Obstacles inhibiting managerial leadership initiatives and performance within formal organizations in Liberia

Although national leadership is of great interest and discussions and debates about it are common, the focus of this dissertation is to study managerial leadership in formal organizations. The author argues that managerial leadership in formal organizations provides the foundation for national leadership, stability, and prosperity of any nation. Due to this perceived link between national leadership and managerial leadership in formal organizations, references were made to national leadership throughout Sub-Saharan Africa in discussing the obstacles inhibiting managerial leadership initiatives and performance in formal organizations in Liberia.; With the exception of Egypt and Israel, Sub-Saharan African countries have been the recipients of more development assistance than any other region of the world during the last three decades. Despite the enormous financial and technical assistance reflected in evaluation reports covering development progress in Africa, most African countries are still widely perceived to be the poorest countries of the world. A case study of Liberia is instructive for understanding the slow pace of development of the continent of Africa. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that affect managerial leadership effectiveness in formal organizations in Liberia. The principal tool of investigation was a qualitative methodology. Case study was utilized to conduct an inquiry into the contemporary inhibiting factors that impede managerial leadership initiative in formal organizations in Liberia. It focused on the particular experience of the leadership of experienced people in the work place and the circumstances that surrounded the performances of their duties.; The study revealed that there was a general lack of managerial leadership initiative and performance among Liberian managerial leaders in formal organizations in Liberia. All of the respondents expressed overwhelmingly that there was a general lack of managerial initiative and performance in formal organizations in Liberia. They shared a deep sense of frustration for the management system's failure to provide equitable opportunities for aspiring young professionals to develop themselves to the fullest.; To create a work environment within institutions where managerial leaders would be able to organize and use effectively the resources available to achieve development objectives, all efforts must be to minimize corruption and the abuse of power that is rampant within the Liberian society. If no consorted effort is made to weed out corruption and abuse of power, the most able Liberians will continue to be frustrated and would not be able to take initiative and perform. The overarching influence and role of government needs to be reduced. The perception that in the Liberian government service, leaders can enrich themselves very quickly through corruption must be eradicated by enforcing the relevant criminal codes of Liberia.