Cultural Nuances in Work Attitudes and Behaviors: Towards a Model of African Work Culture

Abstract

This study explored managers’ perception of the work behaviors and attitudes of Nigerian workers with reference to Nigeria’s cultural orientation and the global culture. It compared Japan, USA and Nigeria on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, work culture and organizational outcomes. Descriptive survey design and purposive sampling technique were used in data collection. A total of 131 managers (74 males and 57 females) from manufacturing organizations in Ota, Ogun State were interviewed. The structured interview comprised of 12 statements on work attitudes and behaviors to which respondents agreed or disagreed and made remarks. Four research questions were asked and answered using frequency distribution. The result showed that greater percentage of managers perceived Nigerian workers to require close supervision, sanctions and coercion in driving compliance with organizational rules. Workers were also perceived to be motivated mostly by pay, rewards and benefits. However, only about half of the respondents agreed that Nigerian workers are self-centered and individualistic. Lastly, they perceived that given the right circumstances, Nigerian workers are highly resourceful and capable of participative decision-making and mutual responsibility. This study concluded that Nigeria as well as Japan have collectivist cultures while America has individualistic culture. Although collectivism has paid off as evinced in the successes of Japanese companies, Nigerian organizations, like many others in Africa, have been victims of acculturation with adverse consequences for organizational growth. Hence, a model of African work culture was recommended, one that should not jettison indigenous cultures, but ensure an effective blend with global best practices. Received: 2 September 2020 / Accepted: 1 November 2020 / Published: 5 March 2021

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Research Article
© 2021 Olowookere et.al..
This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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Received: 2 September 2020 / Accepted: 1 November 2020 / Published: 5 March 2021
Cultural Nuances in Work Attitudes and Behaviors:
Towards a Model of African Work Culture
Elizabeth I. Olowookere
1
Benedict C. Agoha
1
Dare O. Omonijo
2
Jonathan A. Odukoya
1
Ayotunde O. Elegbeleye
1
1
Department of Psychology, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
2
Department of Student Industrial Experience Scheme, Covenant University, Ota;
Department of Sociology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36941/ajis-2021-0056
Abstract
This study explored managers’ perception of the work behaviors and attitudes of Nigerian workers with
reference to Nigeria’s cultural orientation and the global culture. It compared Japan, USA and Nigeria on
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, work culture and organizational outcomes. Descriptive survey design and
purposive sampling technique were used in data collection. A total of 131 managers (74 males and 57 females)
from manufacturing organizations in Ota, Ogun State were interviewed. The structured interview comprised
of 1 2 stat emen ts on w ork a ttitu des and b ehavi ors t o which respondents agreed or disagreed and made remarks.
Four research questions were asked and answered using frequency distribution. The result showed that greater
percentage of managers perceived Nigerian workers to require close supervision, sanctions and coercion in
driving compliance with organizational rules. Workers were also perceived to be motivated mostly by pay,
rewards and benefits. However, only about half of the respondents agreed that Nigerian workers are self-
centered and individualistic. Lastly, they perceived that given the right circumstances, Nigerian workers are
highly resourceful and capable of participative decision-making and mutual responsibility. This study
concluded that Nigeria as well as Japan have collectivist cultures while America has individualistic culture.
Although collectivism has paid off as evinced in the successes of Japanese companies, Nigerian organizations,
like many others in Africa, have been victims of acculturation with adverse consequences for organizational
growth. Hence, a model of African work culture was recommended, one that should not jettison indigenous
cultures, but ensure an effective blend with global best practices.
Keywords: Work Behaviors, Work Attitude, Culture, Japan, America, Nigeria, Africa
1. Introduction
Humans are social animals interacting within specific societies with shared identities, ideologies,
languages and a goal to ensure continued survival and sustainability among others. The interactions

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among these individuals as argued by some authors are essentially guided by prescribed and preserved
codes of conduct and values referred to as culture (Omonijo & Anyaegbunam, 2020). Culture has been
described in several ways by some authors but their perspectives on culture lies in the generally
accepted way of life of a group of people that is passed down from generation to generation through
the process of socialization (Adetola, Ogunbote, Omonijo & Odukoya. 2019). It is the shared
characteristics that defines certain groups of people and distinguishes them from others. These shared
patterns of behaviors include language, social habits, belief system, mode of dressing, behaviors,
economic systems, politics, music and arts among others.
Although every society has its own cultural peculiarities as regards different aspects of human
endeavors, the quest for environmental and economic sustainability has fostered interdependence and
unity across societies, resulting in an interaction of cultures and the rise of a unified culture. Asikaogu
(2018) suggested that this global culture is an extension of the western culture to other nations of the
world as the acceptable way of behavior. Advances in technology have further united the world into a
global village, it is now easy for businesses to operate globally and benchmark with competitors on
global trends, best practices and profitability.
Every organization is in a rat race to retain global relevance, adapt to the rapidly changing market
trends and gain competitive advantage over rival organizations. A major means of achieving this feat
is the continuous improvement of the organizations’ people, products, processes and productivity. The
people element has been considered the most important because it facilitates the effective coordination
of the other elements (Pfeffer, 1998). Therefore, employee behaviors and attitudes to work are crucial
to effective organizational functioning. In corroboration, Jahangir, Akbar and Haq (2004) asserted that
every organization requires employees’ demonstration of positive work behaviors (often referred to as
organizational citizenship behaviors) for their continued survival and overall effectiveness.
The global culture affects behaviors in different contexts including the workplace. This is because
the pace of globalization makes cultural isolation impossible (Rudd & Lawson, 2007).According to
Asikaogu (2018), globalization is about economic integration, the transfer of policies across borders
and the transmission of knowledge among other things.In the quest for profitability and
competitiveness, organizations have adopted different policies and global best practices to facilitate
the demonstration of coveted work behaviors regardless of the peculiarities of their contexts and
cultural orientations.
Traditionally, Africans are known for their sense of unity and value for kinship, brotherhood,
egalitarianism and cooperation. The African spirit may be described as one that exudes oneness,
strength, and doggedness but this has been watered down by the western culture through the process
of globalization. For instance, despite the collectivist nature of the Nigerian people, the Nigerian work
culture may be described as individualistic, mirrored after cultures like that of the United States and
characterized by self-seeking behaviors and attitudes in which each employee is primarily out to meet
his/her personal needs at all cost (Olowookere, 2015). This individualistic culture may be linked to the
apathetic nature of the Nigerian workers (Akinbode & Fagbohungbe, 2012) and their constant conflict
with the management. Many managers in Nigerian organizations consider employees as naturally lazy,
unambitious, motivated by pay, selfish and not disposed to taking responsibilities. Consequently, these
managers further create organizational inefficiencies throughtheir constant use of sanctions and
control as means to drive compliance in the workplace.
The Japanese also have a collectivist culture and the work culture is one that has been associated
with employees’ loyalty and commitment to organizational effectiveness.The Japanese culture
emphasizes family collectivism and interpersonal harmony which engenders voluntary demonstration
of positive work behaviors among employees. All organizations covet these behaviors but cannot
demand such from their employees. They can only cultivate these behaviors through
favorableorganizational culture and practices. Consequently, the current study explored managers’
perception of the work behaviors and attitudes of Nigerian workers, compared Japan, USA and Nigeria
on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions andproposeda model of African work culture.
Given this, the study intends to specifically: (i) ascertain managers’ perception about the need for

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force and sanctions in driving compliance among Nigerian workers; (ii) determine managers’
perception about the individualistic nature of Nigerian workers; (iii) determine managers’ perception
on pay, rewards and benefits as the primary motivators among Nigerian workers; (iv) explore managers’
opinion on the capacity, resourcefulness and potentials of the Nigerian workers; and compare Japan,
USA and Nigeria on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and propose a model of African work culture.
2. Literature Review
2.1 The concept of Culture
Many scholars have attempted a concise definition of the word “culture”.According to Hofstede (2011),
culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes a category of people from
another. Similarly, Weaver (2005) defined culture as the way of life of a group of people transmitted
through learning from one generation to the next. A crucial aspect missing from these definitions of
culture is its transmission across contexts and boundaries. Owing to globalization, cultural practices
and values are now being adopted across nations and continents of the world. In support, Bannon, Guy,
Al-Omari, Reed, Pooley and White (2003) noted that businesses no longer stay in a single culture, they
adapt and inculcate best practices across the globe into their corporate culture.
Corporate culture refers to established organization-wide beliefs, values, ideals and behavioral
patterns initiated and endorsed by the management of the specific organizations. Odogwu (2012)
asserted that corporate culture creates a given atmosphere of business operations and to a large extent
determines the relationship between employers, employees and customers. According to Hofstede
(1991), culture can be likened to an onion that has several layers. Each layer represents internalized
culture of the different groups to which individuals belong e.g. family, ethnic groups, religious groups
etc.In the work setting, the corporate culture overrides individual background characteristics,
orientations and affiliations (cultural, ethnic, religious or professional) with emphasis on person-
organization fit.
2.2 Hofstede’s cultural dimensions Theory
Hofstede's cultural dimension theoryis a widely accepted model for explaining national culture.
According to Hofstede (1991) there are six cultural dimensions on which nations are ranked. These
dimensions are as follows: Power Distance Index, Individualism versus Collectivism; Masculinity versus
Femininity; Uncertainty Avoidance; Long-Term Orientation versus Short-Term Orientation; and
Indulgence versus Restraint. In some studies, cultural orientations have been found to impact upon
organizational practices and outcomes (Oludayo & Omonijo, 2020). Studies have also shown that the
most outstanding organizations in years past are of American and Japanese origin, this explains the
reason for comparing the Nigerian cultural dimensions with those of America and Japan.
Power Distance refers to the extent to which some members of a group agree to the superiority
of the other members and the unequal distribution of power in that regard. This is the type of inequality
that is advocated by the ruled and not the ruler. It describes how well the leaders and followers of any
society support power inequality. Power distance is a reality across cultures but vary from one culture
to another. It may be high in some cultures and low in others. The gap between the ruled and the ruler
determines whether the power distance is high or low. When there is a wide gap, the power distance
is high and vice versa. The Nigerian culture may be described as a high power distance culture, one
that celebrates hierarchy and formalities between the superiors and the subordinates. In this culture,
employees usually are not a part of the target setting decisions. On the contrary, the Western cultures
are characterized by low power distance (Brewster et al., 2011, cited in Mbah & Kuye, 2019) where goal
setting involves participative decision making between the managers and their subordinates. Likewise,
Japan did not meet the criteria for high power distance, rather it may be considered moderate in its
power distance and also operates participative decision making.

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The Individualism versus Collectivism dimension refers to the degree of solidarity and
commitment that exist among members of a society. Cultures that are low on solidarity and
commitment to shared goals may be regarded as individualistic cultures while those high on these
qualities represent the collectivist cultures. Individualistic cultures are competitive while collectivist
cultures are communal in nature. The result from the world ranking on the Individualism versus
Collectivism dimension revealed a score of 91 for America, 30 for Nigeria and 46 for Japan,where the
mean score was 43 (Hofstede, 2001). The higher the score, the higher the individualism and the lower
the collectivism. Consequently,America was categorizedas one of the highly individualistic countries
while Nigeria and Japan as collectivist countries(Hofstede, 2001; Hofstede, 1991).In the American
context, employees’ compensation and benefits are performance driven while Nigeria and Japan use
uniform payment scheme.
The Masculinity versus Femininity dimension describessocieties’tendency to recommend and
support traditional males and female roles. Hofstede (2011) noted that males are stereotypically viewed
as aggressive and ambitious while the females are seen as compassionate and emotional. Nigeria is one
of the masculine (male dominated) societies, where females do not stand equal chance in attaining
leadership positions across sectors. In the world ranking on this dimension, Japan ranked highest with
a score of 95, followed by America with a score of 62 and lastly Nigeria with a score of 60. All three
countries have high masculine cultures with scores that exceeded the World average of 50.
The Uncertainty Avoidance shows the extent to which cultures accommodate or tolerate
ambiguity. The maintenance of strict rules, law and order in a society may serve as an indication of
high uncertainty avoidance index (Hofstede, 1991). Based on the world ranking, America ranked 43rd,
Nigeria 34
th
and Japan 7th position (Hofstede, 2001). By implication, Japan has very lowtolerance for
ambiguity and may have standardized procedures, rules and policies that governs the actions of its
citizens. On the contrary, America and Nigeria havehigh tolerance for ambiguity and may be quite
flexible with their procedures and policies (Hofstede, 2001). Furthermore, Hofstede’s
empiricalliterature, did not label Nigeria as either high or low on the uncertainty avoidance dimension,
which means thatthe position of Nigeria on this dimension is not clearly defined.
Indulgence versus Restraintdimension explains the level of control that cultures have on the
gratification of desires. Minimal control makes the culture indulgent, while strict control produces
restraint culture. Indulgent cultures are marked by fun, pleasures and happiness while the restraint
cultures are the opposite. Indulgent cultures encourage recreation, celebration and relaxation. On the
other hand, restraint cultures are too serious in their approach to work and life in general. Nigeria is
an example of an indulgent culture, the people are known for happiness, fun-seeking and optimism
even in the face of untold hardship. Comparing Nigeria, America and Japan on this dimension, Nigeria
scored highest, followed by America and then Japan.Like Japan, most countries in Asia and Eastern
Europe have restraint culture (Mbah & Kuye, 2019).
Lastly, the Long Term versus Short Term dimension is an indicator of where a culture’s interest
lies – in the present or in the future. Cultures with long term orientation are far-sighted and concerned
about the future while those with short term orientation live and plan for the here and now. The higher
the score on this dimension the more the long term orientation. Japan scored highest on this
dimension, followed by Nigeria and then America. By implication, Japan is a long-term oriented
country compared to Nigeriaand America. (Hofstede, 2001). This means that Japan plans ahead, which
explains its inventiveness and technological inclinations.
On the whole, Nigeria and America’s cultural inclinations are similar in the following areas: being
indulgent, having short term orientation, masculine inclination, and low uncertainty avoidance.
Nigerians, like Americans are fun-loving, free spirited people who emphasize gender differences, and
appear to deal with issues as they unfold. However, these two cultures are different on the grounds of
communalism and power distance. Nigerians are naturally their brothers’ keeper; they love to look
after one another and do things in common. Furthermore, they have high regard for hierarchy.
Americans on the other hand, are highly individualistic with little or no regard for hierarchy. Nigeria
and Japan are only similar in their communal lifestyle and their masculinity orientation. Like the

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Americans, Japanese are not so much into hierarchy. Across the three cultures, masculinity is the only
dimension that is shared by all.
These cultural orientations affect work values and behaviors and consequently organizational,
national and global outcomes. Although organizational policies and processes are reflections of
adopted cultural practices, there is a need to blend employees’ indigenous cultural orientation with
those of theirorganizations for maximum productivity and effectiveness.
2.3 McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
McGregor in the 1960s proposed Theory X as a description of the management style that emanated
from the scientific management theory proposed by Frederick Taylor in the 1800s. As a fallout of the
industrial revolution, the disorganized nature of the industries prompted Frederick Taylor to propose
the one best way to organize production for maximum profitability. In his view, employees are mainly
concerned with economic gains, and so employment contract should be centered strictly on “work for
pay”. Management’s interest is to enforce compliance with organizational rules and get maximum
output from employees for the pay they receive. This is usually achieved through the use of threat and
sanctions. The “carrot and stick” notion is a central feature of the scientific management theory.
Theory X explained that this management style is fueled by individualism and utilitarianism.
Managers perceived employees to be self-centered, indolent, unaspiring andapathetic. All the
employees care about is how to secure their own interest and personal gains even at the detriment of
the organization.In response to these perceptions, managersresorted to the use of force and economic
incentives to improve performance. On the part of the employees, they respond to this management
style with forced compliance;they merely meet specified work targets with no attempt at going the
extra mile to achieve organizational effectiveness (Wysocki & Kepner, 2000).
As a reaction to Theory X, McGregor (1960) proposed Theory Y as the ideal standpoint and
management perspective on employees. Employees are perceived as industrious, ambitious, self-
motivatedand resourceful. They are believed to enjoy work the same way they enjoy play. This Theory
suggests that employees will perform at their best when provided with the right conditions.
2.4 Ouchi’s Theory Z
Ouchi (1981) proposed Theory Zas his explanation for Japanese management style.The emphasis of this
Theory is partnership, loyalty and teamwork. The employees are treated as stakeholders; they see the
organization as a family of which they are members. The employees’ welfare is taken as top priority
and they in turn commit themselves to the organization. Ouchi (1981) compared American
organizations to Japanese organizations. He investigated the reasons Japanese organizations seemed
to thrive better than their American counterparts and found that the difference was due to adopted
management style and cultural practices.
Japanese employees see themselves as one with the organization; they are devoted to the
effectiveness of these organizations with the confidence that the organizations have their best interest
at heart. Japanese organizations trust their employees to perform their duties to the best of their
abilities and even beyond the call of duty without any form of surveillance. On the other hand,
American organizations based their management styles on their individualistic culture. They
encourage competition among employees and monitor compliance with organizational processes. The
implication of this is that these employees may be more interested in outshining one another at the
expense of shared organizational goals.
Owing to globalization, Nigerian organizations have adopted different management practices of
American origin. Although they have a collectivist culture at the national level, they seem to be
individualistic in their work or corporate culture. Nigeria is one nation that practices individualism in
collectivism. One may assume that Nigerians tilted towards American work practices because of the
other shared cultural dimensions such as being indulgent and focusing on the here and now.

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Yet all organizations, whether of Japanese, American or Nigerian origin desire to have employees
who will see themselves as stakeholders in the organization and work wholeheartedly towards the
achievement of shared goals. The question here is “Are Nigerian employees individualistic or
collectivist? What should the Nigerian work culture, by extension African work culture look like?
3. Method
The descriptive survey design and purposive sampling technique were used in data collection. A total
of 131 managers (74males and 57 females) from manufacturing organizations in Ota, Ogun State were
interviewed and made to indicate their opinions in response to statements on employees’ work
behaviors from the managers’ perspective. The structured interview comprised of 12 statements on
work attitudes and behaviors to which they agreed or disagreed and made remarks.
The statements were based on Theory X and Theory Y assumptions about employees, the number
of respondents that agree to each of the statements give credence to the statement. A statement is
accepted as true when majority of the respondents agree to it.
4. Results
Four research questions were raised and answered using frequency distribution and the results are
presented as follows: Research question one, “What is managers’ perception about the need for force
and sanctions in driving compliance among Nigerian workers?” was answered using five statements
measuring the need for sanctions and coercion in Nigerian organizations and the result of the
frequency distribution revealed that the overall perception of the managers is that organizations in
Nigeria need sanctions and coercion to enforce compliance with organizational rules and processes.
Research question two, “What is managers’ perception about the individualistic nature of
Nigerian workers?” was answered using two statements on the individualistic nature of the employees
and the result revealed that about half of the respondents agreed that Nigerian workers are self-
centered. Furthermore, Research question three, “What is managers’ perception on pay, rewards and
benefits as the primary motivators among Nigerian workers?” was answered from a statement on pay
as the primary motivator among Nigerian employees and the result showed that majority of the
respondents answered in the affirmative. Finally, Research question four, “What is managers’ opinion
on the capacity, resourcefulness and potentials of the Nigerian workers?” was answered using four
statements and the result showed that majority of the respondents believed in the resourcefulness of
Nigerian employees. The result is illustrated in Table 1.
Table 1: Frequency Distribution of Managers’ Perception of Work Behaviors among Nigerian Workers
Research Questions Items Agree Disagree Overall Perception
RQ1: What is managers’ perception
about the need for force and sanctions
in driving compliance among Nigerian
workers?
1. Nigerian workers need to be
coerced in order to get the best from
them
66.4% 32.8% Coercion and sanctions are
needed to drive compliance
with organizational rules and
policies
2. Punctuality and attendance must
be monitored in Nigerian
organizations
87.8% 12.2%
3. Sanctions are necessary to drive
compliance with organizational rules
77.9% 21.4%
4. There is no need for surveillance in
organizations because Nigerian
workers will naturally do the right
things
29% 71.%
5. Organizations do not need
attendance registers because Nigerian
workers love work and will always
attend
28.2% 71.8%

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Research Questions Items Agree Disagree Overall Perception
RQ2: What is managers’ perception
about the individualistic nature of
Nigerian workers?
6. An average Nigerian worker is lazy
and self-centered
50.3% 48.9% Half of the respondents agreed
that Nigerian workers are self-
centered
7. Nigerian workers are mainly
motivated by self- interest and
personal goals
52.7% 47.3%
RQ3: What is managers’ perception on
pay, rewards and benefits as the
primary motivators among Nigerian
workers?
8. Pay, rewards and benefits are the
main motivating factors for workers
in Nigeria
94.7% 5.3% Pay is the major motivator
RQ4: What is managers’ opinion on the
capacity, resourcefulness and potentials
of the Nigerian workers?
9. Given the right environment,
Nigerian workers will certainly work
at their best
89.3% 10.7% Resourceful and have capacity
for growth and commitment to
work
10. Nigerian workers enjoy
challenging tasks and opportunities
to explore their potentials
66.4% 33.6%
11. Nigerian workers are resourceful,
cooperative and diligent
77.1% 22.9%
12. Nigerian workers are capable of
participative decision-making and
mutual responsibility
82.3% 17.7%
5. Discussion
Although managers have described Nigerian employees as individualistic, they also see them as
resourceful and having capacity for growth. It was generally agreed that Nigerian employees would
perform at their best when presented with the right working conditions. Also, there was a consensus
on the need for force and surveillance in the effective management of Nigeria workers. The Nigerian
and American work cultures have some similarities; this is because Nigerians consider and adopt
American work processes as the standard for global best practices. Although Theory Y is gradually
gaining grounds in more ideal situations, Nigerian work culture supports Theory X as the most
appropriate management style for Nigerian employees. As far as Nigeria is concerned, Theory Z remains
an aspiration (Olowookere, 2015). Theory X was McGregor’s description of traditional American
management style; but the humanistic approach to management has given popularity to Theory Y in
the American work context.
The result of the current study also showed that managers unanimously agreed that Nigerian
employees are mainly motivated by pay. This may be as a result of the increased poverty in Nigeria. In
corroboration, the National Bureau of Statistics (2019) have estimated the poverty rate of Nigeria at
40.09%. Also, Maslow (1970) argued that employees’ needs serve as primary motivators until such
needs are satisfied. Consequently, the poverty level in Nigeria explains the reason employees are
primarily motivated by pay.
Furthermore, about half of the managers believed that Nigerian workers are self-centered and
only interested in self-preservation. From the results of the world ranking, America ranked highest in
individualism, 1
st
position, followed by Nigeria, 41
st
position and the least ranked was Japan, 23rd
position (Hofstede 2001, Hofstede, 1991). By implication, although Nigeria is traditionally collectivist
society, Nigerians do have traits of individualism that plays out especially in work settings, Nigerians
can be very competitive even in their communal lifestyle,a situation that may be described as
individualism in collectivism.
Work culture influences employees work behaviors and organizational outcomes (Smrita Sinha,
Singh, Gupta & Dutt, 2010). In the pursuit of global competitiveness, every organization requires
employees who will voluntarily engage in prosocial behaviors towards the achievement of
organizational success (Jahangir et al, 2004). Since these behaviors cannot be enforced, it is important
that organizations provide the appropriate working conditions that will stimulate such responses from
employees. Infusing American cultural practices into work cultures in Nigeria have not produced the
best of results, probably because adequate attention have not been given to the peculiarity of the

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Nigerian people. The combination of Theory X and Theory Y in the Nigerian work culture has at best
produced committed employees and in most cases average employees (who merely comply with
organizational standards). On the other hand, Japanese management style (Theory Z) may be
considered the most effective management style (Ouchi, 1981) which engenders employee loyalty and
as evinced by the successes of Japanese organizations compared to their American counterparts.
To this end, a model of Nigerian, and by extension, African work culture has been proposed to
cater to the peculiarities of the Nigerian people. This model of work culture will combine features of
Theory X, Theory Y and Theory Z as they relate to the Nigerian people. Japanese work culture cannot
be adopted hook, line and sinker because of major cultural differences between Nigeria and Japan.
Based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and world ranking, Nigeria and Japan are very different in
terms of indulgence and long term orientation. Nigerians are fun-loving and focus on the here and now
while Japanese are conservative and focus on the future.
Aspects of the Japanese work culture (Theory Z) that should be incorporated into the Nigerian
work culture include mutual benefits, mutual responsibilities, participative decision making and
emphasis on employee welfare. Also, aspects of Theory Y that need to be incorporated into the Nigerian
work culture is favorable working condition, awards and recognition of outstanding performances,
employee training and development among others.
Lastly, Theory X seems to be reputed as being harsh and inhumane but it does serve important
role in employee management in Nigeria. There are aspects of Theory X that must be retained in the
Nigerian work culture. These aspects include the use of sanctions, performance monitoring and
contingent reward for performance. Pay satisfaction is a crucial aspect of employee motivation in
Nigeria and must be taken seriously in management decisions and planning. Fig.1 illustrates the blend
of Theory X, Y and Z as a model of the Nigerian (African) work culture.
Fig. 1: A model of Nigerian (African) work culture

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A blend of Theory X, Theory Y and Theory Z management styles was proposed as crucial elements of
the African work culture which will engender employee loyalty and positive work behaviors. This was
based on the notion that Nigerian workers require some degree of coercion coupled with favourable
work content and context for the most productive work performance.
6. Conclusion and Recommendation
Globalization has made it possible for nations of the world to imbibe aspects of foreign cultures that
best suit their purposes. However, the quest for economic sustainability and global relevance has
created opportunities for acculturation at the expense of traditional national cultures (Asikaogu, 2019).
Work cultures have also been affected, with serious consequences for employees’ behaviors and
organizational outcomes.
An important aspect of work culture is its motivational element, the ability to attract and retain
happy employees who will voluntarily go above and beyond the call of duty in the pursuit of
organisational success. The effectiveness of work cultures lie in their ability to adequately cater to the
needs of their employees. Although Theory Z appears to produce the most effective management style,
Nigerian managers cannot adopt the full Japanese work culture because of cultural differences between
Japan and Nigeria. Likewise, Nigeria, though similar to America in some aspects of its culture, it cannot
completely adopt the American work culture because of certain peculiarities. It is therefore imperative
to understand the uniqueness of the workforce before adopting aspects of foreign cultures.
The nature of the Nigerian employees is such that requires a blend of Theory X, Theory Y and
Theory Z. At different levels, aspects of these Theories will be required to drive compliance and foster
commitment. In conclusion, the proposed African work culture has aspects of Japanese and American
work cultures integrated into the traditional African (Nigerian) culture.
Although this study provides empirical evidence on managers’ assumptions about the Nigerian
workforce, it has limited scope because it only sampled managers in Ota, Ogun State. There is a need
to extend this study to other states of Nigeria and across sectors of the economy.
7. Acknowledgements
The Covenant University Centre for Research, Innovation and Discovery (CUCRID) provided the
financial assistance needed to complete this study.
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