ABSTRACT
This study focused on the organization of government media houses with a view to finding the major problems militating against their performing efficiently using NTA and FRCN Enugu as case studies. It was hoped that when these problems are detected and located, solutions will easy to proffer.
The researcher carried out a survey study using sets of questionnaire to gather data from 245 respondents. The response rate was 100% because the researcher had to visit some respondents several times before they were moved to fill the questionnaire. The tools used for analyzing data are frequency tables or percentages.
Sequel to a meticulous analysis of these data collected in the study through questionnaires, the following findings among others were made.
Most of the staff has low involvement in decision making.
There are staffs who have overstayed their usefulness.
There is inadequate availability of infrastructure.
Majority of the staff are dissatisfied with the general working conditions.
Subject to these and other findings, the researcher recommended the following among others.
Government should grant these media houses autonomy and independence.
These media houses should be fully commercialized to improve efficiency.
Flexible approach to management should replace the old rigid and mechanistic system.
Adequate infrastructure should be put in place so as to meet the ability to move with the trend in new technology and innovations.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The study is essentially concerned with the management of government media houses in Nigeria with the Nigerian Television Authority, Enugu and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Enugu as reference points.
It is perhaps very difficult to imagine what today’s organizations would have been like without management. It may not even be possible to have such organizations where groups of people come together for a common purpose. This is because for them to come together requires the coordination of the various resources-human, material, financial and informational. Indeed, organizations would have remained a mere figment of imagination without management because that would rob it of the backbone upon which it is built. Even the basic family structure would have been destroyed before its very beginning was management to be isolated. The above scenario shows that management is not only as old as man but also pervasive. It cuts across all activities as long as there are a group of people who have come together to achieve a common purpose.
Management could refer to the process or the people who carry it out. As Akpala (1999:2) posits, “the management process
is basically the combination and utilization of organizational resources towards the achievement of the common or organizational objectives”. As people, the process of management is carried out through people who coordinate the various activities necessary for the accomplishment of organizations’ goals and objectives. They are the managers who guide and combine the other resources, including the employees (labour), in order to ensure that a given task is achieved.
Accomplishment of set goals and objectives are the main reasons or purpose of setting up an organization. Therefore, organizations operate as social tools to produce goods and services needed by the society. In order to achieve these purposes, most organizations pursue three goals which may be intermeshed or independent ends in themselves. These are growth, stability and interaction. If any of the three is lacking in an organization, it may fall into problems that would hinder it from achieving its set goals and objectives.
Basically, organizational problems arise out of defect in the performance of certain management functions. These functions are planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.
Planning is the most basic of all managerial functions. It involves designing purposes and objectives and establishing methods of attaining them. According to Akpala, strategic plan is a
win the war plan. Koontz et al (1980:156) describes planning as a fundamental factor in the survival of any organization. A plan is an outline of the actions by which the organization intends to accomplish its goals (Pride et al, 1991: 137). According to Fulmer (1978:94), “failing to plan means planning to fail. Whatever the activity…whatever the stakes…the person who refuses to plan is agreeing to trust all outcomes to the probabilities of chance.
Planning deals with the overall direction of the work to be done. It includes forecasting future trends, assessing resources and developing objectives for performance. It inevitably means making decisions about the area of work in which to engage, and how to use resources. Managers therefore invest time and effort in developing a sense of direction for the organization or their part of it and express this in a set of objectives (Boddy, 2008: 20). Planning is the task of setting objectives, specifying how to achieve them, implementing the plan and evaluating the results. Planning if done well brings four main benefits in that it clarifies direction, motivates people, helps to use resources efficiently, provides a way to measure progress.
Planning according to Cole (2004: 147) involves decisions about ends (objectives) as well as means and decisions about conduct as well as results. The objectives set for an organization will be determined mainly by the view of its owners or senior
management as to what is its prime purpose. Thus, the objectives of a business organization will be based around concepts such as profitability, customer service, shareholder satisfaction and employee motivation. The clarification and definition of key objectives is vital for any organization since these are what provide it with a sense of direction and mission.
It should be noted that planning should not just be the prerogative of top management. Indeed, as far as planning is concerned, all hands must be on deck. Getting everybody involved in the planning process ensures that everybody is integrated in the organizational ideas, thereby making them well focused and true team members in the achievement of the organizations’ goals and objectives. To that extent, nobody feels left out or alienated.
Organizing which is the second function in the managerial process starts with and builds on the planning function. It entails the breaking down of the activity of the organization into divisions, departments and sections. The process is further broken down into operative activities or jobs in order to facilitate the achievement of organizational objectives by management. What then emerges from this whole process is an organizational structure which serves as a means or tool of promoting the coordinated performance of the activities in the organization.
Organizing as Boddy(2008:21) posits, is the activity of moving abstract plans closer to realization by deciding how to allocate time and effort. It includes creating a structure for the organization, developing policies for human resources management and deciding what equipment people need. Organizing involves the grouping or arrangement of jobs and other activities so that the organization’s goals and objectives could be achieved in the most efficient and effective manner (Eboh,
2002:11). Fulmer notes that the skills of organization include the grouping of the component jobs, the assignment of groups activities to manager, the delegation of authority to carry them out and the establishment of the relationship that shall exist between the working division (Fulmer, 1978:58-59). One way of enhancing this process is through the organizational chart even though this does not on its own ensure sound organization.
Directing deals with the activity of generating effort and commitment, including motivating individuals and teams (Boddy,
2008:21). Directing is an attempt to influence other people to achieve particular objectives. Directing deals with leadership, communication and motivation as its essential elements. Its importance lies in the ability through performance to work towards the commencement of organizational objectives. According to Fulmer, “failure to make clear the goals, objectives and methods is
failure to direct. Organizations should be directed as a car is steered”.
The human resource component of any organization is very important if the goals of that organization must be met. To this end, they must be led in the right path so that results achieved must align with goals intended. This involves influencing them to understand and work for these goals. To be well led, the human resource must be also adequately motivated so that their own individual goals would not be in conflict with that of the organization. It when the employees see the achievement of their individual goals that they would work their hearts out for the organization. Indeed, the twin issues of leading and motivation are essential ingredients of directing (Eboh, 2002:13-14).
Controlling as Pride et al (1991:139) posit, “Controlling is the process of evaluating and regulating on-going activities to ensure that goals are achieved”. It is a three step process involving: setting standards, measuring actual performance and taking corrective action. As Fulmer (1978:59-60) points out, “control is the practice of making sure that events go as planned. Control is the attempt to eliminate all surprises…A project that is out of control has little chance of ending according to plan”.
In the control process, a standard is set. This standard could be an objective, deadline, or a desired behaviour. The plans are
then implemented with the aim of attaining the standard set. Thereafter, the result-the outcome of the plan that has been implemented –is compared with the standard set. That is, the standard reached is compared with the standard that was set. In the event of any deviation or variation between the standard set and one attained, corrective steps are taken to avoid future deviations so that results or output achieved conform to the intended or expected standard. If however, there is no deviation between the two, the activity continues unaltered.
Bracey et al (1981:102) points that controlling on its part involves the measurement of accomplishment of events or goals against the established standard of plan and the correction of deviations to ensure attainment of objectives according to plan. The essence of control is to ensure that a check and balance mechanism is in place to make management remain focused all the time. Controlling according to Boddy (2008:22) is the task of monitoring progress, comparing it with plan and taking corrective action. Control also provides an opportunity to learn from past events.
These four managerial functions are interrelated and must be pursued with a holistic systems approach if the organization is to remain effective. No organization can afford to overlook these
functions and hope to survive in business in an increasingly dynamic and challenging business world.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Media houses in Nigeria have mostly failed to achieve many of the reasons for establishing them. Majority of them have remained “sick babies” while some have faced death. These media houses have largely been criticized for their inefficiency, unresponsiveness to the needs of a growing and dynamic economy. In a bid to make these corporations productive, government had embarked on a re-organization exercise.
In 1988, the Federal Government promulgated Decree No 25 which enunciated the privatization and commercialization effort of government. The policy was aimed at assessing the net worth of all government agencies ascertaining their viability or otherwise and making a decision on their outright sale to the public, making them self sustaining by strict commercialization. and or partially subventing them up till a time when they will be perceived to have attained self sustaining capability. The partial commercialization effort in the NTA was pursued with vigour and in July 1992, a performance agreement was formally signed between the Federal government, the Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization (TCPC) and the Nigerian Television Authority(NTA).
However, this has not made these corporations more productive, more efficient and less dependent on the government for funding. The failure to address the fundamental organizational problems inherent in these corporations has resulted to their inability to record any significant improvement over the decades. The situation has always seemed as “turning new wine into an old skin”. The problems are summarized below:-
Media houses are referred to as “government babies” and are funded by the government who own them. Unfortunately, they have failed to achieve most of the objectives for which they have been established and this has led to their unproductive and inefficient posture and equally to their inability to move with the trend in the new millennium broadcasting technology and innovations.
Government interference in the running of these media houses has been identified as a major problem. With the appointment of unqualified personnel (as a political compensation) it becomes even more difficult for these corporations to attain organizational goals and corporate excellence. This interference by government has led to organizations poor policy formulation and an unhealthy and un-conducive organizational climate.
Management of most government owned media houses in Nigeria are not concerned about employees’ welfare and motivation. This has resulted in low morale and lack of job satisfaction on the part of the employees’.
The enormous size of these media houses has led to a vague organizational focus and an under-staffing in several departments. This has adversely affected the performance and corporate excellence of these corporations.
Lack of subordinates’ involvement in decision making process affects their job performance in particular and the attainment of corporate excellence in general.
Lack of delegation of tasks, authority and the close supervision of the subordinates by their superiors kills employees’ initiatives and enthusiasm. This greatly impinges on employees’ performance and drastically affects the attainment of corporate excellence.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of a study entails what the study intends to achieve at the completion of the research. Having identified the problem, the following objectives are pursued in this study:
1. To ascertain the level of availability of infrastructure in moving with the trend in the new millennium broadcasting technology and innovations.
2. To determine the organizations most significant problem of inefficiency.
3. To determine the employees’ level of satisfaction with the general working conditions in the organization thereby ascertaining its key role in enhancing productivity and efficiency.
4. To determine the level of subordinates involvement in decision making.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This research study will seek to find answers to the following questions:
1. What is the level of availability of infrastructure?
2. What is considered as the organizations’ most significant problem of inefficiency?
3. What is the level of satisfaction derived in the organization?
4. Do subordinates participate in decision making?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The hypotheses for this research study are as follows:
H0: Adequate availability of infrastructure does not enhance productivity and efficiency.
H1: Adequate availability of infrastructure enhances productivity and efficiency.
H0: Government control is not the most significant problem of inefficiency in government media houses.
H2: Government control is the most significant problem of inefficiency in government media houses.
H0: Adequate level of job satisfaction does not play a key role in enhancing productivity and efficiency.
H3: Adequate level of job satisfaction plays a key role in enhancing productivity and efficiency.
H0: Subordinates involvement in decision making does not affect job performance in particular and the attainment of corporate excellence in general.
H4: Subordinates involvement in decision making affects job performance in particular and the attainment of corporate excellence in general.
The above statements shall be tested using the chi-square test through the use of questionnaires that will be sent out to verify the correctness of each statement and the opinion of the individual employees in the organizations under study.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH
The significance of this study can be viewed from two major standpoints-practical and academic.
1. Practical Significance: This kind of study will assist in broadening understanding or the scope of knowledge of the following:
Help the government identify the shortcomings in the organizational structure of the media houses which has contributed in making them counter productive.
Help the NTA and FRCN management identify some of the shortcomings of its organizational structure and help them formulate a better structure to suit its new thrust at commercialization.
2. Academic Significance: In the academic arena, this study will prove to be significant in the following way:
The study will serve as a body of reserved knowledge to be referred to by researchers.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The conduct of research in Nigeria and of course indeed all developing countries is imbued with a lot of problems. This research study would have been extended to include the analysis of data from all NTA and FRCN stations and zonal centres nationwide but for the following constraints:
High financial requirement involved in traveling to these places for the required information.
Inadequacy of time which is limited to a specific time frame.
Anticipated delays in filling and returning questionnaires by respondents.
But despite all these, necessary attempts and efforts will be made to gather pertinent facts.
1.8 DELIMITATIONS/SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is very wide if it has to be carried out in all government media houses in Nigeria. This research study is restricted to the Nigerian Television Authority, Enugu and Federal Radio Nigeria, Enugu to enable the researcher cover it in a single study. They are purely government media outfits and hence suit the study well.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
On this aspect the researcher will give explanations to terms that have unique use to the study:
MEDIA: The main ways that large number of people receive information and entertainment i.e. television, radio, newspapers. PRIVATIZATION: To sell a business or an industry so that it is no longer owned by the government.
COMMERCIALIZATION: To use something to make profit, especially in a way that other people do not approve of. SUBVENTION: An amount of money that is given by a government, etc. to help an organization.
NETWORK: To broadcast a television or radio programme on stations in several different areas at the same time.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
MANAGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT MEDIA HOUSES (A STUDY OF THE NIGERIAN TELEVISION AUTHORITY ENUGU AND FEDERAL RADIO CORPORATION OF NIGERIA ENUGU)
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