Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Emotional Intelligence of Managers has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with organizational commitment. This growing interest reflects the recognition that emotional intelligence of managers does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria.

Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria 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

Despite a growing body of literature on emotional intelligence of managers, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with organizational commitment, particularly within Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about emotional intelligence of managers without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect organizational commitment. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Emotional Intelligence of Managers on organizational commitment in Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which emotional intelligence of managers influences organizational commitment within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with emotional intelligence of managers in relation to organizational commitment.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing emotional intelligence of managers in order to improve organizational commitment.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of emotional intelligence of managers on organizational commitment in Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does emotional intelligence of managers influence organizational commitment within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with emotional intelligence of managers in relation to organizational commitment?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize emotional intelligence of managers in order to improve organizational commitment?

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 organizational commitment. For managers and practitioners within Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria, 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

The study is limited to an examination of Emotional Intelligence of Managers and its relationship with organizational commitment within the context of Selected Local Government Areas in Nigeria. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.