Management Practices and Institutional Performance in Tertiary Institutions in Enugu State, Nigeria: The Mediating Role of Workplace Inclusion

This study examined the relationship between management practices and institutional performance in selected tertiary institutions in Enugu State, Nigeria, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of workplace inclusion. The study was anchored on Social Identity Theory and the Resource-Based View to explain how inclusive managerial practices enhance organisational outcomes. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. Data were collected from 312 academic and non-academic staff using a structured questionnaire. The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency reliability (α = 0.87–0.91). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, simple and multiple regression analyses, and mediation analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that management practices significantly predicted workplace inclusion (β = 0.734, p < 0.05) and institutional performance (β = 0.655, p < 0.05). Workplace inclusion also significantly predicted institutional performance (β = 0.694, p < 0.05). Mediation analysis showed that workplace inclusion partially mediated the relationship between management practices and institutional performance, as the direct effect of management practices on performance reduced from β = 0.655 to β = 0.243 after inclusion of the mediator. The Sobel test confirmed that the indirect effect was statistically significant (Z = 9.76, p < 0.05). The study concludes that workplace inclusion functions as a strategic organisational mechanism through which management practices translate into improved institutional performance. It recommends that tertiary institution leaders institutionalise inclusive policies, participatory decision-making structures, and equitable reward systems to enhance employee engagement and institutional effectiveness.