INFLUENCE OF INFORMAL GROUPS ON PRODUCTIVITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -i
Dedication -   -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        ii
Certification -    -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        iii
Acknowledgement -  -        -        -        -        -        -        -        iv
Abstract -                -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        v
Table of contents -     -        -        -        -        -        -        -        viii
CHAPTER ONE:

1.      Background of Study -       -        -        -        -        -        1

2.      The statement of the Problem - -        -        -        -        4

3.      The Objective of the Study - -        -        -        -        5-6

4.      Research Questions/Hypothesis -         -        -        -        6

5.      Significance of  the study -                  -        -        -        -        6-7

6.      Limitation of the study -      -        -        -        -        -        7

7.      Delimited/ scope of the study    -        -        -        -        8

8.      Definition of special terms -  -        -        -        -        8
Reference



CHAPTER TWO
The review of the related literature  
2.1 Theoretical Frame Work for the Study -           -        - 10-13
2.2 Historical Background -  -        -        -        -        - 13-16
2.3 Current literature on postulated above-   -        - 16-45
References
CHAPTER THREE
Research Design and Methodology -          -        -        -  47
3.1 The research design -      -        -        -        -        -        -  47-48
3.2 The source of data -        -        -        -        -        -        -  48
3.2.1 Primary sources of data -        -        -        -        -        -  48
3.2.2 Secondary sources of data -     -        -        -        -  48
3.3 The Population for the Study -     -        -        -        -  49
3.4 The Sample Design and determinations of
Sample size -     -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -  49
3.5 Method of data collection -        -        -        -        -        -  50
3.5.2 Secondary methods of data collection -   -        -  51
3.6 Methods of data presentation and Analysis-      -        -  51
            References
 
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Data presentation -      -        -        -        -        -        -  53
4.1.2 Demographical Characteristics -         -        -        -  58  
4.1.3 Presentation according to key research
Questions -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -        -  62
4.1.4 Analysis Based on Research Questions -        -        -  68
            References  
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Summary of finding -   -        -        -        -        -        -  70
5.2 Recommendations -        -        -        -        -        -        -  70-73
5.3 Conclusions -      -        -        -        -        -        -        -  73
Bibliography
 Appendix
i. Questionnaire
ii. List of frame for sampling 

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

            The organization development is a vital exercise that must be carried out with a successful conclusion if technological bondage is to be avoided in the nation. In our society today there is need for adopting a creative approach for our technological take off. The reason is to encouraged employees to cultivate the ability of making maximum use of resource available to them, develop new ways of resources utilization that may come in the course of their job.

            Since Nigeria independence, the nation has gone through a gradual rise in the level of industrialization and the evolution of both small and complex organization. An organization as defined by Griffin (1984:86) is a combination of people, or human efforts, working in pursuit of certain common purposes called organization goals. It is any group of two or more people working to achieve a goal or goals.

Organization range from the small business units to the very large and complex corporate bodies. There are two groups the formal and informal groups.

The formal group come into being as a result of organizational hierarchy which defines expected relationships among its workers in most cases, a group of people come together and discuss about the problems of the company, individual problems and how the problems should be handled. Also, talk about those with different opinion from other and how such people should be treated or handled. Furthermore, this kind of group will usually have its mission or area of activity spelled out.

            Informal groups, on the other hand, Michael (1985:1990).develop in response to the needs of the people making up the group. As a result they do not have an explicitly stated set of goals nor are there institutionally defined in and position of authority. These aspects of an informal group develop as a result of group of individual with the same objectives. Hence, informal groups are not set up by the management of the organization but arise as a result of people with similar interest interacting and also as a result of friendship association. Most cases, group of people come together and discuss about the company’s problems, some individual problems and how they should be dealt with, does who have contrary opinion from others would be convinced, are forced to accept the opinion spell out by other members of the groups. 

            The above comment succinctly shows the existence of informal groups in an organization. These groups although not created by the management of the organization are very powerful and have considerable influence on individual members. Members are observed to be often committed to the achievement of the group objectives. These objectives of the informal groups sometimes go contrary with organizations objectives.

          Therefore it is very important for the management to be aware of the existence of these groups and understand how they work. Some managers fail to realize the fact that informal groups work under certain conditions which dominate the formal organization and neglect the efforts of management.

            Moreover, they can be pervasive with some managers themselves belonging to the informal groups. Depending on whether they are favourable or unfavourable, this may result to the increase or decrease in the productivity of the organization. Improper management of the informal groups may also lead to dissatisfaction of workers, absenteeism, personal turnovers, grievances and conflicts and these may adversely affect the stability of an organization.

            As a matter of fact, there are potential benefits to be tapped from the existence and activities of the informal groups. The management can only tap the benefits when it is willing to work with them effectively without engaging in measures to suppress the informal organization.

1.2 The Statement of Problem

Management of organizations have been trying to improve individual productivity through researches and product development, employment of high skilled and experienced workers. Despite these efforts, productivity is declining in a organization who is to be blamed is still declining or has remained low and unimpressive.

What is actually responsible for the continuous decline in productivity despite serious efforts by the management, who have control over these group is yet to be achieved from the above assertions, it become imperative or necessary to research and conduct an assessment on the influence of informal groups on organizational productivity.

Do informal group activities influence organization decision-making?

To provide answers to this problem motivated the researcher to carry out this project.