Thesis Abstract

The essence of this study is to find out why public sector does not fully benefits from the accumulated knowledge of work motivation and what can be done in this context to improve organizational efficiency and employee’s performance. The inability of government workers to improve efficiency through pay rise and other motivational policies necessitated the research questions to determine through primary and secondary data collection and analysis obtained from questionnaire, interviews and literary works. Data were analyzed using percentage distribution and mean Chi square was used to test whether motivation has a significant influence on performance, productivity and efficiency of an organization.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The persistent failure in managing governmental or semi-governmental institutions effectively in many third world countries has improved sharply the performance of a host of organization with socially strategic missions in infrastructural and human capital sectors.

The process of globalization has cast on the enterprises of these countries the strategic necessity of catching up with global levels of efficiency, productivity, innovation, product quality, professional management capability and entrepreneurship.

Many third world societies are handicapped by a poor work ethics and alienating work environment in their organization work, motivation is therefore a crucial element in the effective management of organization in such countries over the past eight decades, there has been significant development in both the theory and techniques of work motivation and the utilization of the development have yielded in rich dividends for western developed countries by creating effective organization and by1.inproving employee performance.

In fact, it can be said that the public sector management has not seriously looked into the work attitude of public servant for example, the use of attitude survey.

However, because attitude change over time based on experience the surveys ought to be continuously carried out to help the management to know the area of deficiency on their part that could bring about low productivity, I have observed that it is the limited importance attached to work motivation issue and techniques by the government and those in the relevant ministries that has over the years made public servant very uncommitted to their work.

Generally, that sense belonging and commitment necessary for maximal productivity which in the long run faster economic growth for the countries as a whole is missing.

The external economic technological, technical and legal environments of organization in countries like Nigerian are also often characterized by low predictability. Some researchers in developing countries have stated that the indigenous work motivation theories need to address how to overcome such behaviours that are dysfunctional for organization.

The following are the motivational factors considered to take up this study:

(a)  Cultural factors which includes; age, attitude of management to employees, cultural background and lack of commitment to work.

The Social factors as inability to provide adequate housing, inability to provide adequate medical care, inability to provide recreational facilities, limited social interaction between various grades of employees and inadequate leisure time.

1.2      STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Logically, it can be said that workers are not involved in setting goals, making decision relating to their work, solving their work problem or even making work changes, which they are not motivated to increase their efficiency.

Thus, there is no corresponding increase in their productivity. Lack if involvement in decision-making can also result in worker alienation from work place conditions that do not permit the exercise of freedom and controls.

The situation grossly affects the attitude of the employees to their work, which indirectly affect the achievement of the corporate goals and objectives.

In view of these situations it therefore becomes important to examine the extent to which the case of government parastatal is established solely for training and helping in policy formulation is affected either positively or negatively by the attitude of its staff to their work.

1.3      PURPOSE OF STUDY

The essence of this study is to find out why Nigeria, especially from the perspective of the public sector, does not fully accumulated knowledge of work motivation and what can be done in this context to improve organizational effectiveness and employee performance.

The issue of likely cultural and social limitation that might be inhibiting the proper adoption of work motivation techniques would also be looked into.

1.4      RESEARCH QUESTION

1.        Why is the issue of motivation being incorporated into the parastatal?

2.        What effect does motivation has on the efficiency and productivity on the organization?

3.        What social factor limit or facilitate the adoption of work motivation techniques.

4.        How does the increase performance of the organization stimulate further result in production, which in turn stimulates further socio-economic growth for the wider society?

1.5      JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

Work motivation is considered a basic psychological process, which explains why employees behave as they do in the workplace. Behaviour at work is dependent on both the personal characteristics of individuals and the situation in which they are working. It is important to note that behaviour is difficult to analyze and predict but it manifest itself and is affected by attitudes frustration.

1.6      SCOPE OF STUDY

The National Centre for Economic Management and Administration (NCEMA) is being used as a case study. The criteria for using this organization are the Issue of its being a good example of a public sector organization and secondly that it is a training center supposed to have impacts on policy formulation.

By virtue of its being a training center, the issue of motivation within the center is very important and would be very education for the center. Motivation being addressed effectively if can result in slow progress in economic growth and development of a nation.

In fact, the slow progress in economic growth and development in countries like Nigeria said to be “developing countries” is largely attributed to the ineffective management oforganization primarily devoted to achieving development objectives. In Nigeria, the federal government manages most of such organizations, hence the greater part of our workplace are in the public sector and are the least motivated.

Managing organizations for socio-economic development requires the effective utilization of three type of resources; the economic, material and human resource, these three human resources are the most critical, hence its effective utilization for productivity improvement should be the primarily concern of all organizations.