THE ROLE OF INCENTIVES IN INCREASING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED FIRMS IN ABA, ABIA STATE)
ABSTRACT
In pursuance of the aims of this listed above, the study was organized in five different chapters to enable the researcher to properly execute this task. Chapter one: this is the introductory chapter that was set out to lay the necessary background on which the entire study was founded. Chapter two: here, a number of related literatures on the subject matter of the study were extensively explored. Chapter three: this chapter expounds the research methodology employed in this study. It is pertinent to viz library research and fieldwork. Chapter four: the chapter forms the test of the research questions formulated in this chapter, the research arrived at the findings that incentive measures enhanced the performance and productivity of employees in Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc. Chapter five: It has to do with the summary, conclusion and recommendation of work, including findings – forms analysis of this research study; it has led to conflicts which invariably decrease performance and productivity.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Generally, an employee brings to the business organization a set of wants. The satisfaction of these wants to some extent is within the control of the organization. People work in order to make money, to feed their families and enjoy better standard of living. Incentive strategies are those possible instruments which move, impel of induce one to act to satisfy a need or want. It is therefore defined as a force that pushes one to increase effort to achieve a goal or an objective for reward. Incentive is anticipatory in nature. When one is moved to action, a reward must be expressed. As the names imply, intrinsic satisfaction is the derivation of satisfaction of needs from the work itself; while extrinsic satisfaction is the derivation of the needs satisfaction through reward received for doing the work.
Knootz, et al (1980) has opined that human motives are based on needs whether consciously or subconsciously felt. Management, which s also described as working with people and through people to achieve a desired goal or result needed to stimulated people to do what they are required to do. As a function of management, therefore, giving incentives to employees is the process of stimulating people to work in order to achieve a goal. If the goals or set objectives are to be achieved, management need people and also motivate the people with good incentives which will help them to work to the satisfaction of the organization especially in the management of human resources so as to achieve optimal results from employees.
This is very important since motivation is not a substitute for planning, organizing and controlling but motivation and incentive imply that more power lies with the subordinate who must resist direction in various ways.
This conceptualization is supported by Tellerman (1967:163) who stressed that incentive strategy can best be understood in terms of the environment influence which people react. Also, according to Robbins, incentives can be seen in terms of some outward behaviour of people who are motivated with good incentive packages to exert a great to perform than those who are not motivated.
Incentives strategy and employee performance are vital tools for achieving organizational goals.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The problem of different cadres of employees who respond differently to incentive strategies for example, whereas skilled workers can be highly motivated with good incentives, the unskilled workers may not.
It is possible to motivate an employee who is local to the system or organization in which he/she is employed of to a particular set of people like his immediate boss. An employee can also be motivated in a balance form for loyalty to both the organization and such people or to incline to one side of it. There are many demands upon every employees: time, loyalty and propensity to cooperate with others, it is not only the organization that makes demand on him, but also his family, friends, community and other organization he belongs to, even nature (natural needs of human). The employee has a way of sharing his time and loyalty among these forces, but the moss may demand too much out of the balance. The boss or superior while trying to motivate an employee should ensure that his employee’s multiple needs and loyalties are integrated in a balanced fashion.
Another problem of incentive strategies in a small-scale business is that as a commodity that can be purchased, the worker is quite similar to any other machine.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This study will generally attempt to contribute to the solution of knowing the best incentives to be used in Unilever and Coca-Cola Nigeria Plc, but specifically:
To ascertain whether the management style has any effect on incentives in Unilever and Coca-Cola Nigeria Plc.
To find out whether highly motivated staff achieve success in the absence of good plans or effective organizational structure.
To find out whether applying good incentives to workers can lead to organizational effectiveness in Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc.
To offer suggestions on how best to use good incentives strategies on Unilever and Coca-Cola workers to achieve greater output. (Attainment of objectives or goals).
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Sequel to the statement of the problems enunciated in 1.2 of this study, the following research questions have been formulated to achieve the purpose of this research:
Does the supervisory style contribute to low motivation in Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc.?
Does the organizational structure affect the incentives to workers in Unilever and Coca-Cola workers?
Are there any incentive measures to Unilever and Coca-Cola workers?
Do incentive measures contributed to lack of organizational effectiveness?
Are there no other measures that can increase performance and productivity except incentives?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is to investigate incentive strategies and employee performance in the private sector with particular reference to Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc.
It is therefore expected that it will help Unilever and Coca-Cola in no small measures in providing possible solution to their incentive problems.
Moreover, academically, this study constitutes a contribution in the field business studies especially as it studies the role of incentive strategies and performance in the private sector with emphasis in Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc.
More so, it will help the future researchers who will like to do a research in the role of incentive strategies for further consultation of performance and incentives. And also let the researchers to know about the Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc.
Thereafter, the study will also be as guideline to the management of Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc., Aba on how best to use the incentive strategies to increase their employee productivity.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is done with reference to Nigeria workers using the workers of Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc., Aba plant as the study. It is realized that the workers of Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc, Aba factories are a minimal fraction in relation to the number of workers in the Unilever and Coca-Cola in particular and people employed in other companies in Nigeria but sue to time and financial constraints, the study is specifically centered on Unilever and Coca-Cola Nig. Plc., Aba.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The researcher did not find it easy to get this work done and completed. Foremost of the problems is the difficulty encountered during the collection of data. The relevant data were not accessible to the researcher. The researcher embarked on various travels for collection of relevant data for the study with its attendant transportation problems and risks.
Attention and time used in sourcing of relevant data and information, and consulting books for this study made the researcher top less focus on his studies which is the main thing.
Finally, this time constraints actually contributed to the limitations of the study.
1.8 DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
Incentives: These are instruments of material or possible statement used to motivate or encourage employees to higher productivity in an organization.
Employees: This simply means people or persons that are successfully employed for wages/salary in an organization.
Productivity: This can be defined as a measure of the output on organization per unit of input (labour, capital, raw materials, etc.). But simply put as the ration of output to inputs.
THE ROLE OF INCENTIVES IN INCREASING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED FIRMS IN ABA, ABIA STATE)