CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
Over
the years, the practice of organizational management demanded that
employer/management could expect that workers will do the work that is set
before them. While this was a perfectly typical method of getting results
through others in the early days of assembly line and scientific management, it
is no longer true of today’s business, the trend has changed in that management
expects more from its workers than doing simply what is put before them. It has
also changed in that work expects that more can be got from them by simply
working according to the direction of the boss. However, with the rise of such
theories as “participation management” and with increasing recognition those
employees often have something valuable to contribute (beyond the accepted
units of their normal job duties (Adewumi F. 2005).
Many
companies are now actively seeking ways of getting employees to participate
more in decision affecting them; the workers on the other hand expects to be
asked how he feels about his job, and what his ideas are on how the work can be
done more easily, better and faster. The reason for this change in emphasis is
that management has discovered hat there are tangible business values in
soliciting and using the ideas of people at all levels in the organization. As
the main objective of every business organization is long-term survival and in
addition to have a competitive advantage over and above its competitors rather
than being like the biblical seeds that fell on the way side and perished. The
secret of having his competitive advantage over others then lies on the
productivity of the enterprise. The increase in productivity can only be
achieved mainly through the organizational work force (Dunlop. 2007).
Increase
in work life and productivity in an enterprise starts with the mind. It starts
with the improvement of an individual self-esteem and self worth. It starts
with helping an employee develop a higher degree of self regard. In tracina the
background of this concept of employee participation in decision making, one
can inter it to be a household name in many countries of the world. (Dunlop J.
2007). Japan’s success in the business world is attributed to employee
participate. Decision making is shared at all levels of management. It is
observed that decision making in Japanese firms are focused on defining
questions or issues rather than on finding solutions. Thus all levels of the
organization are involved in this process, in the United States, Industrial
democracy is practiced, employee are encouraged to buy shares in companies
thereby enabling them to have a say in the management of their organization. In
other developed countries like Britain, Yugoslavia and Germany, participatory
management is popular In Britain and Yugoslavia. It is known as joint
consultation and self management respectively while in Germany, it is known as
co-determination. In Nigeria, participatory management has come a long way. The
Nigeria military government in 1977 decided t democratize industrial ownership
in Nigeria by promulgating the Nigerian Indigenization decree part of which
provides “that 10 percent total equity share of any enterprise on schedule, 2
and 3 should be reserved for workers (Fashoyin, T. 1992)
1.2 Statement of the Study
The
issue of whether participation in decision making exists in the Nigeria
industrial set up is very controversial. Some companies in Nigeria practice
participate decision making and government has in the past encouraged
participation in decision making though registration on the contrary, some
management writers n Nigeria are of the opinion that reason is that the
necessary pre-requisite conditions encourage participation in Nigeria are not
available. The research is aimed at the effect of employee participation in management
decision making in Federal Poly Oko.
However,
research into Federal Poly Oko has exposed employee desire for involvement in
decision making in their various organizations. Employees are at the same time
important elements of the accomplishment of the school goals, in order to
standard and remain as a Federal Institution. The reason basically rests on the
fact that employees are operators and are in better position to know the
problem they encounter in doing a particular task and how best to solve them.
This study is therefore set to determine the extent of practice of
participating in decision making in Federal Poly Oko.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
Specifically,
the research intends to determine the effect of employee. Participation in
management decision making in Federal Poly Oko.
1.
To ascertain the level employees with
low educational qualification have more influence in decision making in Federal
Poly Oko.
2.
To it employee: Opinions are made used
off after being collected by the management of the institution.
3.
To employees are allowed to make
decision in Federal Poly Oko.
4.
To examine the employees participation
in decision making result to responsibility and independence.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The
study is designed to provide information to the populace on how Federal Poly
Oko have faired in their practice of participative decision making and its
contributions to the staff and the school. It is expected that this study will
be benefiticial to the management by giving enough insight into the benefits of
employee participation in decision making, workers, students of business
administration and the society at large are equally the hope that the study
would provide a basic on which further research would be carried out.
1.5 Research Question
1.
To what extent employees with low
educational qualification have more influence in decision making in Federal
Poly Oko.
2.
To what extent employees opinion are
made use off after being collected by the management of Federal Poly Oko.
3.
To what extent employees are allowed
to make decision in Federal Poly Oko
4.
To what extent the employee’s
participation in decision making result to responsibility and independence.
1.6 Hypothesis (Optional)
The
following testable hypotheses were formulated to guide the attainment of the
research objectives.
Ho:
An employee in higher job position tends to exercise more involvement in
management decision making than another in lower job position.
H1: An
employee who possesses higher educational qualification would tend to have more
influence in management decision making that other who possess lower
educational qualification.
1.7 Scope/Delimitation of the Study
This
study is about the effect if employee participation in management decision
making. The extent of employees participation and the problem encountered in
its practice will be examined. Government press and a few. Other selected
private institution and University in Anambra State will be limited because of
time and finance being faced by the researcher and also unwillingness of some
management in using their organization or institution for research. Despite
these limitation, the study will explore every necessary available information
to be attain its set objective.
1.8 Definition of Terms
1.
Participation:
The process during which individuals groups and organizations are consulted
about or have the opportunity to become activity involved in project or program
of activity.
2.
Decision
Making: A result arrived at by the judges when here is
no clear winner at the end of the contest.
3.
Management:
The executive of an organization, especially senior executives.
4.
Employees:
An individual who provides labor to a company or another person.