EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR IMPROVING AN ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (A STUDY OF SOME SELECTED FIRMS IN ABIA STATE)
ABSTRACT
This research work is designed to investigate employee training and development as an effective tool for improving an organizational competitive advantage. The main objective for conducting this research work is directed towards finding whether there is a significant relationship between employee training and development and organization competitive advantage. In order to get the result, several literatures were reviewed to set out solution to the problem faced by organizations. Interviews were also conducted and questionnaires were distributed. After analyzing the information gotten from the respondents, it was found that employee training and development is an effective tool for improving organizational competitive advantage. Finally, it was recommended that training programmes should be established and embarked upon only when it is felt that they can help in solving specific operational problems and not because its counterparts are doping so and also, before deciding on the type of training activity to undertake, the entire organization or people must be analyzed to locate problem areas where training may help.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Employee training and development which effectiveness improves the growth of an organization’s competitive goals programme has direct relationship with job performance in term of meeting expected standard in all employee classification and at all levels of management.
Training need refers to any deficiency of skill and knowledge on the part of the employee which can be remedied through training. When the performance of work is noticed to be poor and cannot be improved through motivation and simplifying the work procedure, then a training need has arisen. Also when an organization adopt a system that is quite different form the ones currently in use, then a training need has clearly arise.
According to Turrel (1980) training need arise in organization from three (3) sources;
Those caused by changes in technology, market, legislation and manpower composition.
Those derived from work problems such as manpower utilization, machine utilization, disputed safety and quality.
Those arisen from manpower wastage associated with poor recruitment, training and the like.
Training programmes should be established and embarked upon only when it is felt that they can help in solving specific operational problems. Thus, before deciding on the types of training activity to undertake, the entire organization or people must be analyzed in order to locate problem areas where training may help. Identification of specific problem areas in the organization can point out ways in which training may help towards a solution.
In order words, an organization should not embark on training programme just because its counterparts are doing so, other wise, the money, time, energy and other resources spent on such training programme will be more waste. Training programme therefore, should be systematic.
The following are some ways of discovering training needs which is identifying organizational and department problems such as:
High cost: where training is financially prudent, management can help out.
High labour turnover: This prompts the need to train the employees on motivation and job satisfaction.
Low productivity: training workers to acquire new skill so as to enable then use new technologies and so improve productivity.
It is noted however that without training and development, organization growth is mirage.
Obi (2001) was of the opinion that advancement of employee’s performance through employees training and development is very important to the growth of any organization. It is necessary that all employees irrespective of their previous training education and experience be introduced to their new employer’s working environment and be taught on how to perfect specific tasks in order to ensure organization growth.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
For many years now, both private and public enterprises have witnessed tremendous stagnation and many have even collapsed. This is as a result of failing to train the employee and employee take up challenges and tasks in the organization. This is the case in spite of the fact that computer technology has reduced decision time by its fast means of data analysis.
Mass communication on its part has a public awareness of consumer products through advertisement; make it work easier and faster. It is in light of these that this research was undertaken to find the extent employee training and development have effect on organizational growth.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Organizations are made up of human resources (manpower) who together to seek the growth and continuity of the organization.
To achieve these, the manpower has to be adequately trained and developed.
This study is set to study the need of employee training and development which effectiveness improves the growth of an organization’s competitive goals. The objectives of the study are:
To ascertain whether employee training and development which effectiveness improve the growth of an organization competitive goals resulting in quality of workers performance
To find out whether employees training and development reduce labour turnover.
To ascertain whether employees training and development ensures proper utilization of human resources.
To find out whether employee training and development can result to organization growth.
To find out whether employee training and development is really important to the organization.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In the course of carrying out this research work, the following research questions will help to direct the study.
Does employee training and development which effectiveness improves the growth of an organization competitive goals result in increase in quality of worker performance?
Does employee training and development reinsure proper utilization of human resources?
Does employee training and development result to organization growth?
Does the organization make provision for health working environment?
Does employee training and development measures productivity?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
A hypothesis is a prediction of what can be seen in the world of reality and this prediction is made for the world of theory.
The hypothesis of this research work is;
HYPOTHESIS I
Ho: Training is not important in an organization
Hi: Training is important in an organization
HYPOTHESIS II
Ho: Employee training and development does not reduce labour turnover
Hi: Employee training and development reduce labour turnover.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research study has helped the researcher to broaden his knowledge on the subject of employee training and development which effectiveness improves the growth of the organization competitive goals which is very essential for growth and continuity of any organization.
The research work will be an eye opener as most organizations that desire growth neglect employees training and development which will in effect result to organization growth.
The study will equally be significant to the society in the sense that the person who has attended employee training and development programme will certainly be an asset to the nation and the organization as it aids in bringing civilization in the nation and also in the organization.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is focused on employee training and development as a tool for organizational growth and emphasizes on some selected firms in Abia state. But because of time and cost, the study was restricted to Aba centre of Unilever plc and C- way (Nig) Ltd. Limited as the selected study.
The researcher was of the view that since the companies are located in the same geographical and socio-economic condition with other businesses, the constraints and challenges affect others.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
A study of this nature cannot be completed without encountering some constraints which had made the work not to be an easy task. Some of the obstacles encountered are: time constraint, the rigidity of some workers to disclosing of information at the preliminary stage, the difficulty in getting permission due to bureaucratic nature prolonging of information by the relevant officials and that of transportation problem.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
TRAINING: It is the process through which organizations build the skill and ability of non-managerial employee.
DEVELOPMENT: These are activities undertaken to expose the employee to enable the employee perform additional duties and assure position of importance in the organization hierarchy.
MANPOWER: Number of people available for work service in an organization,
ORGANIZATION: This is a combination or the unionism of people working together in pursuit of a common purpose known as organizational objectives and goals.
PERFORMANCE: This is the total way the employees are working in the organization which may have a positive or negative impact to the organization.
EDUCATION: This is a long term training activities aimed at preparing a worker for a variety of roles in the organization.
PRODUCTIVITY: The measure of how well resources are brought together in the organization and utilized for accomplishing a set of result.
EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR IMPROVING AN ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (A STUDY OF SOME SELECTED FIRMS IN ABIA STATE)