Thesis Abstract

Thesis Overview

<p> <b></b></p><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <b>INTRODUCTION</b></b></p><p><b><b></b></b></p><b><b><p>In<br>the last couple of years, organizations especially in Africa have been hit with<br>the undisputable fact that the creation of competitive advantage lies in<br>people. Organizations have increasingly recognized the potential for their<br>people to be a source of competitive advantage. Not too long ago, so called HR<br>functions was the preserve of “Personnel Managers” whose duties were to recruit and<br>select, appraise, promote and demote. These superficial duties could be<br>performed by any manager, it therefore never seemed necessary to employ an<br>expert in the form of a human resource manager let alone create a whole<br>department dedicated to HRM. Little attention was paid to human resource<br>management issues and its impact on organisational performance. The emphasis on<br>traditions and socio-cultural issues injected an element of subjectivity in<br>„personnel manager‟<br>functions such as recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, promotion,<br>demotion, and compensation. In today’s competitive and rapidly changing<br>business world, organisations especially in the service industry need to ensure<br>maximum utilisation of their resources to their own advantage; a necessity for<br>organisational survival. Studies have shown that organisations can create and<br>sustain competitive position through management of non-substitutable, rare,<br>valuable, and inimitable internal resources (Barney, 1991). HRM has transcended<br>from policies that gather dust to practices that produce results. Human<br>resource management practices has the ability to create organisations that are<br>more intelligent, flexible and competent than their rivals through the<br>application of policies and practices that concentrate on recruiting,<br>selecting, training skilled employees and directing theirbest efforts to<br>cooperate within the resource bundle of the organisation. This can potentially<br>consolidate organisation performance and create competitive advantage as a<br>result of the historical sensitivity of human resources and the social complex<br>of policies and practices that rivals may not be able to imitate or replicate<br>their diversity and depth. Lately, organisations are focused on achieving<br>superior performance through the best use of talented human resources as a<br>strategic asset. HRM policies or strategies must now be aligned to business<br>strategies for organisational success. No matter the amount of technology and<br>mechanisation developed, human resource remains the singular most important<br>resource of any success-oriented organisation. After all, successful businesses<br>are built on the strengths of exceptional people. HRM has now gained<br>significance academically and business wise and can therefore not be relegated<br>to the background or left in the hands of non-experts. Attention must be paid<br>to the human resources organisations spent considerable time and resources to<br>select. Armstrong (2009) defines Human Resource Management (HRM) as a strategic<br>and coherent approach to the management of an organisation‟s most valued assets;<br>that is, the people working there who individually and collectively contribute<br>to the achievement of its objectives. Moreover, Human resource management<br>practices can be defined as a set of organisational activities that aims at<br>managing a pool of human capital and ensuring that this capital is employed<br>towards the achievement of organisational objectives (Wright and Boswell,<br>2002). The adoption of certain bundles of human resource management practices<br>has the ability to positively influence organisation performance by creating<br>powerful connections or to detract from performance when certain combinations<br>of practices are inadvertently placed in the mix (Wagar and Rondeau, 2006). So<br>if we think human resource management as just the services any manager may<br>provide in recruiting and selecting, appraising, training and compensating<br>employees, then we rather would have to take the backseat for those who<br>understand the influence HRM has on corporate performance to take the centre<br>stage. Research has recorded a positive relationship between human resource<br>management practices and corporate performance. Thus in order to stimulate<br>corporate performance, management is required to develop skilled and talented<br>employees who are capable of performing their jobs successfully (Klein, 2004).<br>Achieving better corporate performance requires successful, effective and<br>efficient exploit of organisation resources and competencies in order to create<br>and sustain competitive position locally and globally. HRM policies on<br>selection, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation,<br>promotion, incentives, work design, participation, involvement, communication,<br>employment security, etc must be formulated and implemented by HRM specialist<br>with the help of line managers to achieve the following outcomes: competence,<br>cooperation with management, cooperation among employees, motivation,<br>commitment, satisfaction, retention, presence, etc In fact, Ahmad and Schroeder<br>(2003) found a positive influence of human resource management practices<br>(information sharing, extensive training, selective hiring, compensation and<br>incentives, status differences, employment security, and decentralization and<br>use of teams) on organisational performance as operational performance<br>(quality, cost reduction, flexibility, deliverability and commitment). In<br>furtherance of this assertion, Sang (2005) also found a positive influence of<br>human resource management practices (namely, human resource planning, staffing,<br>incentives, appraisal, training, team work, employee participation, status<br>difference, employment security) on organisation performance. The study wishes<br>to study the effect of human resource on the performance of government<br>establishments using the ministry of finance Enugu as the case study.</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; The scope of this research project was to<br>identify the effect of human resources on the performance of government<br>establishments. What are existing problems? As the case therefore, some of the<br>problems to be observed in the establishments such as;</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Poor performance</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Poor Management</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Lack of adequate remuneration</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Lack of training/motivation</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Miss appropriation and diversion of<br>fund.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Lack of proper perception of the<br>government vision and mission by the administrators., rigid government policy</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>None employment of professionals</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Too much to do and little time to do<br>it.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Findings the human resources strength<br>of the government establishment in Enugu<br>state, with particular reference to the ministry of finance and Economic<br>planning, Enugu.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Finding some causes and the effect of<br>inadequate human resources in the ministry.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Finding out how and who are supposed<br>to build up the human resources of the government establishment.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; OBJECTIVE OF THE SUTDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Smith and Brown were of the opinion<br>that goal setting as at the heart of the performance appraisal process of<br>organization gives meaning and relevance to appraisal and development<br>activities. The objectives of this research will be as follows:</p><p>a. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>Letting government to know that the<br>human resources performance in Enugu State is very important. Therefore when<br>the government Department concerned got informed, the objective of this study<br>will be achieved.</p><p>b. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>To examine the effect of human<br>resource on employees’ productivity</p><p>c. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Finally, to identify how to tackle the<br>poor management lack of training and who is supposed to build up the government<br>human resources inadequate. Government as referred above is everybody.<br>Therefore, effort needs to be made to identify. The segment of government that<br>is vested with the task.</p><p>The<br>effect of identifying how and who will advise government on some of the causes<br>and effects of poor human resources management on the performance of government<br>establishments. This was because it is only when the causes of a particular<br>problem are identified that some remedial solutions should be embarking on:</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Motivating the human resources<br>department.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Workers should enjoy remuneration<br>employment of qualified staff.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Promotion should be done when due<br>constant training and development of Civil Servant while in Service in other to<br>Corp with their job.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Establishing of an assessment centres.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Government should pass good<br>legislature favouring the employees. In other to have better form of mind to<br>enhance productivity as well as efficiency.</p><p>Finally<br>if all these been looked into it will improve the inadequate human resources<br>performance in government establishments because objective is not only to<br>identify problems, but it is aimed at finding solutions to them.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; According to this research work, it will be<br>of benefit to the government establishments in the following ways:</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The significance of the effect of<br>human resources on the performance of government establishment.</p><p>&nbsp;It will cover the followings:</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>The findings of the study stand as a<br>source of ready information from the establishment.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Recommendation would be a source of<br>information to various organizations on their effort to improve on their human<br>resources performance.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To rebrand human resources in other to<br>enhance their attitudinal change in exercising their duties in government<br>establishments. The cause of this unemployment in Nigeria includes<br>mismanagement of human resources.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>However, some authors were of opinion<br>that the reasons for poor performance in Government establishments were because<br>poor and unskilled human resource management.</p><p>The<br>study will also aim at getting the federal government of Nigeria to look into<br>the following:</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Lack of motivation</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Low salary</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>No housing scheme and scholarship<br>award. For civil servant children.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Rigid government policy on civil<br>servant.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Minimizing the suffering of the employees<br>already in service, the result will be that the duties formerly undertaken by<br>only one employee will then be shared among other employees to reduce<br>cumbersome work load.</p><p>Finally,<br>is getting government useful information and guide in the area of utilizing its<br>human resources in the best possible ways. Leonard R. Sayless and George<br>Syrauss said that management must provide orderly pathways down ward as well as<br>upward and seek to minimize the personnel and organizational disruption<br>associated with cut back in employment. That is, disruption in any<br>organizational activity will be completely eliminated when government starts<br>managing her human resources which include: planning, organizing, staffing,<br>coordinating, directing, reporting and budgeting for her human resources.</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; RESEARCH QUESTIONS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>1. What<br>is the effect of human resource performance on the employees’ productivity?</p><p>2. What<br>area in which the performance of human resource have effect?</p><p>3. What<br>level is this poor performance of human resource existing?</p><p>4. What<br>are the major causes of the poor performance of human resource in government<br>establishments?</p><p><b>1.6 &nbsp; SCOPE OF THE STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>scope is to look into the effect of inadequate human resources in respect of<br>the performance of government establishment in Enugu.</p><p>The<br>sources of human resources as well as causes effect and solution to inadequate<br>human resources and on the performance of government establishment and also to<br>give recommendation and suggest remedies to the poor performance of Enugu state<br>government with particular reference to ministry of finance. </p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.7</b>&nbsp; &nbsp; <b>LIMITATION<br>OF THE STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>research is focused on the effect of inadequate resources on the performance of<br>government establishments (Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Enugu).<br>Due to certain problems that emanated from experience encountered insufficient<br>data, high cost of transportation, difficulties in getting exeat permit from<br>the school authority.</p><p>a. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <b>Lack of Information:</b>&nbsp;success of research depends on the availability<br>of information or data. In this research because of the bureaucracy in the<br>government establishments, their officials at times refuse to release certain<br>information this contributed in limiting the scope of the research work.</p><p>b. &nbsp; &nbsp; <b>Finance:</b>&nbsp; &nbsp; Covering the whole 5 departments of the ministry would have given<br>more understanding of the topic. But due to lack of finance it was limited to<br>(2) two departments the personnel and statistics Departments.</p><p>c. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Time<br>also stood as constraints to the researcher in traveling to other ministries<br>but it was limited to only to departments in Enugu state.</p><p><b>1.7</b>&nbsp; &nbsp; <b>DEFINATION<br>OF TERMS:</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Floppo<br>(1986:10) defined human resources as the planning organizing directing and<br>controlling of the procurement development compensation, integration and<br>maintenance of people for the purpose of contributing to the organizational<br>goals.</p><p>The<br>word effectiveness, efficiency is the means that some one or something being in<br>a state well without waste it is the ability to apply the best methods and<br>principles in the doing of a thing or reaching a decision it is the ability to<br>follow the best and shortest route to a destination. </p><p>Efficiency<br>can be defined as fitness or power to accomplish or success in accomplishing<br>the purpose intended by oxford dictionary.</p><p>Effectiveness:</p><p>According<br>to the same dictionary effectiveness is the ability or power to have noticeable<br>or desired effect. Maurice Odo defined it as a effect of the means employed.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; R.B.N. Owele in a class lecture “says<br>that effectiveness relate to production output which are intended to yield<br>desired output from these definition the researcher regards effectiveness as<br>the extends to which achievement has been made of set objectives</p><p>Effective:</p><p>The<br>oxford advanced learner dictionary says that to be effective means to have a<br>noticeable or desired effect it means to produce desired result.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dr. Maurice Odo says that efficiency<br>is the means to end. He wants further to say that specific issue with the<br>intention of achieving the set down goals.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Manpower can be defined as the number<br>of workers needed or available to do or perform a particular job at any period<br>of time.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Productivity:</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>This<br>the amount of production in relation to the labour employed it is the quantity<br>of output resulting from a given level of resource input.</p><p><b>Motivation:</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Motivation<br>has been defined as the inner drive that causes one to act or person inner<br>state that energies sustain and direct behavior to satisfy a person’s needs<br>(Milkovich and Glueck 1995)</p><p>According<br>to Donald (1992), motivation is the act of stimulating someone to action by<br>creating state environment in which their motivation can be unleashed and<br>through providing a reason or incentive for people to produce more therefore<br>employee motivation can cause one to abandon one’s goal for the goal of an<br>organization motivation is the key factor that gingers or energies an<br>individual or group of individuals towards the achievement of any pre-stage<br>goals.</p><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>&nbsp;</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Training:</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>To<br>train as according to Oxford<br>advanced learner dictionary is to give teaching and practice in order to bring<br>to a desired stand and behavior efficiency or physical condition, training<br>therefore is the act of teaching in the industrial or business concept. It is<br>the act of level of the expectations of their employer. </p><p>The<br>sources of human resources in government establishments and as well as problem<br>associated to inadequate human resources and to give some recommendation and<br>suggest solution to the performance of Enugu<br>state government with a particular reference to the ministry of finance.</p><p><b>REFERENCES</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Onah,<br>F.O. (2003). Human Resource Management Enugu.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fuhhadu Publishing Company.</p><p>Obikeze,<br>S., &amp; Obi, E. (2003) Public Administration in Nigeria, A</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Developmental Approach Onisha Book<br>Point Ltd.</p><p>Obikeze,<br>O. &amp;Abonyi, (2005) Personnel Management Concept,</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Practice &amp; Application Onitsha<br>Book Point Ltd.</p><p>Oxford<br>Advance Dictionary.</p><p>Maurice<br>Odo “Efficiency” (ESUT classroom lecture note).</p><p>Oxford<br>Advance Learners Dictionary.</p></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b> <br><p></p>