Abstract
Management styles in the public and private sector of the South African economy. A questionnaire, consisting of various biographical items and a number of measuring instruments was used to determine whether a difference in management style between organizations in the public and private sector exists. A marked resemblance between the biographical profiles of managers in the public and private sectors was found. No statistically significant difference was found in people orientation in the two sectors. Managers in the private sector however, were inclined to be more authoritarian. To the degree that this phenomenon manifests itself in managerial style, a difference in the management styles of managers in the public and private sectors does exist.