CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
Available
researches have revealed that the success of most organization does not depend
entirely on how well such organizations are financed but also on how well the
individuals working in the organization are experienced. The experience
acquired by these individuals does not simply come out of the blues, but as a
result of the opportunities given to them to acquire such experience through
training and development. It has been noted that in every organization whether
in the public or private sector, individuals who are found to be more productive
are those have a wealth of experience on their jobs which they have acquired
through training and development. This is why in the contemporary times; many
employees in Nigerian organizations who were initially averse to the concept of
training and development embrace the idea, as they had realized the importance
of training and developing their employees.
Ubeku
(1984) maintained that the process of training and development is continues
one. Money spent on training and development is money well invested. He noted
that in organizations, employees who have not received adequate training before
being assigned responsibility lack the necessary confidence with which to carry
out the responsibilities of the job. This is so because it is only then that the
employee believes he knows what is expected of him regarding the job, and
because he can do it, his enthusiasm for the job increases. Consequently, as
noted by Donnelly (1992) and employee in this position is more likely to
originate ideas as to how best to carry out the task of job. And employees who
are not trained tens to cling to the methods they are frightened of doing the
job in a different ways, because something might go wrong and that risk they
cannot take.
Educational
institution alone is not tasked with the concept of training and development.
This was why in 1976 the then federal commissioner for labour in his address to
the 4th Annual General meeting of the Nigeria Employee consultative Association
stressed the role of employers in training their employees to be able to carry
out their responsibilities effectively (Ubeku 1984). He explained among other
things that: the development of staff
cannot be entirely the concern of our educational institutions. It is also the
responsibility of other institution. Every enterprise, whether public or
private, necessarily does considerable on the job training, some of which
organized and some haphazard and accidental. You as employees must realise. You
as employees must realize or recognize the overriding importance of the
development of human resource, without which we cannot overcome the continuing
shortage of trained people as we strive to throw off the bonds of economic
backwardness and seek to achieve the social and economic objectives of our
development plans. The anxiety of the government and other private
organizations over the scarcity of trained manpower in the country has been
translated into action in the form of institutions with the Nigeria economy.
However,
one may be tempted at this juncture to ask what exactly is training and
development? According to Armstrong (2006), training is the modification of
behaviour through experience, and development is a change toward the better.
Based on this, it then shows that an organization which has in its policy, the
concept of training and development has paved way for its success and survival,
and subsequently employment of optimal performance on the part of the employees
or workers.
Considering
the benefits of staff training and development, one can categorically state
that, it is in dispensable necessary for attainment of organizational goals. It
plays a large part in determining the effectiveness and efficiency. It is on
this foundation that this study seeks to investigate the benefits of training
and development on organisational productivity by using Springlight Technology
as a case study.
1.2
Statement of the Problem
The view of employees on training for
development has a greater influence on the success and growth of any
organization. If the employees are pleased with the training policies of the
organization, this will have a significant influence on the organization’s
output. The view, perception or attitude of employees is therefore resulted
into their positive or negative behaviour at work. How do the employees see
employee training policies of the organization? Does the management take the
training policy of its organization? To many employer, training and development
is seen as a waste of time and resources that would have been channelled into
the production of goods and services that will bring more profit to the
organization. At times, some employers do fear that an employee could leave the
organization after acquiring the needed training this therefore affects the
employees training and sometimes makes it unplanned and unsystematic.
The
procedure and process usually employed by some of the Human Resource Managers
in the identification of those employees that require training are usually tasking.
On the other hand, employees mostly go for training for personal reasons which
may be to enrich themselves; prepare themselves for better positions in other
organizations; power play/politics; because such employee knows the person
in-charge of training and not mostly because there is an identified skill gap
which needs to be filled through adequate training. Often times, the HR
department does not conduct training needs assessment. Employees’ training
selection criteria ought to be basedon merit and free from bias. It must be in
accordance with a lay down procedure which ensures that the right candidates
are sent for training for positive effect on organizational performance and
enhance productivity in the organisation.
It is obvious that previous studies
have concentrated on the importance and benefits of training and no study has
been carried out on the difficulties faced by the Human Resource Departments of
Springlight Technology in the selection of employees for training. In order to
fill this gap, the researcher seeks to carryout a study on the benefits of
training and development on organisational productivity by using Springlight
Technology as a case study.
1.3 Research Objectives
The objective of this study is to examine the
benefits of training and development on organisational productivity by using
Springlight Technology as a case study. The
specific objectives are:
i)
To
examine how training and development improve employee produvtivity
ii)
To
investigate the problems of training and development organisation
iii)
To
find out the various training and development methods available at Springlight
Technology for employee performance
1.4 Research
Questions
The following are
some of the questions which this study intends to answer:
i)
How
does training and development improve employee produvtivity?
ii)
What
are the problems of training and development in organisation?
iii)
What
are the various training and development methods available at Springlight
Technology for employee performance?
1.5 Research
Hypotheses
The followings are the research hypotheses to
be tested in this study:
i)
There is a significant
relationship between training and employee productivity
ii)
There is a significant
correlation between training and
organisational performance
1.6 Significance of the Study
Training
and development of employees constitutes the very foundation upon which the
success of a business firm depends. This study is necessary to educate
entrepreneurs, managers on the need to formulate well articulated employees
training and development policies for the firm. This study is designed to help
the human resources department understand the necessity for proper
implementation of the training policies of their organizations. It is also to
expose employees to the benefits they stand to gain if they are properly
trained and developed their employees.
The
study is also geared towards giving customers excellent services when training
and development of employees are effective, customers will be satisfied and
continuous patronage will be achieved. The study seeks to emphasize the need
for which the human resources department must seriously embark on post training
and development evaluation on a regular basis.
1.7 Scope of the Study
A
study of training and development is limited to staff training function of the
personnel managers of the Springlight Technology, Akwa Ibom State. The study
intends to use the staff training problems in the study organizations to
identify, analyze and present the importance of staff training under the
personnel management in the service industry.
1.8 Limitation
of the Study
In
the course of this research, the researcher encountered some problems, which
one of them was inability to get the attention of the staff of the study
organization.
The research
also was constrained by insufficient finance.
The following
constraints were encountered in the course of this work.
Lack of reliable data: The Respondents’ unwillingness to give
out available and reliable data was major constrain in the course of the study.
Dearth of Research materials: The researcher was constrained in the
search of research materials. Most current books and journals on the related
area are not free, and so the researchers was limited to those materials she
could afford.
Measure used to collect data: Secondary data would have been more
appropriate for the post-evaluation analysis, but because it was difficult to
separate and link percentage (%) increase in turnover to employee training,
primary data was used.
Self-reported data: Self reported data was a major
limitation of the study, because it rarely can be independently verified. The
researcher had to take what the respondents said at face value. Nonetheless,
with available data and judicious use of the limited resources, reasonable
analysis was carried out to ensure that research findings add up to the body of
knowledge.