CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Motivation is a force that strengthens workers to achieve a common goal in organization. Therefore, every organization both public and private is a goal oriented organization and all efforts are channeled towards the successful achievement of the organizational goals and objectives. People have argued that unless individual employees are motivated to make effective use of their potentials discovered among them during the employment process, they may not achieve the level of performance that is desired from them (Rothberg, 2005). For an employee to be motivated, he or she perceives that their want are being met. Thus, the satisfaction of the employee represents an indispensable dimension of the motivational process. A satisfied individual would certainly contribute positively to the realization of organizational goals and objectives, while a dissatisfied employee may not only contribute but can even act in such a way that the realization of such goals and objectives could be completely destroyed. This underlines the importance of employees’ satisfaction to the organization (Anka, 1988). Use of the theories has enabled us to understand the link between motivation and job satisfaction. There is a general believe that humans have the natural tendency to be lazy when it comes to work and is only being forced by circumstances to work. Low productivity is a problem that thrives in many societies mostly in the developing countries irrespective of constant efforts. A lot of money, energy and time are wasted, which if properly utilized will yield higher productivity and as such greater wealth for the societies involved. In all productive activities, the basic elements and factors include land, capital, labour and the entrepreneur. The laborers and the entrepreneurs are human and as such very important in any productive enterprise. They utilize the other factors for the realization for the goal of the enterprise. It can then be adduced that human beings play a vital role within any system and in particular industrial organizations. For this reason, they should be given a high consideration so that they can contribute effectively and efficiently during productive activities.
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
There is general agreement among psychologists that man experiences a variety of needs, there is considerable disagreement as to what these needs are and their relative importance (Van Rooyen, J. 2006).
One of the basic problems in any organization is how to motivate people to work. Motivating people to work entails, meeting their needs. This is because people working in the organization to meet workers needs affect the satisfaction, which the workers derive from their job.
The satisfaction that the workers derive from their job can affect their motivation to work. People are motivated by various factors at different times, according to Wilkinson et al (2007) the first factor is the combination of the individual perceptions of the expectations other people have of them, and their own expectations of themselves. This happens because people come into work situations with various expectations. This is why a balance must be struck as much as possible between organizational objectives and individual aspirations (Sulcas, P. 2007). The essence of this is to ensure a situation where the individual is motivated while the organization is achieving established objectives.
The second factor deals with the issue of self-images and concepts as well as life experiences and personality.
These factors have to be positively motivated in the worker to yield proactive behaviour. This can be achieved through a carefully planned reward system, which is a type of reinforcement directed at modifying people’s behaviour.
Those who occupy management positions in organizations encourage employees basically through means of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement boosts favourable consequences that go a long way to encourage the repetition of particular behaviour (Adonisi, M. 2005).
It is therefore important for the management to ensure that they motivate their employees to achieve the set goals and objectives of the organization. The management of an organization can motivate its employees if it’s able to study the characteristics of the employee and know what actually motivate them to productivity.
It is in view of this that this study wants to look at motivation of employees as a tool for improving workers productivity.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Organization exists for the purpose of rendering some services. For the organization to meet its objectives, people are employed in the organization in order to help the organization meet its objectives. Thus, in order to ensure that people employed in the organization perform optimally towards the realization of organizational goals, they need to be motivated to work.
Motivating people to work entails meeting their needs. There is a great controversy over the issue of motivating people.
Some people are of the view that such extrinsic factors like money, praise, and quality of supervision and company’s policy can motivate people to work, while others are of the view that such extrinsic factors, like advancement, quality of the job done by person, recognition and growth can motivate workers to productivity.
It is in view of these controversies that this study wants to look at the motivation of employees in the organization by using Nigeria as a case study.
1.3 Objectives of the Study.
This research work hopes to achieve the following objectives:
1. To examine the factors which motivate employees to perform in Nigeria
2. To look at various techniques of motivating people to performance in Nigeria.
3. To ascertain the effect of motivation on worker’s productivity.
4. To identify the problems associated with the motivation of workers in Nigeria.
5. To suggest the solutions to such problems.
6. Finally, to improve people’s knowledge in this area of organizational behaviour.
1.4 Research Questions
It is in view of the above problems that the following questions arise:
1. What are the factors that motivate employees to perform in Nigeria?
2. What are the available techniques of motivating employees for higher productivity?
3. Do motivation actually steer employees productive capacity?
4. What are the problems militating against employees motivation, and
5. How can these problems of employees’ motivation be addressed in order to improve productivity in Nigeria?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses will be tested in this study:
1. Ho: The quality of supervision will not motivate workers productivity.
Hi: The quality of supervision will motivate workers productivity.
2. Ho: A worker’s perception of what obtained in his organization will not motivate him to greater productivity.
Hi: A worker’s perception of what is obtained in his organization will motivate him to greater productivity.
3. Ho: A worker’s perception of organizational appraisal policy will motivate him to greater productivity.
Hi: A worker’s perception of organizational appraisal policy will not motivate him to greater productivity.
4. Ho: The worker’s satisfaction with its fringe benefits will not motivate him to greater productivity.
Hi: The worker’s satisfaction with its fringe benefits will motivate him to greater productivity.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will educate the management of the organization (especially the organization under study, Nigeria) on how to motivate their workers to productivity.
The findings of this study will generate people’s interest in researching into other areas of motivation in the organization will enrich the literature on motivation as a phenomenon.
Finally, the study hopes to enrich people’s knowledge in this area of organizational behaviour and management of people in the organization.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This study is on impact of motivation on organizational productivity. The study will also cover the various techniques of motivation and theories of motivation as they impact on employees’ productivity in an organization. The study will cover a period of ten (10) years of organizational performance.
1.8 Limitation of Study
The study is limited to the employees’ motivational factors,
and its effect on organizational productivity. The study does not consider other variables and as such is limited to only those areas specified above. Also, it does not cover all sectors of the Nigerian economy. The civil service is just a sector in Akwa Ibom state, and as such, the study does not look into how these motivational factors work or influence productivity across other sectors.
Can't find what you are looking for? Hire A Researchproject Writer To Work On Your Topic or Call 0806-703-7559.
Proceed to Hire a Writer »