Organizational Culture of Discipline and Efficiency Narrative in the Nigerian Public Sector: Revisiting Mcgregor Theory X and Y

Abstract

Efficiency in the delivery of public goods and services has remained a recurring decimal in the Nigerian public service discourse. Preponderance of ineptitude, laziness, lack of productivity and corruption in the service have among other problems been identified in the literature as the bane of organizational culture of discipline in the public service despite the myriad of the reforms in the sector. This paper therefore focuses on the issues by revisiting the McGregor theories X and Y as the basis for understanding the culture of discipline that should change the efficiency narrative. The work generates qualitative data from the literature explored. Desk analysis of the data was done. It concludes, among other things, that Western scholars’ postulation of preference of theory Y as being capable of bringing about efficiency in organizations failed to consider the negatives that inhibit public sector efficiency which theory X has capabilities of addressing especially in transition economies and less advanced democracies like Nigeria. It equally recommended, among others, strict adherence to discipline and deterrence in order to curtail the excesses of deviants as espoused by theory X while initiatives and positive self-direction of the productive ones should be encouraged maximally in tandem with the dictates of theory Y.