THE ROLE OF MANAGERS IN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF AN ORGANISATION

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

There is no doubt whatsoever that in the contemporary business world, that what makes organizations effective is not only the financial capacity of such organization but the caliber of human elements operating in them. That is why some organizations find it difficult to maintain their status while others continue to forge ahead.

Moreover, it is observed that some organization after being established, simply close down within a matter of time, while their contemporaries not only expand but also continue to operate successfully. The secret behind the discrepancies in the operational ability of organization depend to a large extent on their managers and the role or activities which they perform in them. Most corporate organization all over the world today not only enjoy optimum productivity but also maintain incredible competitive ability that makes them out maneuver their contemporaries due to the efficiency of their managers in business. The manager’s actions shape the destiny of their organization.

However, one may be tempted at this junction to ask who are those managers, and what function or role do they play in these corporate organization?

Our discussion of managerial roles may seem to suggest that a manager’s job is highly orchestrated and that management is a logical, orderly process in which managers rationally calculate the best way to use resources to achieve organizational goals. In reality, being a manager often involves acting emotionally and relying on gut. An immediate reaction is an important aspect of managerial action. Managers are often overloaded with a responsibility, which leaves them with little or no time to analyze every nuance of a situation, and therefore make decision in uncertain conditions without being sure which outcome will be the best.

The range of problems that managers face is enormous (high variety), in which they must deal with it simultaneously. They must make snap decisions (brevity) and many times, must rely on experience gained throughout their careers to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Managers and their subordinates learn both from their successes and from their failures.

According to (Cole ,2003), Opined that management is not an activity that exist on its own right, but rather, it is a description of variety of activities carried out by those members of organization whose role is that of a manager, that is someone who has formal responsibility for the work of at least one other person in the organization. He also explained that the activities carried out by those managers have generally been grouped in terms of planning, organizing, motivating and controlling activities. They describe manager’s jobs primarily in terms of their inputs.

Contributing more on the activities of managers in organization, (Donnelly, 2006) explains that in planning, managers determine activities, create the position and allocate responsibilities for the achievement of plans. In motivating, managers endure meeting the social and psychological needs of employees in the fulfillment of organizational goals. In controlling, managers monitor and evaluate activities and provide correcting mechanism.

Years ago, managers were thought of as people who were “the boss”, while that might still be true today, many managers view themselves as leaders than as people who tell subordinates what to do. The role of a manager is comprehensive and often very complex. Not everyone wants to be a manager, nor should everyone consider been a manager. “Managers are individuals who oversee the activities of others and provide leadership”. He added that all managers have a role as a leader, and this role includes creating, maintaining a purposive organization, motivating and disciplining employees. However, this is just an aspect of the roles which managers play in organization.

Consequently, it would not be out of place or an overstatement to assert that the pivot on which the progress of corporate organizations resolve is in the caliber of managers. But the question then is, how far and to what extent do these managers perform their roles, and what major factor impede their efforts in this direction?

It is in response to this question that necessitated this study on the role of managers in corporate organization with special reference to Nigerian Breweries (NB Plc).

1.2 Statement of the Problems

The fact that some organization perform optimally and others perform very poorly, gives credence to the testimony that there are certain variables or factors which makes organization different from one another. These differences are not only observable in the organizational structure or the environments in which these organizations operates but on the skill of the executives or managers to see to the day-to-day administration of these organization. Studies have shown that while some managers performs their managerial roles and functions with commitment and dexterity, others exhibit unusual degree of indifference in their administrative posture and such situation have often times spelt doom for their organizations.

Consequently, the discrepancy in the performance of corporate organizations especially those in the same economic environment points, to clincher that the role which their managers play and the function they perform, accounts to a large extent on success or failure of the organizations.

Against the above backdrop, studies have also shown that while some organization enjoy efficiency from their workforce, wider market share, optimal productivity and maximal profits, others not only experience the reverse in their organization but have often times find it difficult to break-even. And in the worst of such situations, some of these organizations have met their waterloo and consequently gone out of business.

The fact that some organization perform optimally while others perform abysmally, helps to identify a problem that the role of managers are indispensable factors in the success of corporate organization. However, the questions are;

1. To what extent do these managers perform their roles?
2. What constitute impediment to the successful performance of these roles?

It is as a result of the above analogy and in response to the question that informed this study on the role of managers in corporate organization with special reference to Nigerian Breweries (NB Plc).

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study aims to investigate the role of managers in effective and efficient management of an organization through the aid of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Ibadan.

Among others, the specific objectives of this study are as follows:

1. Examining the roles of managers in an organization.
2. Identifying the major management functions which managers in an organization perform to increase productivity.
3. Examining how the leadership/management style of managers affects the productivity and performance of their workers in the corporate organization under study.
4. Identifying the management problems which militate against the smooth operations of corporate organization.

1.4 Research Questions

For the purpose of achieving the objectives of this study, the following questions will be addressed:

1. Do managers have roles to play in the organization?
2. Does the function of managers in corporate organization have positive impact on the attainment of objectives by workers in the organization?
3. Does the leadership style/management style of managers affect the productivity and performance of the workers in the corporate organization understudy?
4. What are the management problems militate against the smooth operation of the corporate organization under study?

1.5 Hypotheses:

Hypothesis 1

• Ho: There is no significant relationship between managers and the roles managers play in the organization
• Hi: There will be a significant relationship between managers and the roles managers play in the organization

Hypothesis 2

• Ho: There will be no significant relationship between the function of managers in corporate organization and it’s Impact on the attainment of objectives by workers in the organization
• Hi: There will be a significant relationship between the function of managers in corporate organization and it positive Impact on the attainment of objectives by workers in the organization

1.6 Significance of the Study

The role of managers in the efficient and effective operation of corporate organization cannot be under estimated. This is because managers constitute the platform on which the success or failure of organization is drawn. This study is therefore significant because most managers would benefit (mostly inexperienced managers), since the research had unveiled the major roles which managers are expected to perform in organization to enhance the smooth and effective operation of organization.

This study is also very significant because organization would benefit immensely since the study had highlighted the management function, which most corporate organization managers had hitherto not been performing. Consequently, their (i.e. The managers) contact with this study would enable them to look inward and appreciate the relevance of such management function for the successful performance of their organization.

The study is also of immense benefit to other organizations (other than corporate organizations) since the findings and recommendations would enable them find solution to their problems especially as it affects low productivity and efficiency among the employees.

Above all, this study is very significant to students and other researchers as they would benefit from the research work. This is because the study would serve as a kind of spring board for fellow student researchers who would have interest in the subject matter in future.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

Study of this nature cannot be successfully completed without the researcher experiencing some constraints or limitation. In view of this, one of the major limitations experienced by the researcher during the course of this study was time constraint. It was not easy for the researcher to conduct an exhaustive survey of the activities of the manager in the corporate organization selected for this study and also do justice to other academic engagements within the time stipulated. For example attending regular classes and doing assignment e.t.c.

Another major limitation to this research was inadequate finance. A study of this nature require enough funds to enable the researcher make constant visit to the corporate organization chosen for the study in order to collect relevant information on the subject matter under study. But the problem of inadequate finance nearly marred the efforts of the researcher in this direction.

Another major limitation of this study was the difficulty encountered by the researcher during the administration and collection of questionnaire from the respondents. Some of the respondents proved very uncooperative and explained to the researcher that supplying any information to an outsider could mar the cordial relationship existing between them and the management in spite of the fact that the researcher made it explicit to them that the study was for academic purpose only.

1.8 Scope of the Study

As cited in (Osuala, 2000) an adequate statement of the problems also defines it very carefully in terms of its scope, as it is obvious for a researcher to set forth the bounds of the topics being researched on. To this end therefore, the scope of this study covered the role of managers in corporate organization and the organization selected for this study is Nigerian Breweries (NB Plc).

1.9 Sources of the Materials

The sources of chapter one was gotten from extensive use of University of Lagos Library where a few things were jotted from textbooks and a pilot study was carried out in the NB Plc Ibadan where the researcher carried out a field survey on the subject matter with the aid of a few questions from the staffs on the various problems they encounter on daily basis in regardless of the role their managers play whether or not there is impact on their management. Points were jotted down and were used to formulate statement of the problems of this study.

While literature for this study which comprised of the chapter two includes information(s) gotten from journals, unpublished articles, relevant text books, psychology, management and other related materials like project works. The researcher also makes extensive use of the internet where it is mentioned that the literature work are both from foreign and local books. After completion of this study it should not be surprising to readers that most of the information on “The role of Managers in Effective and Efficient Management of an Organization (a case study of NB PLC)” were got from foreign articles and literatures.