QUALITY TIME MANAGEMENT AND DECISION-MAKING SUCCESS IN GOVERNMENT-OWNED TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN RIVERS AND BAYELSA STATES, NIGERIA

This study investigated the relationship between Quality Time Management and Decision-Making Success in government-owned tertiary institutions in Rivers and Bayelsa States, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined how Time Planning and Task Prioritization (as dimensions of Quality Time Management) relate to Timeliness and Quality of Decisions (as measures of Decision-Making Success). A correlational survey research design was adopted, and a sample of 302 administrative and academic staff was drawn from five institutions using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire titled “Time Management and Decision-Making Assessment Questionnaire (TMDMAQ)” and analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that Time Planning significantly influenced both Timeliness and Quality of Decisions, while Task Prioritization also showed strong positive relationships with the two measures of decision-making success. The results suggest that effective time management enhances both the speed and the substance of institutional decisions. The study concludes that strengthening time planning structures and prioritization practices can significantly improve administrative effectiveness in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Recommendations include institutionalizing structured time planning systems and organizing time management training for staff involved in key decision-making roles.