Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Emotional Intelligence of Managers has emerged as a critical factor shaping employee engagement across organizations operating in and around Gombe State. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how emotional intelligence of managers relates to employee engagement has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Gombe State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While emotional intelligence of managers is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on employee engagement within Gombe State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to emotional intelligence of managers are helping or hindering employee engagement — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Emotional Intelligence of Managers on employee engagement in Gombe State.
2. To assess the extent to which emotional intelligence of managers influences employee engagement within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with emotional intelligence of managers in relation to employee engagement.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing emotional intelligence of managers in order to improve employee engagement.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of emotional intelligence of managers on employee engagement in Gombe State?
2. To what extent does emotional intelligence of managers influence employee engagement within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with emotional intelligence of managers in relation to employee engagement?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize emotional intelligence of managers in order to improve employee engagement?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around employee engagement. For managers and practitioners within Gombe State, the study provides practical insight into how emotional intelligence of managers can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on business administration by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Gombe State, focusing specifically on how emotional intelligence of managers relates to employee engagement within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.