BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
One of the universals of organizations is objectives or goals.
Every organization is characterized with the following features: people
and structure and all this are geared towards the attainment of its
stated goals. Chis Argyris defines an organization as “Intricate human
strategies designed to achieve certain objectives” also, Blake and
Mouton identified seven (7) characteristics of an organization. These
are purpose, structure, financial resources, know-how, human
interaction organizational culture and result.
However, the wheel of the organization is therefore steered
towards achieving certain goals that is every worker is involved and
mobilized in the process of goals attainment. ‘Human resources’ this
constitute the ultimate dignity of an organization, after all, it is
the interactions of people with natural resources that institute the
development process, the people according to Gant “are the human
resources for the supply of physical labour, technical and professional
skills, which are germane to effective and efficient planning and
implementation of developmental policies, programme, projects and daily
activities.
The various definitions however, concur on one basic thing, and
that is, the need for human resources and its development for the
development of personnel in any enterprises, whether public or private,
is one of the essential functions of the human resources manager. This
is because, of all resources available to the organization the human
resources are perhaps, the most vital in its usage, so that without
them, all the other form of innovation such as technological innovation
computers would just lie there unattended to, due to the
unavailability of skills man power to manipulate them. This required
managerial functions such as planning, organizing, staffing, directing,
coordinating, reporting or reviewing, and budgeting (POSDCORB).
In large and complex organization, the managerial functions
become very cumbersome and difficult. This is so because; the manager
finds it almost impossible to have direct contact with every individual
worker let alone knowing what the worker does. To achieve this fact,
the manager, who performs the functions of planning, organizing,
controlling, directing, etc, as identified by Knootz and O. dinnel,
must make use of tools that would aid him in sanitizing and appraising
the human resources in that organization, that tool has been identified
as “Performance Appraisal”.
Performance Appraisal, According to Ngu (1994) “is usually
referred to as integrated approach to management for more productivity
or efficiency in organization”. Through this technique, activities of
individual, unit, section, division, department or a workers are
monitored, measured and possibly with the aim of according reward or
some form of motivation. This very tool of management is a form of
communication, that is, it transfers information, ideas and values from
one person to another; employer and vice-versa.
This information system (Performance Appraisal) aids management to
see the loop-holes or gaps in the employees performance and this give
them the enlightenment on how to introduces training of this man power
to aid the development process. Therefore the training and development
of these categories of people should be undertaken on a continuous
basis in order to provide new skills in the dynamic sector.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Staff training and development is very necessary to any
organization be it private or public, such training has benefited most
organization in achieving their goal, which is the aim of the study.
More so, it is suppose to make the Agency more efficient especially on
how to motivate their personnel to increase their performance.
Though the Agency is among the oldest steel exploration industry
in the steel sector, most of their customers observed that their mode
of operation is slow. For example to drill a borehole it takes the
Agency more time frame compare to their counterpart in the drilling
industry. It was observed also that most of their workers are not
really expose to new technique or modern operating system that will
enhance efficient and effective modern training of staff to give new
technological development. The Agency does not really have the flare of
employing young and capable staff with sound knowledge that could help
it to improve its operation.
Dickerman (1974) noted that to improved personal performance, the
individual himself had to be motivated. He must see that the caring
management attitudes are there, that he can contribute his experiences,
that the environment suits him and that the results encourage, but
involvement through the devolution of responsibility is the major
force. Training must be based on the specific needs of both the
organization and in individual.
This situation made it pertinent to raise the following statement of problems:
- There were no measures put in place to evaluate trained staff
- Inefficient control mechanism, policies and procedure of Performance Appraisal
- There are no any strong effects of training and development on staff of NSRMEA’s performance?
- There are no strong measures to identify deficiencies and
practice within the organization which adversely affect the personal
performance of individual or the successful operation of departments.
- No room for individual to develop and implement their own
solutions to problems and deal with constrains which restrict their
personal contribution.
Despite this inherent problems, the NSRMEA has done its best to
see that training and development remains a vital policy and also takes
its course because the important of training and development cannot be
over emphasize as to motivate staff to perform effectively to achieve
the organizational goals and objectives. But the management finds it
almost impossible to have direct contact with every individual worker
let alone knowing what the worker does. To achieve this fact, the
management, who performs the functions of planning, organizing,
controlling, directing, etc, as identified by Knootz and O. dinnel,
must make use of tools that would aid him in sanitizing and appraising
the human resources in that organization, that tool has been identified
as “Performance Appraisal”.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study aims at analyzing the impact of performance appraisal
as a tool for higher efficiency and productivity in National Steel Raw
Materials Exploration Agency, Kaduna and. The research work would
therefore be geared towards the achievement of the following:
- How performance appraisal affects the attainment of organizational goal.
- Making NSRMEA, Kaduna sees the urgency and need for performance appraisal in the development of their human resources.
- The Various obstacle hindering the effective and efficient application of performance appraisal in NSRMEA, Kaduna
- Also, to examine the reaction of the staff towards performance appraisal.
- Finally making suggestion on how to improve the performance of the staff of NSRMEA, Kaduna.
- STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
The hypothesis which this study seeks to test is as follows:
Ho - Performance appraisal does not enhance the
attainment of higher efficiency and productivity in
NSRMEA, Kaduna.
Hi - Performance appraisal enhances the attainment
of higher efficiency and productivity in NSRMEA,
Kaduna.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of benefit to National Steel Council, Kaduna.
That the urgency and need for performance appraisal will be
appreciated in the area of development of their human resources. And
also, just as communication is bedrock in the achievement of
organizational goals, the study will served as another major tool (a
guide) in aiding management in its functions of planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting or reviewing, and
budgeting (POSDCORB) in order to achieve the organizational goals.
More so, the study will be of benefit to the staff of NSRMEA,
Kaduna as a motivational factor. Because the staff will be rest assured
that they can only be promoted, placed, paid, commended etc. in
accordance with their work done, target achieved, due process etc.