MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION IN INDIGENOUS BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS (A SURVEY OF SELECTED COMPANIES IN ENUGU STATE)

ABSTRACT

This research work is focused on manpower development and utilization in indigenous business organizations using four firms as a case study. It has been observed that a major problem confronting organizations in this present dispensation is the fact that productivity of workers is low.  In order to improve on the productivity of workers and their efficiency, they need to be properly trained and utilized for the purpose which they serve.    Therefore calls for proper development training and full utilization of employees for this objectives is likely to be achieved as nothing can be demoralized to a worker as when he believes that he has been unduly rated below expectation and can not serve. In order to address this problem squarely, research questions were formulated and hypothesis drawn from various researcher instruments. Questionnaires were used in the process and was administered to all the workers (sample size) Similarly, documentary sources were also used on the data collection process.  The data collected was analyzed with the aid of the research questions and hypothesis which gives rise to certain findings, conclusion was drawn and recommendations were made based on the informating gathered and data analyzed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1.0        Introduction                                                               

1.1    Background of the study                                              

1.2        Statement of the problem                                    

1.3        Purpose of the Study                                          

1.4        Research Questions                                                    

1.5        Research Hypothesis                                           

1.6        Significance of the Study                                     

1.7        Scope of the Study                                                     

1.8        Limitation of the Study                                                

1.9        Definition of Terms                                                     

References                                                        

CHAPTER TWO

2.0        Review of Related Literature                                

2.1    Concept of Manpower Development                              

2.2        Problems of Manpower Development                     

2.3        Aims of Manpower Development                           

2.4        Manpower Development Programmes                    

2.5        Performance Appraisal                                        

2.6        Concept of Manpower Utilization                           

2.7        Problems of Manpower Utilization                          

Reference                                                                 

CHAPTER THREE        

3.0        Research Design and Methodology                        

3.1    Research Design                                                 

3.2        Area of the Study                                                       

3.3        Population of the Study                                               

3.4        Sample and Sampling Technique                           

3.5        Instrument for Data Collection                                      

3.6        Validity of Instrument                                          

3.7        Reliability of Instrument                                               

3.8        Method of Data Collection                                    

References                                                                

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0        Presentation and Analysis of Data                         

4.1    Data Analysis                                                             

4.2        Testing of Hypothesis                                          

4.3        Summary of Results                                                    

Reference                                                                 

CHAPTER FIVE                     

5.0        Discussion of Results / Findings                             

5.1    Discussion of Results and Findings                         

5.2        Conclusion                                                         

5.3        Recommendations                                                      

Bibliography                                                              

Appendices                                                                

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study

Nigeria like most other developing countries has had her fair share of the problems of development.  One of the areas in which problem have been posed comes as the main focus of this work.  ‘The manpower sector’ Simply defined manpower as the basic resource of any productive process.  It combines all other factors of production to produce goods and services which are beneficial to mankind.

Nwachukwu (1982 : 14) recounted Kuznet’s assertion that “The major capital stock of any industrially advanced nation is not its physical equipment rather, it is the body of knowledge collected from tested findings discoveries, empirical science and the capacity and training of its population to use its knowledge”.

Ojo et al (1986 : 41) also stated the words of the late American president John F. kennedy in his first manpower report as follows: “Manpower is the basic resource.  It is the indispensable means of converting other resources to mankind’s uses and benefit.  How well we develop and employ human skills is fundamental in deciding how much we achieve as a nation.  The manpower in which we do so moreover with profoundly determine the kind of nation will become”.

The inability of any third world country to achieve full industrialization can be attributed to problems of manpower development and utilization.  The process of developing and utilizing manpower in Nigeria has been surrounded by numerous difficulties which makes it almost impossible for industries to perform satisfactory.

The area of manpower utilization being the proper use of workforce has also been posed with crucial problems.  These problems can also be looked at as manpower development problems as manpower utilization is an integral part of manpower development.

A one-time secretary general of the United Nations Mr. U. Thant in his report the third (3^rd) session of UNESCO in 1967 listed some problem areas thus:

i.             Matching existing skills with effective demand for skills

ii.            Use of skills required

iii.          Popular participation in development

iv.          Increased involvement in the economy by certain potentially productive groups in the population.

v.           Loss of skilled persons through temporary or permanent emigration.

Occurrence of the above listed problems are very minimal in more advanced countries unlike in third world countries where here exist high levels of unemployment, loss of skilled personnel through emigration and so many other problems arising from the ineffective development and utilization of manpower.

All these problem constitute part of the barriers between third world countries and industrialization.  Coming down to the organizational level, the problems are largely similar but only differ in scope.  Organizational problems are a lot narrower in scope than national problems.

However, in indigenous organizations, manpower is an important factor that enables the organization grows which make sit more necessary to develop and utilize manpower. 

In other words manpower development and utilization plays an important role in the growth of indigenous organizations. In the course of this study, we shall try to investigate the causes of problems in a number of selected indigenous firms.  Solutions and recommendation will be given s to how best the alleviate these problems based on the findings.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

From the foregoing, it can be said that growth and productivity of any organization is largely dependent on human performance.  However due to the dynamic nature of our society, new technologies came up everyday and old ones become obsolete.  This is particularly true of indigenous Nigerian organizations who have to keep up with every day changes in technology.

These organizations are faced with a problem in effectively developing manpower to keep up with the continually rising pace of development.  Also encompassed here is the problem of using already available skilled and semi-skilled manpower to achieve optimal result. 

All these the workers’ strive for self and career development and thus the productivity of the organizations.  Since countries become more advanced economically and technologically, they become more vulnerable to under motivated workers and managers social values are shifted away from work as the most important thing in town towards a balanced view of self development, family development and career development.

In a nutshell, the inability of organizations to effectively develop and utilize the human resources available to them has reduced to a great extent, its ability to adhere its objectives.  This is the problem that this research sets out to tackle.

1.3       Purpose of the Study

This study is being carried out to achieve a number of objectives of which are:

i.             To identify the factors that hinders the effective development and utilization of manpower.

ii.            To examine the extent to which these factor affect the performance of workers in indigenous organizations

iii.          To determine if workers are sent for training and development in line with new technology.

iv.          To ascertain the level of workers sent on training and development

v.           To find out whether they are fully utilized after the training course.

1.4    Research Questions

In pursuit of the research purpose of this study, the following questions have been formulated.

i.             Is there any relationship between manpower development / utilization and organizational performance?

ii.            Of what importance is manpower in the production process?

iii.          To what extent is its importance appreciated by the entrepreneur?

iv.          To what extent is effective manpower development and utilization likely to enhance productivity of organizations?

v.           Are workers sent for internal and external training and development courses?

vi.          Are they properly utilized after training?

1.5    Research Hypothesis

The significance of this study is one that is of great importance and will be of benefit to the following groups:

For the purpose of this research, the following hypotheses have been designed for analysis.

H₀:    The skill and knowledge of workers can be increased through training, development and promotion.

H₁:    The skill and knowledge of workers cannot be increased through training, development and promotion.

H₀:    The moral of workers are increased through training and development.

H_i:     The moral of workers are not increased through training and development.

H₀:    The increased of managerial turnover in organization can be minimized by giving more training to the managerial staff.

H₀:    The increased of managerial turnover in organization cannot be minimized by giving more training to the managerial staff.

1.6    Significance of the Study

The study will help all the companies especially Cadbury Nigeria plc to find out if their training development and promotion enhance productivity leads to a reduction in a managerial turnover and to show if it will serve as a means of booster to the employee.

1.7  Scope of the Study

This study deals with the problems facing indigenous organizations in the aspect of manpower; its development and utilization.  The study covers indigenous business firms only in Enugu State.

There is no doubt that the restriction will affect the generalization of the findings of this study but it is hoped that the sample size is wide enough to draw conclusions.

1.8       Definition of Terms

For improved understanding of this work, it is necessary to define some key words used in this study

a.     Manpower Craftsmen or other skills which are  employed in creating, designing and operating productive and service organizations or other economic institutions.

b.     Development:   The gradual growth of something so  that it becomes more advanced and enhanced

c.      Utilization The extent to which the capacities and skills are being used effectively.

d.     Indigenous Organizations These are organizations whose ownership and control rests fully on the natives of the country in which it operates.

e.     Emigration: The situation where people leave their country to live permanently in another country.