Description
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUNDS TO THE STUDY
The management of human resources is an increasingly important concern in large organization. Over the years, several business organizations have packed up basically because of the failure of the management team or designated personnel to properly harness their human resources potentials. Perhaps, the singular reason for this negative development in many business organizations is the quest and unbalanced agitation for mad profit and sudden business expansion. Capital which has been defined to mean both money and all other structures-machines and physical structures needed for the successful management of any business organization cannot in any way be compared to the undeniable importance of human resource management. Any business built on a weak human resources management would only need a short time before it folds up. Human resource management is an indispensable factor in any business organization survival equation.
Some of the major issues relating to the management of human resources in any business organization range from issues such as the availability of needed talented and skilled personnel, other support staff for business growth, the quality of managerial talent and the control of tremendous costs now associated with managing a large high-talent work force. In developing and utilizing human resources, recognizing and carrying out each step in employment can make important contributions toward meaningful teamwork in a business organization.
Indeed, modern personnel management has evolved from a number of significant and inter-related developments dating from the beginning of the industrial revolution which started in Europe in the 18th Century. An exhaustive history would trace such matters as the evolution of working association from ancient times and the vast changes in educational opportunity in recent years. Their impact in the total labour force, development in managerial education, the evolution of the corporations and other social, economic and political development of the 20th Century and before cannot be over- emphasized.
Premised on this, the human resources require a great and careful management in order to get the desired results through the efforts of the people who constitute the personnel of a business organization. In actual fact, human resource management is neither a solo-job nor a purely technical one. It is a partnership between representatives of line and staff officials, working with union leaders to stimulate and develop employees in pursuit of organizational goals. According to Steiner, (1964) Human capabilities are resources to be managed in their own right; however, they also control or at least influence the other factors of production. Thus, the success an executive enjoys in the management of human capabilities may be expected to have a multiplier impact on the overall effectiveness of the enterprises.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Quite often, many ambitious business owners have underplayed the place of human resource management to the growth and survival of their businesses. This uncritical view is often anchored on the hasty conclusion that given the present bad state of the country’s economy and with the quest for survival many job seekers won’t be under the perpetual mercy of business owners (employers) with little or no possibility of wage/remuneration bargain or negotiation. In this type of employment equation, the employers are usually concerned on how to maximally use the employees to rake in huge profits without developing the latter’s potentials. A synergy of this two seemingly conflicting school of thought is what this work seek to achieve. While in the first instance, some business owners often find it necessary to engage in human resource management, it is believed that a proper orientation on the importance of hum resource management can go a long way in changing business owners’ orientation.
The import of the above is hinged on that fact human resources management is a very significant factor that affects future business organization profits and growth.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Attempts will be made to answer the following research questions which will also guide the direction of the study:
1. Is there any need for human resources in an organization?
2. Do resources have any effect on the performance of staff in First Bank Plc, Ikeja, Lagos?
3. What are the importance of staff training and development in an organization?
4. Do attracting, motivating and holding of people have any impact on an organization?
5. What are the likely problems facing the organization in respect to human resources?
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The aim of the study is to highlight and appraise the role of human resources in a business organization through the management of First Bank Plc, Ikeja, Lagos. The specific objectives of the study are to;
1. Examine the impact of human resource management on employees’ productivity.
2. Determine the need for proper human resources management and evaluate the impact of human resources management on the part of the employer of First Bank Plc, Ikeja, Lagos.
3. Investigate the training needs in organizations with emphasis on the Nigerian Breweries Plc., Ibadan.
4. Offer possible solutions to the problems facing the organization in respect to human resources management.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is important because its result will contribute to knowledge on how central proper human resource management can significant y contribute to the growth and expansion of any business Organization. This work benefits not only the First Bank Plc, Ikeja, Lagos, but also the Nigerian business society as a whole.
The findings will be useful to upcoming business organizations on how to properly and advantageously, harness their enhance management scheme towards achieving maxim gains and profits.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The First Bank Plc, has a lot branches widely spread across the country exceeding the company’s headquarters. Due to impossibility of covering and focusing on all the branches and for the purpose of a thorough and detailed research, this study has been limited to the study of the First Bank Plc, Ikeja, Lagos.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This is a very important topic to management and organization as a whole and in the course of the research study, some inevitable and unavoidable reasons emerged as potential constraints in carrying out the research as desired. Such factors are limited time and financial hindrances which did not permit a larger scope and more comprehensive research work which thus making it difficult to constantly visit the case study organization for additional information. Also, the bureaucratic nature of the organization chosen for the study constituted a limitation because of the organization being a multinational institution with a lot of bureaucratic settings.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
It is important, at this juncture to define and give contextual meanings of some of the major terms used in this study. The following terms used in the course of the study are hereby explained below:
? Human Resources: According to Akindele, (2000) human resources are the people who are ready, willing and able to contribute to organizational goals and objectives. Human resource issues are studied solely by staff personnel, who present their findings to management or to the business planning staff as inputs to strategic or operational planning.
? Personnel Management: Ash, (1914) defines personnel management as the recruitment, selection, development, utilization of and accommodation of human resources by organization. There are three basic purposes of personnel management namely: Labour efficiency, formulation of good personnel policies and maintenance of industrial peace.
? Training: In the words of McCormick, (1979) training is a process or procedure through which the skill, talent and knowledge of an employee is enhanced and increased. A successful training programme must contribute to the growth and development of the competence and efficiency of employees.
? Development: This is a long term educational process utilizing a systematic and organized procedure by which managerial personnel learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purpose.
? Planning: This is a managerial activity which involves deciding the goals and objectives of the establishment or organization and make preparation for how to get there i.e. how to meet or achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. There are strategic, operational or tactical planning.
? Recruitment: According to Jackson and Rottstein (1993), this is a process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating and encouraging them to apply. In recruitment, two major characters are involved namely: the recruiting and the recruited. During recruitment, organizations have to make chokes on who to take in their organization otherwise called the recruited.
? Selection: Nwagbo (2004) maintains that selection is to ere off the most appropriate applicants, turn them into candidates and persuade them that it is in their interests to join the organization even times of high unemployment.
? Placement: This is the action of placing an applicant for a job. It is one of the most critical aspects of personnel function.
? Motivation: Young (2002) says that motivation is the act of stimulating someone or oneself to get a desired course of action, to push the right button, to get a desired reaction. There are two kinds of motivation: positive negative motivation.