STRATEGISING FOR MANAGERIAL EXCELLENCE IN NIGERIA THROUG CONTROLLING SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON MANAGERS

It is an acknowledged fact that indigenous top management staff of Nigerian companies a well qualified to hold their positions. Yet, Nigerian companies perform poorly, particular under the globalization regime. This paper is the result of a survey into reasons was Nigerian managers and their companies perform poorly. In the survey 210 top management staff of randomly selected Nigerian companies in the telecommunications, banking at agro-processing companies in six states in north-central Nigeria were interviewed and recorded on a Likert scale questionnaire. The data was analyzed using ANOVA statistic find out whether there was a significant difference between the means of the responses managers in the six states. Results showed that the major causes were socio-cultural pressures including poverty among extended family, and poor shareholder/board control, i well as strategic myopia. It is recommended that managers can be relieved from socio-cultural pressures by taking sole decision making from them to a combination of two board institution of target-setting MBO at the shareholders level, and training them on strategy formulation and implementation.