MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION IN INDIGENOUS BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED COMPANIES IN RIVERS 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. This therefore calls for proper development, training and full utilization of employees for this objectives is likely to be achieved as nothing can be demoralizing to a worker as when he believes that he has been unduly rated below expectation and cannot serve his purpose.
In order to address this problem squarely, research questions were formulated and hypothesis drawn. Various research instruments were used in the process.
Questionnaires were administered to all the workers (sample size). Similarly, documentary sources were also used in the data collection process.
The data collected was analyzed with the aid of the research questions and hypothesis which gave rise to certain findings.
Conclusion was drawn and recommendations were made based on the information gathered and data analyzed.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 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 is the basic resource of any productive process. It combines all other factors of production to produce goods and serves 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. Howe 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 we 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 satisfactorily.
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 (3rd) 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.
