Strategies for effective application of participative leadership style to corporate social responsibility infrastructure delivery in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

The survey assessed the strategies that could effectively improve the application of the participative leadership model in CSR infrastructure delivery in the Niger Delta with a quantitative research design approach. Through multi-stage sampling, a total of 125 participants comprising CSR officers, project managers, site supervisors and community liaison representatives, invited from the core Niger Delta states, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa, responded to structured, cross-sectional questionnaires as a survey instrument. Data were descriptively analysed using frequency and percentage, while inferential statistics used the Kruskal-Wallis H test. The survey findings indicate 'Relevant training on adoption and implementation of a participative approach', 'Establishment of an organised community project office and non-permanent advisory committees', and 'Allocation of resources for participative engagement and commitment' as key strategies to enhancing the effective application of a participative approach to CSR infrastructure delivery. These strategic variables for fulfilling corporate responsibility are also a panacea for the effective application of the participative model. The study concludes that entrenching these variables would curb the current fragmented application of the model. Additionally, it would strengthen participative engagement and move CSR delivery from mere passive consultation to active partnership for sustainable regional progress and stability, fostering mutual trust and improving corporate-community relationships.