EMPLOYEES’ PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY IN JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC.

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTIONEmployees can affect organizational productivity positively when they are willing and committed to organizational goals. Willingness and commitment can be exhibited by employees towards their job if they are involved in decision making and participate in the affairs of the organization. Thus, for management to win the commitment of employees to get their job done properly, individual employees should not be treated in isolation, but must be involved in matters concerning them and the organization. When employees are involved in decision making, staff absenteeism is reduced, there’s greater organizational commitment, improved performance, reduced turnover and greater job satisfaction,It is for this reason that the management of Julius Berger Bonny Island allowed employee involvement in decision making on matters that affect them to elicit their commitment to organizational goals.Employees’ participation in decision making has been widely recommended as a means of improving the quality of work life. However, when considering employees participation in decision making in the work place, one must differentiate between two levels. The first is horizontal participation- involves interaction between teams, co-workers, or peers. The second is vertical participation (direct and indirect) – involves interaction with one’s superiors.Both types of participation are important components of the quality of work life. An organization which encourages both types will allow decision making at the lowest feasible hierarchical level. The implied goal is to provide an environment where an individual will have the freedom and autonomy to make choices which are related to his work environment and to improve the fit between his personality and the job demands as well as between his work and non-work domains. Participation in decision making strengthens the relationship between performance and the expectation of a satisfactory outcome through a better understanding of what the desired outcomes are and how they can be achieved as well as directs the energies of employees/work group towards the goals and objectives of the organization. Commitment to organizational goals may result from the sense of ownership or proprietary rights achieved through the participation process.In granting employees opportunity to participate in decision making in its project execution,Julius Berger Nigeria Plc., improves the quality of work life by altering the work environment to accommodate employees’ desires, as well as allowing them exercise greater control/autonomy over their work situation, thus creating opportunity for employees’ self esteem/actualization. It is against this background that it becomes pertinent to carry out organizational productivity in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island. 1.1 Statement of the ProblemSince 1996, when Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. commenced the execution of the Bonny NLNG construction project, it has recorded an average of 1 total workers strike,2 partial workers strike, 3 near-strike cases and 5 minor workers disagreements per annum which is quite infinitesimal considering the magnitude of the workforce and the global construction industry labour disagreements statistics. The occurrence of labour disagreements in construction sites usually leads to site closure for the purposes of settlement, loss of man/machine hours, loss of output, high labour turnover due to search for better conditions of work and loss of corporate reputation. Economic development activities are usually hampered in a country with high rate oflabour disagreements; since productivity/national output will be low, inflation and rate of unemployment will be high while there will be an increase in social vices. Since labour disagreements originate from the exclusion of employees in decision making in matters that affect them, such disagreements, can be prevented through the adoption of a personnel management approach(whether direct or indirect) that guarantees employees participation in decision making in matters that affect them.1.2 Research ObjectivesThe objectives of the research are as follows:

1. To determine the extent of the relationship between employees’ participation in decision

Making and increased employees’ commitment in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island.

1. To determine the extent of the relationship between employees’ participation in decision making and increase dorganizational productivity in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island.

1.3 Research QuestionsThe identified gap of ineffectiveness in previous decision making approaches which were mostly management driven, propelled the adoption of employees’ participation in decision making in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.Bonny Island thus prompting the following research questions:

1. Does any significant relationship exist between employees’ participation in decision

Making and increased employees’ commit menting Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island?

1. Does any significant relationship exist between employees’ participation in decision

Making and increase dorganizational productivityin Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island?1.4 Research HypothesesIn view of the above research questions, the following null hypotheses were formulated: 1HO: There is no significant relationship between employees’ participation in decision making and increased employees’ commitment in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island.2HO: There is no significant relationship between employees’ participation in decision making and increase of organizational productivity in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Bonny Island.REFERENCES1. Luthans F. Organizational behavior. 10th ed. New Yolk: McGraw-Hill Irwin; 2005.2. Moorhead G, Griffin R. Organizational behaviour: Managing people and organizations. 7th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company; 2004.3. JBN. Facts and figures on Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Abuja: JBN public and government affairs department. 2013;2(1):11-32.4. Knoop R. Influence of participative decision-making on job satisfaction and organizational commitment of school principals. Psychology. Rep. 1995;76(2):379-382.5. Wagner JA. Participation’s effects on performance and satisfaction: a reconsideration of research evidence. Acad. Manage.Rev. 1994;19(1):312-330.6. Kearney RC, Hays SW. Labor-management relations and participative decision making: toward a new paradigm. Public Admin. Rev. 1994;54(1):44-51.7. Cotton JL, Mcfarlin DB, Sweeney PD. A cross-national comparison of employee participation. Manage. Psychos. 1993;8(1):10-19.8. Huckster C. The failure of participatory management. Across the Board. November/December, 1995;16-21.9. Horsham J, Eisner MA, Ringquist EJ. Assessing the assumptions: a critical analysis of agency theory. Admin. Soc. 1997;28(2):419-440.10. Greengard S. Reengineering: out of the rubble. Pers. J. 1993;72(12):48B.