Impact of Motivation on Local Government Staff Education
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The aims and objectives of the study research are as follows.
- To identify the relationship between staff salary, welfare package and employees productivity.
- To examine if staff training and development act as a tool for motivating workers for maximum productivity.
- To ascertain if there is a relationship between LGA environment and workers productivity.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The simplest way of economizing efforts in any enquiry is to review an existing literature and to build upon already done work by others. This part will review the work of other scholars on motivation and productivity under the following sub-themes:-
Definitions on motivation
Importance of motivation
Motivational strategies
Theories of motivation
Concept of productivity
Factors affecting productivity
Motivation
The term motivation is derived from Latin word (movere) which means ‘to move’. Ile N.M, (1999) defined motivation as a general term used to refer the entire class of drives, desires, needs, wishes, and similar forces. It refers to the drive and effort to satisfy a want or goal. In other words, motivation refers to a derive towards an outcome.
In line with the above, Nwachukwu (1988:181) is of the opinion that motivation is that energizing force that induces or (compels) and maintains behaviour. He maintained that human behaviour is motivated, and it is goal directed. He continued by emphasizing that motivation is an internal psychological process whose presence or absence is inferred from observed performance. In view of Hellriegel and slocum (1995:194) motivation is any form of influence that brings out, directs or maintains people’s goals-directed behaviour. In other words, it is a set of forces that initiates behaviour and determines its form, direction, intensity and duration.
In critical analysis of the views of the above scholars, motivation is goal oriented behaviour and it is a set of force that initiates behaviour. Therefore, from the view of the above scholars, organization/ management can motivate the workers for maximum performance by creating the means through which needs, desires of workers can be satisfy.
According to Schein (quoted in croft 1996:46) motivation can be defined as the impulses that sterm from within a person and lead him to act in way that will satisfy those impulses. In other word, the concept motivation implies that there is some driving force in individual, which drives them to attempt to achieve a goal or objectives in order to satisfy their needs.
In the same perspective verelon and sleine define the term motivation as an inner state that energies, activates or move and that direct behaviour towards a goal. In a close observation of the above scholars view the cause of behaviour as only sterm from the impulses that sterm from within. This is a narrow view of behaviour, motivation embraces the act of directing the behaviour of individual towards a incentives. This is what Umeano (2011:14) states as external imposed behaviour. In her view behaviour can be extrinsically motivated through the environmental factors such as social pressure and incentive (including reward and punishment). With the same view Thomas Icemprier (1998:76) states that motivation is the process of initiating and directing behaviour in the workplace.
More broadeningly, Edgan and Janes (2011:67) defined motivation as the condition responsible for variation in the intensity, quality and direction of ongoing behaviour. They stressed that conditions are both intrinsic and extrinsic to the individual. In a step further, vroom (1964) states that motivation is a process governing choice among alternatives forms of voluntary activities. It is a set of force that causes people to behave in certain ways. In line with the author’s view above, Cole (2002) Defines motivation as a process in which people choose between alternative forms of behaviour in order to achieve personal goals. The scholars above make it clearly that individuals chooses a particular form of behaviour in organization be it public or private in preference of other actions in order to realize the intention he already had in mind to obtain while working in an organization. This obviously shows that if managers of organization want employees to work in such a way that organizational needs will be achieved, he has to study the personal goal of individual and manipulate incentive which possesses the motivational property that are in direction to the goals of individuals/ employee. In fact, their view on motivation revolves why people choose particular course of action in preference to other. As Pate (1998:167) rightly observes the basic underlying questions thus is “why do people do what they do”.
Viteless (1953:73) sees motivation as representing an unsatisfied need which creates a state of tension or disequilibrium, causing the individual to move in a goal pattern toward a state of equilibrium by satisfying the need. Substantiating from the above view on motivation, Ugwoke (2008 :56) states that motivation is a behaviour which corresponds individual needs or deprivations which is created towards goal that could then satisfy the initial deprivation.
The above assertions of scholars are in line with Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs. He states that individual has a range of needs ranging from the lower needs such as physiological need, safety, belongingness and love needs, esteem need and self actualization needs. He stressed that these needs has a motivational effect and their lack creates tension and increase one’s motivation to fill them. In a close observation of the above, contemporary organization which want to have an edge over the others stimulate employee through incorporating them in the general affairs of organization and showing them sense of belonging, a safe and pleasant working condition, and increasingly working salary which can satisfy their lower level need.
In strengthening of the above views on motivation of employee, Beach (1975:456) puts that motivation is the act of stimulating an employee to a desired course of action and linked motivation with reward. According to him, behaviour that is perceived to be rewarding will tend to be repeated whereas behaviour that goes unrewarded will tend to be extinguished.
In close examination of the above, motivation is viable instrument to get employee to do what the organization want at required degree. But the major flaw of the above view of the scholar on motivation is that he linked motivation to the rewarding which is capable of inducing behaviour without realizing that there is other motivational strategies that is not based on rewarding but on organizational climate. In support of this Koontz et al (198:632) states that effective motivation depends on organizational climate. He stressed that “…what people are willing to strive for is also dulled or sharpened by the organization in which they operate and at times, a climate may repress motives; at other time it may arouse them”. The organizational climate involves administrative policies, working environment and work itself and advancement. This point was clearly illustrated by research of Litwin and stringer (1998) who on the basis of McClelland’s (1961) needs for a achievement, need-foraffiliation, and need-for-power as major types of motivation and found that the strength of these motives was affected by organizational climate. This is what Herzberg called Hygine or maintenance factors. Frederick Herzberg stressed that there existence in reasonable quantity in a work environment influence the outcome of work done positively.
Motivational Strategies
According to Armstrong (2009:108), motivational strategies aim at creating working environment and to develop policies and practices that will provide for higher level of performance from employee. And to enhance the performance in his view organization will:]
Human Relation
People are more likely to be motivated if they work in an environment in which they are valued for what they are and what they do. This means paying attention to basic need for recognition. Management will enhance this through integrating employees in some management committee and make them feel the sense of belonging. This will make the employee to be more devoted and committed as they are part and parcel of the organization.
(B) Develop reward system which will provide opportunities for both financial and non-financial reward to recognize achievement. Organization should know that financial reward systems are not necessarily appropriate and the lessons of expectancy, goal and equity theory needs to be taken into account in designing and operating them.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This subsection of the research deals with the ways, approaches or steps followed in carrying out the research study. Methodology, according to Obi (1992:40) is the authority base for the researcher. The following steps were taken in this research work.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Obi (2005:72), population is defined as the total set of items a research wants to analyze. She went further to state that it may be a group of people, houses, records, cars, etc. In line with the above definition, Asy and Jacobs quoted in Oguonu and Anugwom (2006:60) defined the term population as an entire group of people, objects, or events all having at least one characteristic in common. However, the population of this study was drawn from the administrative staff of Local Education Authority Dutsin-ma.
SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES OF THE STUDY
Proportionate sampling technique was used to select respondents to be included in the study while the simple random sampling technique was used to select the number of respondents which was proportionally decided.
Sample of one hundred and fifty-four (154) staff was selected from the local government authority. The sample selected includes all the administrative staff of Local Education Authority Dutsin-ma, Katsina state.
Moreover, the purposive sampling technique was used by the researcher in selecting those that have core information on the topic studied.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
DATA PRESENTATION
The collection of data through questionnaire, interview, published and unpublished materials does not constitute the end of the research study. The presentations of data collected in the tables, frequency table, pie chart, bar chart are very necessary because it enhances the understanding of research work, stating the findings is also important because the main purpose of research is to identify variables which might have not been known. Data presentation and analysis are also imperative because without it, readers may not understand the major theme that the paper stresses on.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION
The extent to which an organization is able to identify the importance of motivation and deal with it, to the extent it could be expected to tap the workers efficiency, capacities and potentials. For an organization especially the LGAs to get the best out of her workers; must recognize the importance of adequate and positive motivation and implement same in her employees when all other factors that ensures high productivity are in place.
From the analysis of the data presented in this research work, the researcher observed that no single motivational package is capable of inducing workers towards efficient and effective job performance in any organization. Good salary is one of the main determinants of motivation in Nigeria. It is pertinent to say that it takes a combination of all necessary motivational strategies/packages in form of good salary, job security and promotion, favourable working condition, participative leadership style, training and development etc. Therefore, if organization wants to improve the performance of the workers, findings and analysis of research could offer assistance as how and where more resources should be channeled or directed. Adequate positive motivational variables is the gate.-way for higher Performance when other factors like skill, ability, adequate equipment, favourable environment are in place.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Having stated the findings and observations of the researcher in exhaustive manner, the study makes the following recommendations. The management of the LGA and other private organization should always endeavor to understand and identify the workers needs through various techniques like the use of questionnaires, interviews, day-to-day informal discussion etc. this is to enable management to devise appropriate motivational strategies at all time.
The management should review the salary structure and prompt payment of workers’ salaries, as well as increase in fringe and welfare benefits offered to workers. Periodic review and prompt payment of salaries will help workers to meet the hard realities and challenges of the current economic uncertainties in Nigeria.
Furthermore, there should always be a sign of appreciation of individual ability, achievement because when motivation is high; absenteeism, waste of both material and time and high labour turnover are almost taking care off.
Management should also adopt participative management style of leadership. Workers should be allowed to participate in activities of decision-making and setting goals and objectives of the organization. Workers could also be allowed to ask questions and say their opinion on certain issues in order to incorporate them into participative management. Likert (1961) in his studies of pattern and style of leader and manager assert that the ideas and opinions from the subordinates and constructive use of them could enhance effective and efficient participation in work. This method of leadership will bridge the communication gap between the employees and management.
Management should also adhere to its training and development policies and programmes which will involve all the workers of both technical and nontechnical staff. Training and development offers workers the skill and knowledge, which are necessary for efficient and effective implementation of organizational goals and objectives. More importantly, investment in training and development has long-run profitability to the individual, organization and the society at large.
REFERENCE
BOOKS
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- Croft, L. (1996), Management and organization. London: Bankers Books Ltd.
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- Ezeani, E.O (2006), Fundamentals of public Administration. Enugu: Snap Press Ltd.
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- Ile, M.N.(1999), Management and Organizational Theory and Practice. Enugu: Vougasen Limited.
- Katz, D. and Kahn, R. (1996), The Social Psychology of Organizations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
