CULTURAL FACTORS AFFECTING WORKERS PRODUCTIVITY IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS IN ENUGU STATE)

ABSTRACT

It is a well-known fact that business organization develops a particular work practice and management attitude, which relied, their shared values, aspirations and goals. A workforce is made up of people with diverse values and aspirations and goals. A workforce is made up of people with diverse vales and aspirations, the organization is expected to recognize these values. The more the organization accept these values, the higher the morale and productivity of the employee. This is easier when member of this organization are drawn from the same ethnic configuration. The culture of people which constitute the organization, would which to express their diverse values and expected that such to be respected.  Culture  constitutes  the  spiritual  consciousness  of people and it is deep rooted in their daily lives and they will give their best to those who will make them grow and allow them remain their basic core values. However, in any organization there are  power  bases  and  corporate  culture  are influenced  by the culture of that power base. In most organizations in Nigeria, the culture of the host community and country at large determines how work is done. The study discovered that management practices are influenced by culture, the cultural orientation of the company’s management determines the management practice the adopt. It is the management responsibility to cause its workforce to stretch in other to align to the culture being practice by the organization. In the light of the above, this study employs a descriptive survey method in analyzing the impact of culture in organization performance. Primary and secondary source of data were employed. Questionnaires were developed and distributed to the stall of the NBC for a first hand information and chi-square were used to analyse the data and recommendations were made.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

All organizational have certain resources, which they utilize to achieve the organizational objectives. In modern times, these resources are money, man, materials and machine. Akpala (1999:2). He stresses the need for the combination and utilization of these resources for attaining organizational goals. These goals are about getting an organization into division of labour, assigning work to different people, creation of hierarchy and establishment of power centers. All these are being performed through and with individuals in an ever changing organizational environment. So manager have to adjust their managerial operations in the context of environmental factors just as the exchange between the organization and the factors of its environment can bring about and influence the organization, Hampton (1992:120.

One of environmental factor that concerns this study in a way is  culture  and  its  influence  on  organization  performance. Trewartha and Newport (1995:162) gave the

meaning of culture from the anthropological and sociological standpoint saying that it referred to the belief, behaviour, norms, and values within a given society. It refers to learned behavioural traits shared by members of a given society. Ugbaja (1999:142). It is stepped in tradition and heritage. But looking at culture from organization and management point of view, it is the tradition and heritage that influence the pattern of combining and utilizing the resources of an organization. Nwatu (1999:15).

Culture also influence attitude of people towards work, the character of organization objectives, authority relationships, styles of leadership, the extent of the use of controls and the way employees are rewarded. This assertion seems to the supported by past studies. On the basis of a 6 years empirical study of 34 firms, Pascal (1997:125) report that managerial or management systems are not absolute, rather they are socially and culturally determined. Pascal maintains that across, all cultures and in all societies people when coming together to perform work encounter common problems, having to do with established direction, co- ordination and motivation.

The values and belief of an organization are a manifestation of the kind of good that its members should strive to meet, as well as ideas about the standard of behaviour members should utilize in achieving these goals. From these organizational values, management will develop guidelines and expectations, prescribing the kind of behaviour deemed appropriate for employees to demonstrate in particular situations, thus guiding and controlling the interaction  of all members of the organization. The effects of this will be to given an overall corporate “feel” the internal and external interactions. It is widely acknowledged that organizational culture has an impact upon company performance.

Accordance to Joanna Martin (1992) the objective of studying organizational life more. One of the eminent themes that is often discussed and debated in the management and business literature is the influence of corporate culture on organizational performance.

Corporate culture is a management philosophy and a way of managing on organization in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of its performance (Kotler and Heskett, 2006).

Understanding of the importance of corporate culture is evident when most organizations acknowledge the fact that an organization’s knowledge the fact that an organization’s well founded culture could contribute to the achievement in every aspect of performance whether in growth, finance and economy. It is against this background that this study is set organizational performance.

1.2    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

As culture can be seen as a pattern or collection of traditions, values, beliefs, policies and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything one does and thinks in an organization. Therefore cultural factors have drastic influence on how organizations are being run, which must be effective but inefficient. These cultural factors might conflict with one another because people with different cultural background come together to pursuit a common goal.

Nevertheless some of the organizational leaders lack the ability to analyse and evaluate these cultural factors, thus, this result into low commitment among worker, lack of job satisfaction, low productivity, dysfunction of norm and values,

and vision fail. Therefore the study seek to investigate the cultural factors affecting workers productivity in Nigeria.

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of his research include the following:

1.To identify how organizational culture influences organizational performance.

2.To  identify  how  organizational  culture  affect  management decision making.

3.To  identify  how  organizational  culture  influence  employees behaviour.

1.4    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.To what extent does organizational culture affects organization performances?

2.To what extent does organizational culture affects management decision making?

3.To what extent does organizational culture influence employee’s behaviour?

4.To  what  extent  does  culture  helps  employee,  to  adapt  to organizational internal environment.

1.5    RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The null hypotheses are:

Ho1:Organizational    culture    does    not    affect    organization performance.

Ho2:Organizational   culture   does   not   influence   management decision making.

Ho3:Organizational    culture    doe    not    influence    employees behaviour.

1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study shall show the effect of culture in organizational performance as it relates to management of Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) “coca-cola” Nevertheless the research will be limited to the study of NBC 9th Mile Corner Enugu, within 2007 to

2011.

1.7    LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This research would have covered a larger geographical area and shape but some circumstances would not warrant an exhaustive investigation about this study. Some of them are:

i)Financial Constraint

Because of the poor economic situation in the country, money lost its value and lost its purchasing power. As such the income of the researcher which is low could not go higher than normal in carrying out this research. Purchasing of books, browsing the internet requires money and was not at the disposal of the researcher to expand the research beyond this stage.

ii)Time Constraint

“Time and tide waits for no man” the research was carried out amidst other assignments and examinations that students normally and usually have. So, it took a little time (lapse of time)  between  writing the project, reading and attending lectures, writing the assignment, and studying for final exams.

iii)Dearth/Paucity of Information

Obtaining or gaining information is on itself a difficult encounter, managers of coca-cola failed to offer concrete information for tear of selling their age long established strategies.The interact also did not offer any important information. This really expanded much of the

researchers time and energy as the people who had information hid it for fear that the researcher was on espionage.

iv)Fatiquiz/Hunglr

This is tiredness caused by movement from place to place laggardly but doggedly determined to achieving success. The researcher found out in the course of the study that couldn’t help to avoid sleeping. “One cannot cheat nature after all” sometimes, lack of food to eat became a point of weakness.

v)Other Economic Problem

The state of the economy was very excruciating that fuel scarcity, epileptic power failure, bad roads, high transportation costs, and lack of water posed a serious threat to this research.

1.8    THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF COCA-COLA

The best known taste in the world is an ice-cold bottle or glass of coca-cola. Coca-cola was first made on 8th May, 1886 in Atlanta, Geogia, USA by Dr. John Styth Pemberton, a pharmacist. It was named coca-cola by Frank M. Robinson,

Dr. Pemberton’s partner and book keeper. He also designed the flowing script that distinguishes the famous the trade mark.

Coca-cola content remains a secret as they have been (hr over 100 years). The formula known as MERCHANDIX 7X is kept in a special security vault in a hank in the unified states. Coca-cola is made by first, selecting the bottles (both new and returned), and dispose of those with defects. The bottles are then washed thoroughly. After this, the bottles are then washed thoroughly. After this, the bottles are closely scrutinized to ensure they UI’C another section of the plant, pure refined sugar is added to give you refreshing coca-cola. At this step coca-cola is how measured into bottle mechanically. People got to know about. Coca-cola for the first time through Dr. Pemberton is advertising and marketing activities.

Moreover,  coca-cola  came to Nigeria in  1953 when the Nigerian Bottling Company opened its first plan  in Lagos. Coca- cola produces a lot of drinks including Coke, Fanta Orange, Fanta Ginger Ale, Fanta Blue, Fanta Soda, Fanta Chapman, Sprite, Krest Bitter Lemon, Schweppes Bitter

Lemon, Soda Tonic and Eva Table Water and Five Alive Fruit Juice which is produced locally under license as a result of the current federal government ban on importation of foreign brands in retail packs.

Nevertheless, Nigerian Bottling Company Plc (NBC), which is part of coca-cola, vas incorporated in Nigerian on 22 November,

1951 as a private limited liability company to bottle and market carbonated non alcoholic beverages. The company became a public company in 1972 with shares listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange.  The company has sole franchise is bottle coca-cola products in Nigeria. It commenced production of coca-cola in 1953 at a bottling facility in Lagos and new plant in afterward. The company generates its own power and is self-sufficient in carbon dioxide and water production.

Currently,  it  has  16  bottling  facilities  located  around  (lie country and it uses more than 80 distribution warehouses and

200,000 distribution outlets with corporate Head Office in Ebute- Melta, Lagos.

Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has helped to develop other industries, such as Delta Glass Company which

produces limited which manufacture bottle crowns. Benin plastic company which makes plastic cases (crates) for bottle. These are sources of employment for many Nigeria.

i)NBC employs thousands of Nigerians.

ii)NBC has several dealers for (S products all over Nigeria, all of whom are called on once a week.

iii)NBC is the largest manufacturer of carbondioxide (Co2) gas for making soft drinks.

iv)NBC has the largest privately own fleet of delivery trucks, pick- ups and cars in Nigeria – all working bring delicious coca- cola to you.

There is no doubt that Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) is one of the largest employer of labour in the non-oil private sector of the Nigerian economy. During sector of the Nigerian Economy. During its financial year ended December 31, 2003, NBC posted a profit after tax (PAT) of N4.2 bullion on a gross posted a profit after tax compared with N2.8 billion on a turnover of N34.9 billion during the previous year (2001). Nigerian Bottling Company puts something back into the society as a reward for patronizing its product mainly through philanthropic activities. For example, the company is a leader

in the crusade for environmental protection (EP). It is also a major sponsor  sporting  events  also  very  conscious  of  its  social responsibilities. For this reason, it sponsors activities such as: i)Football,   where   it  sponsors  the  national  team   and  local

competition.

ii)Table tennis, the Nigeria (close) championships. iii)The conservation movement

iv)Activities of the disabled v)Olympic games and

vi)Many communal events and projects

Furthermore  the  Nigerian  Bottling Company (NBC) plant located at 9th mile corner Enugu is one of the numerous coca-cola plants in Nigeria. The plant was installed in 1973 to produce coca- cola soft drinks for the people (consumers) around and beyond Enugu State. And their vision is to be the best managed plant in the region/NBC” while their process system management mission statement is “we have search the world for the best practice, fount it, measure it adopted and adapted it to suit out business and our consumers. Now we are using it while we keep checking that it is still the best practice (Onodugo and Eze, 2002).

The separate plants located at different places in Nigeria including the Enugu 9th mile corner are run like a chain store.

1.9    DEFINITION OF TERMS

!Culture

The  beliefs  and  attitudes  about  something  that  people  in  a particular group or organization share.

!Compensation

Things that makes something better.

!Motivation

The  reason  why somebody does  something  or  behaves  in  a particular way.

!Norms

A situation or a pattern of behaviour that is usual or expected.

!Organizational

A group of people who form a business, club etc. together in order to achieve a particular aim or goal.

!Rituals

The repetitive sequence of activities that express and reinforce the key values of the organization.

!Spiritually

The inner life that nourishes, by meaningful work that takes place in the context of community.

!Valves

Values about what is right and wrong and what is important in life.

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