THE ASSESSMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN ENHANCING ORGANIZATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY

Introduction

1.1 Background Of The Study

In today’s dynamic environment achieving high level of operational performance have became the main concern of management. However, the realization of this to a great extent depends on the quality of an organization workforce, “the Human side of enterprise as their orientation come to be know, influenced various research efforts that contributed to this growth of human resources development. From the humble beginning, the management of people have growth and gradually people have come to be identified as the most important asset in very organization, thus the success of any organization is generally said to be a function of good people” (Udeze 2000).

Likert (1967) underscored the importance of human resources, when stated that “All the activities of any enterprise are initiated by the persons who make up that institution, offices, computers, automated equipment an everything else that a modern firm uses are unproductive except for human effort being the central and most important task because everything else depends on it”.

Iyanda (1995) stated that “management of human resources is the most undoubting of all managements responsibilities and the most popular subject of re search and experiment. He further stated that the reason for the interest is for the fact that human resources is the most important resource, having unlimited capacity for creativity, resource fullness and productivity. The ability to access and activate these potentials holds exciting promise for organizations and humanity interms of higher productivity profit”.

It has so far been seen that there is no perfect substitute for human resources in today’s organization management it defined as the art of getting things done through people. Human resources cannot be discussed without clarifying on the meaning of organization.

Flippo and Musinger (1978) looked at organization as “a socio technical device, which enable the accomplished by a single individual” whether it is a simple or large organization like Kaduna refinery and petrochemical corporation, one important feature is common to all and which is the fact that the all require human direction in the form of management.

Management of human resources in an organization in collaboration with other resources makes a business run effectively and enables maximum productivity. Neglecting them is equivalent to experiencing failure in an organization; in other words people are seen to be the key element in the organization.

Thus, human resources holds the key to the survival of any organization with emphasis to KRPC.

Historical Background Of The Study

The Kaduna refinery and petrochemical company (KRPC) was commission in 1980, its initial capacity was 100,000 barrels per stream day (BPDS). It was now incorporated as a wholly owned limited liability company of Nigeria National petroleum corporation (NNPC) on the 3rd November 1988. It is the third refinery in the country, established to cope with the growing demand for petroleum products especially in the Northern part of the country. The refinery was designed to process both Nigerian and imported crude oil into fuel section of the refinery was successfully debottle-necked from 50,000 BPSD to 60,000 BPSD bringing the total refined instaled capacity to 110,000 BPSD. In March 1988, the 30,000 MT per annum, linear Alkaline benzene (LAB) petroleum plant as commissioned. The petrochemical plant being a down stream plant of the refinery derives its entire raw materials including utility supplies from the refinery in an attempt at commercialization of NNPC in the same year (1988), it became the necessary to merge the two plants (refinery and the petrochemical plants) to firm a single subsidiary company of the NNPC known as the Kaduna refinery and petrochemical company limited (KRPC) as it is to day.

It occupies area equipment approximately 1.87cm square made up of two main divisions namely, operations and services, each headed by executive Directors who report to the managing director. However, there are departments that report directly to the managing director and are regarded as the Managing Directors division. Managers heading the departments report to their executive directors.

The refinery primary products the following petroleum product:

• PMS – I
• LPG – Liquid petroleum gas
• DPK – Kerosene
• AGO – Diesel
• BASE Oils
• LAB – Linear Alkaline benzene products for manufacturing of liquid detergents and pharmaceuticals.

This company was designed with the objectives of optimizing the capacities of existing plants, reduce the operating cost of the plants, develop new products from existing plants and facilities for use in down stream industries and external services to their refineries in West Africa.

1.2 Statement Of The Problems

An organization like Kaduna refinery and petrochemical company will be faced with one problem or the other because it is composed of two or more people with various conflicting objectives which must reasonably be satisfied.

The neglect of human resources has resulted in the low morale of employee and also in the problem of low productivity and increase in organization conflict.

In the past, human resources were not given due attention they deserve by the management: they were treated with les importance when compared with other resources in the organization. Resource like material, financial and natural resources which when coordinated by the human resources will achieve objectives of the organization.

1.4 Objectives Of The Study

A researcher can not embark on a work without reasons to do so.

This study is therefore aimed at analyzing the effectiveness of human resource in achieving organization productivity.

1. To highlight the positive effects of human resource utilization.
2. To ascertain the difficulties associated with managing human resources in Kaduna Refinery and petrochemical company.
3. To investigate the relationship between human resource development and productivity level in the organization.

1.5 Significance Of The Study

This stud provide valuable reference to human resource development, it is also very important to employers, employees and the organization to consider improving their human resource development policies in order to serve as a too for enhancing productivity level. It is also meant to help broaden the knowledge of individuals, especially students of management studies department in the area of human resource development (HRD)

On the organizational level and society at large, it will present the importance of human resource development as a vital lubricant to organizations wheel of effectiveness thereby enhancing employees productivity.

It will also add to the existing literature to other persons interested in expanding the study in this area of organization management.

1.6 Research Question

From the objective of the study above, the following question would guide the researcher on obtaining data’s. Which will be presented and analyzed in chapter four.

1. Why did human resources play a vital role in enhancing productivity in Kaduna Refinery Petrochemical Company?
2. Why the management of Kaduna petrochemical company need Human resource development?
3. How efficient and effective of human resource in enhancing productivity in Kaduna refinery petrochemical Company?

1.7 Scope Of The Study

This study focuses on the understanding the role that human resource plays in enhancing productivity in the organization with emphasis on Kaduna Refinery Petrochemical Company (KRPC). The study is circumscribed around human resources and how its effective management can boost employee’s productivity positively.

1.8 Limitations Of The Study

For a research of this nature below are limitation that lead to the researcher not being able to cover all aspects of the study:

Resistance on the part of employees to supply adequate information for the study.

Another issue is that of financial constraint with the present economic situation in the country the research could not afford the face to and from the organization to get more information on weekly basis due to inadequate funds.

1.9 Definition Of Terms

Management:

Process of planning, organizing, directing, staffing and controlling the activities of an enterprise to achieve certain objectives.

Organization:

Any structural systems or corporation to get work done.

Productivity:

Efficiency in industrial product; unit of output per worker or machine.

Resources:

Refers to people, materials, equipment and information.

Policies:

A general plan of action that relates to good attainment.

Development:

Attempt to use new knowledge in the production of useful products.

Training:

Process that involves the acquisition of skills, concepts, rules or attitude in other to improve present and future performance.

Selection:

A process of choosing the best candidate for a job.

Recruiting:

A process of sourcing out potential candidates to apply for existing jobs.

Utilization:

Refers to the process of exploiting the best skills and knowledge from available human resources in an organization.