AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF SUCCESSION PLANNING AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS OF SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examines talent management strategies and organizational effectiveness in tertiary institutions of south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The objectives were to: assess the effect of leadership development on the effectiveness of tertiary institutions in South-South; assess the effect of potential candidates tracking on competitive advantage of tertiary institutions in South-South; and examine the effect of potential talent identification on the innovativeness of tertiary institutions in South-South. The study adopted the the Godden (2004) formula to determine the sample size of 582 out of a population of 18,924 (with a response rate of 96%) in ten universities in South-south of Nigeria, and the accepting sample was 558. The questionnaire was structured in a rating scale of 5 point Likert. Simple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The study finds that there is a significant effect of leadership developments on the effectiveness of tertiary institutions in South-South; Communication and collaboration improve organizational effectiveness, accountability and responsibility enhance organizational effectiveness, influence and negotiation improve organizational effectiveness, change management improves organizational effectiveness, self-awareness and emotional intelligence improve organizational effectiveness, coaching and mentoring improve organizational effectiveness and continuous learning culture improve organizational effectiveness and leadership development programs are crucial in fostering positive work environments and enhancing work productivity. Accordingly, among others, the study recommends that the institutions should: develop and apply standardized criteria for evaluating potential candidates based on key competencies such as problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership ability; deploy integrated talent identification software to track performance, competencies, career progression, training history, and leadership potential of employees.

Keywords: effectiveness, succession, competitive advantage, talent, management