An Analysis of the Relationship between Socioeconomic Factors and Leadership Styles in Selected Counties of the Alabama Black Belt

Abstract

Socioeconomic factors are important to leadership styles and may have an influence on leadership styles. The study assessed the relationship between socioeconomic factors and leadership styles in selected counties of the Alabama Black Belt. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 38 locally elected officials, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that there were more male, Black, “older”, educated, moderate- to moderately high-income household, and low- to medium-tenured elected officials than otherwise. The most dominant leadership style was participating; followed by telling and selling. Gender and age had enhancing effects (i.e., positive relative impacts) on the participating leadership style; race had enhancing effects on the selling, delegating, and democratic leadership styles; education had enhancing effects on the selling, participating, and delegating leadership styles; household income had enhancing effects on all the leadership styles, and tenure had an enhancing effect on the autocratic leadership style. This suggests that the officials are more prone to use the said leadership styles vis-à-vis the particular socioeconomic factors.

Keywords: Leadership styles, Leadership, Socioeconomic factors, Black Belt