relationship between safety leadership and safety performance among workers in the area under review.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is there any relationship between safety leadership and safety performance among workers in the area under review?
- What are the various leader actions that manifest in the land-based operations of an Organization?
- What is the essential role of safety leadership on safety climate?
- What are the aspects of leadership style employees and supervisors describe as important safety performance?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant relationship between safety leadership and safety performance among workers in the area under review
- H1: There is significant relationship between safety leadership and safety performance among workers in the area under review
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Safety leadership has a negative and significant effect on safety performance.
- H1: Safety leadership has a positive and significant effect on safety performance.
1.7 Significance of Study
The result of the findings will increase the publications in leadership style and also shed light on the impacts of closing Leadership Styles on the Contribution of Leadership in Safety Outcomes and Efficiency.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Contribution of Leadership in Safety Outcomes and Efficiency using Halliburton Company in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Lack of Initial Cooperation from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Operational Definition of Terms
Leadership:
It is the process or act of influencing staff to work with zeal and confidence towards achieving the objectives of the library.
Employee Productivity:
It is the quantity of work done with respect to the time used.
Productivity:
It is the quantity of work done with respect to the time they are used.
