MANAGING THE HUMAN RESOURCES OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN A DEPRESSED ECONOMY

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research work is to highlight on managing the human resources of   business organisations in a depressed economy. Today’s business environment is in the state of flux, where competition is the name of the game. Organizations that fail to change may be forced to change from existence to non-existence, hence survival is the panacea. To survive, companies must explore all available avenues that can bring about competitive advantage. To develop a competitive advantage, it is important that firms truly leverage on the workforce as a competitive weapon. Specifically, the study aimed to pursue the following objectives: to establish the relationship between Human capital management and organizational performance, to determine the effect of training and development on organizational performance, to examine the role of environmental factors on organizational productivity, to ascertain whether effective recruitment and selection boost human resource management. The study had a population size of 1,210, out of which a sample size of 303 was realised using Taro Yamene formula at 5% error to tolerance and 95 % level of confidence. Instrument used for data collection was primarily questionnaire and interview. The total numbers of 303 copies of the questionnaire were distributed while 283 copies were returned. The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. Four hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s moment correlation coefficient, chi-square (x2) and Z- test statistical tools. The findings indicate that there was significant relationship between human capital management and organisational performance. Training and development positively affects organisational performance. Environmental factors significantly affect organisational productivity; Effective recruitment and selection significantly boost human resource management of an organisation. The study concluded that theoretical and technological advance in human capital management has allowed manufacturing organizations to move beyond managing personnel by head count and billet, the managing their workforces. The study recommends that Organizations should take training and development programmes serious because that determines how effective and efficiently organizations are been run.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page                                                        –           –           –           –           i          

Approval Page                                –           –           –           –           ii         

Certification                                                    –           –           –           –           iii        

Dedication                                                      –           –           –           –           iv        

Acknowledgements                                        –           –           –           –           v         

Abstract                                                          –           –           –           –           vi        

Table of Contents                                           –           –           –           –           vii       

List of Tables                                                  –           –           –           –           x

List of Figures                                                 –           –           –           –           ix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study                   –           –           –           –           1         

1.2       Statement of Problem                         –           –           –           –           3

1.3       Objectives of the Study                      –           –           –           –           3

1.4       Research Questions                             –           –           –           –           4

1.5       Research Hypotheses                          –           –           –           –           4

1.6       Significance of the Study                   –           –           –           –           4

1.7       Scope of the Study                             –           –           –           –           5

1.8       Limitations of the Study                     –           –           –           –           5

1.9       Definition of Terms                            –           –           –           –           6

References

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1       Introduction                                        –           –           –           –           9

2.2      Definitions of Human Resources Management           –           –           9

2.3      Objectives and uses of Human Resource Planning in  Nigeria

Organisations                                        –           –           –           –           11

2.4      The Factors that Influence the Resource Needs of an Organisation

Human                                                            –           –           –           –           12

2.5       Two Models of Human Resource Management         –           –           14

2.6       Strategic  Human Resource Management       –           –           –           17

2.7       Human Resource Management Process          –           –           –           18

2.7.1    Recruitment and Selection                  –           –           –           –           19

2.7.2    Employment Relationship                   –           –           –           –           20

2.7.3    Rewards and Performance Management        –           –           –           21

2.7.4    Training as Part of Human Resources Management   –           –           22

2.7.4.1 Models of Training                             –           –           –           –           23

2.7.4.2 Methods of Training                           –           –           –           –           27

2.7.4.3 Training Evaluation                             –           –           –           –           29

2.8       Issues Influencing Human Resource Management     –           –           30

2.8.1    Talent Management                            –           –           –           –           30

2.8.2    Managing Diversity                            –           –           –           –           31

2.8.3    Leadership Development                    –           –           –           –           32

2.8.4    Management of Change                      –           –           –           –           33

2.8.5    Compensation and Rewards               –           –           –           –           34

2.8.6    Management Information System      –           –           –           –           35

2.8.7    Measurement of Hr Effectiveness      –           –           –           –           35

2.8.8    Ethical Issues                                      –           –           –           –           35

2.9       Effective Management of Human Resources of Business

Organisation Ina Depressed Economy           –           –           –           36

2.10      Summary of Review of the Related Literature         –           –           44

References

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1       Introduction                                        –           –           –           –           47

3.2       Research Design                                 –           –           –           –           47

3.3       Sources of Data                                  –           –           –           –           47

3.4       Data Collection Instrument                –           –           –           –           48

3.5       Population of the Study                      –           –           –           –           48

3.6       Sample Size Determination                 –           –           –           –           49

3.7       Sample Procedure                               –           –           –           –           50

3.8       Validity of Instrument                                    –           –           –           –           51

3.9       Reliability OF Instruments                 –           –           –           –           51

3.10    Data Treatment Technique                  –           –           –           –          

References

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.1:      Questionnaire Distribution                  –           –           –           –           54

4.2       Gender Distribution of the Respondents        –           –           –           54

4.3:      Marital Status of the Respondents     –           –           –           –           55

4.4       Educational Qualification                   –           –           –           –           55

4.5       Test of Hypotheses                             –           –           –           –           64

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1       Introduction                                        –           –           –           –           70

5.2       Summary of the Major Findings         –           –           –           –           70

5.3       Conclusion                                          –           –           –           –           70

5.4       Recommendations                              –           –           –           –           70

5.5       Suggested Areas for Further Study    –           –           –           –           71

            Bibliography

Appendix I

Questionnaire

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.5:        Human Resources and Organizational Goal   –           –           56

Table 4.6:        Individual Growth and Development Promote Human

Resource.                    –           –           –           56

Table 4.7:        Human Being As An Important Assets and  Human

Resource Management                        –           –           –           57

Table 4.8:        Human Resources Help in Enhancing Employee

Competence, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities     –           –           57

Table 4.9:        Job Satisfaction and Morals Among Employee

Promote Organisational Performance.            –           –           58

Table 4.10:      Training Assist Employee to Enhance New Technological

Advancement for the Betterment of Organisation     –           59

Table 4.11:      Training Improve Quality Work Life and Quantity of Work 59

Table 4.12:      Training and Development Reduce Cost of Production

and Minimize Waste.                      –           –           60

Table 4.13:      Human Resources Situation of an Organisation Can

Negatively Changes in the Business environment.     –           60

Table 4.14:      Changes in The Core-Technology Of An Organisation Can

Result To More Employment.                                     –           61

Table 4.15:      Corporate Strategies In An Organisation Can Automatically

Affect It Human Resources Needs                –           –           62

Table 4.16:      Workforce Within an Organisation can Change Due to

Positive Result From The Business Environment       –           62

Table 4.17       Internal Source of Recruitment Enhances Morals and

Motivate Employees.                                      –           –           63

Table 4.18:      External Sources of Recruitment Strengthen Diversity of

Talent Within The Organisation                      –           –           63

Table 4.19:      Selection Based on Experience Enhance Organisation

Performance.                                                   –           –           64

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1:       he matching model of HRM               –           –           –           15

Figure 2.2        Source: Beardwell, J and Claydon, T. (2007).

Human Resource Management: a contemporary approach.

New Jersey: Prentice               –           –           –           –           16

Figure 2.3        Hall Elements of Human Resource Management –     –           18

Figure 2.4        System model training            –           –           –           –           24

Figure2. 5        Instructional System Development model      –           –           25

Figure 2. 6       Transitional Model                  –           –           –           –           26       

Figure 2.7:       Welfare gap in Nigeria economy        –           –           –           41

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Organizations are increasingly looking at human resources as unique assets that can provide sustained competitive advantage. The changes in business environments with increasing globalization, changing demographics of the workforce, increased focus on profitability through growth, technological changes, intellectual capital and the never ending changes that organizations are undergoing have led to increased need for managing human resources (Devanna, Fombrum, and Tichy, 1998). A human resource (HR) department that is highly administrative and lacks strategic integration fails to provide the competitive advantage needed for survival, thus losing its relevance. Huselid and Becker (1997) found that there were noticeable financial returns for organizations whose human resource management (HRM) systems have achieved operational excellence and are aligned with strategic business goals. According to Ulrich (1998), a major role of Human Resource Personnel is to become a strategic business partner. Youndt and Scott (1996) find that firms employing HR practices according to the stated strategy are regarded as having better perceptual performance. Singh (2003) gives a broader approach to looking at strategic human resources management (SHRM) by integrating various functions and establishing the linkage between these functions and the business plan. It is important not only to identify HR competencies in concurrence with the business needs and to develop selection and development practices to secure those competencies, but also to evolve and implement a performance evaluation plan that links the performance of the employees to the strategic goals.

Knowledge is important for organizational performance, and by implementing a human resource strategy to develop the knowledge worker and to retain the knowledgeable, a firm can understand how to create, transfer, and use it effectively to develop a competitive advantage. As a result, knowledge has emerged as the most strategically significant resource of the firm (Grant, 1996) and is built into the very nature of the firm (Penrose, 1959).Knowledge workers are not labor, they are capital (Drucker, 2002). The loyalty of knowledge workers and the ways to minimize turnover are critical management problems (Alvesson, 2000).

Modern businesses are full of challenges, to face these challenges, organisations should recognise the fact that human resources are indispensable. This is because of their role as the prime mover or initiator of all productive activities. According to Donnelly et al (1992:315) human resource management is the process of accomplishing organisational objectives by acquiring, retaining, terminating, developing and properly using the human resources in an organisation. The acquisition involves recruiting, screening, selecting and placing personnel. Recruiting efficient individuals matters a lot to an organisation for it to  attain  its objectives.  Employees at a particular time must be fired for breaking rules and regulations or failing to perform their duties regularly.

Human Resource Management issue have been major concerns for managers at all levels  because they all reach their goals through the effort of others this requires the effective and efficient management of people (Desler et al 1999). The spacious array of HRM activities for example, planning, recruiting, selection and training just to mention a few place enormous responsibilities on supervisors and managers alike. These include  analyzing  jobs, planning  labour needs, selecting employees orienting and training employees, managing compensation, communicating (which includes counselling and disciplining) and maintaining employee commitment.

In addition to the already mentioned activities are, ensuring fair treatment, appraising performances, ensuring employee health and safety, building and maintaining good employee labour relations, handling complaints , occupational health and safety, labour relations, and other legislation affecting the workplace. Regardless of field of expertise, from accounting to production control, learning about employees right, employer responsibilities, and effective Human Resource Management practices may provide all managers with knowledge that enable them to perform more effectively.

1.2   STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

MANAGING THE HUMAN RESOURCES OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN A DEPRESSED ECONOMY