INVESTIGATING INFLUENCING FACTORS IN ORGANIZATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS (A CASE STUDY OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN NIGERIA)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Businesses are now educating their personnel to better prepare them for the aforementioned changes and to deal with the increased competition brought on by globalisation, technical improvements, and changes in the political and economic climate (Evans et al., 2012). The enormous proof of knowledge expansion in business firms over the previous 10 years must not be ignored. Increased attempts to develop organisational human resources, technological advancements, and a variety of production-related factors have all contributed to this expansion.Every company must, therefore, make a substantial effort to improve employee performance at work by putting training and development programmes in place. Employees are an important resource, thus it is important to maximise their contribution to the business's aims and goals in order to sustain effective performance. Therefore, supervisors must ensure that there is a sufficient pool of employees who are both technically and socially skilled and have the ability to develop into specialised departments or management positions (Afshan et al., 2012).

The most important part of human resource management is employee training and development, which is gradually gaining attention from businesses. Employee development, which frequently takes the form of training, is a crucial resource that employers may use to promote employee growth and raise productivity.According to Ezeani and Oladele (2013), this kind of programme is known to enhance participants' functional, cognitive, and psychomotor abilities. Undoubtedly one of the most important organisational activities is the expansion of the workforce. It acts as a pivotal moment in how a company handles its survival. The employee development process is one of the most popular approaches to boost individual productivity and communicate organisational goals to personnel (Olaniyan & Lucas, 2008). Therefore, how effectively we build and employ human resource skills will be a significant determinant in deciding how much the Nigerian public sector will be able to do overall. Human resources are the centre of all human institutions. Even in affluent and industrialised nations where the use of technology and machinery is at an advanced degree, labour is still quite vital (Comma, 2018).

Employee development enables access to potential future chances for growth and development to gain a competitive edge. In this situation, businesses spend as much time as possible educating and developing their staff to increase their performance (Devi &Shaik, 2012). Leading academics have long recognised that management has a significant role in employees' growth (Irene, 2013). Every organisation must invest in physical, interpersonal, cognitive, and other types of training to increase production and foster worker growth (Olusanya et al, 2012). Any size business management requires hiring competent workers. The traditional educational system does not adequately teach the job-specific skills required for a position in a particular organisation. Few employees have the SKACs (Skills, Knowledge, Abilities, and Competences) required to do their duties. In order to be able to meaningfully contribute to the organization's growth, especially in the public sector, people must undergo extensive training to acquire the necessary SKAC (Baha et al., 2015).

Furthermore, in order to ensure economic growth and effective performance, the contribution of employees to the goals and objectives of the public sector must be maximised. In developing countries like Nigeria, the effectiveness of public sector organisations depends on the training and development of human resources (Ezeani & Oladele, 2013).  To guarantee that there is a sufficient pool of workers who are socially and technically proficient and qualified to progress into management or specialised fields, employee development is also crucial. As a consequence, training is essential to the process of employee growth, which is always needed. Training should thus be seen as a key component of the entire quality management process.

According to Beardwell and Holden (2015), the recognition of the importance of employee development in public sector organisations in Nigeria has been significantly impacted by the recent rise in business competition and the relative success of companies that place a high priority on staff development. So, training and development are crucial for improved performance in the public sector. Without it, employees don't have a clear knowledge of their responsibilities.Employee development refers to initiatives that offer staff members opportunities for learning new skills, expanding their knowledge base, or developing their careers. When it was discovered that foreigners dominated the majority of the top government and business positions in 1960, training in the public sector started (Olalere & Adesoji, 2013). Due to the flight of the European population, there was a severe lack of competent native human capital after independence. In response, the Federal Government of Nigeria created a Manpower Board in 1962 in accordance with the Ashby Commission's recommendations (Olalere & Adesoji, 2013).

The Federal Government of Nigeria established supplementary institutions like the Central Area for Management Development (CMD), Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), and Federal Training Centre in order to train and retrain staff members as well as give guidance to graduates of formal academic institutions(Olalere & Adesoji, 2013). Development fills in the gap between an ideal and an optimal stage of growth. On the workplace, however, needs become apparent when desired and actual work techniques or results are contrasted.The general techniques, performance analysis, and competency evaluation are three ways to identify needs, according to Smith and de Cronje (2010). Performance analysis focuses more on defects or problems than competency evaluation does on areas that may be improved.Trainers design a training course to provide employees the skills they need after deciding how they believe people should act. Only when it has been determined which employees need it and what their current levels, knowledge, and abilities are, can training be put into action.As a result, the assessment of the individual will highlight the range of skills and knowledge that must be learned. Remember that the difference between actual performance and desired performance, which will then reveal the amount of training needed, will finally decide the training gap. Bridging the performance gap between the required standard performance and the existing performance is accomplished through employee development, which includes mentoring. Training may be delivered through a variety of methods, such as coaching and mentoring, peer collaboration, and participation from the subordinates.

On the other hand, performance is a personal interpretation of reality, which accounts for the concept's and its measuring instruments' wide range of critical comments. The fact that there have been so many studies on performance at the international level is also due to the global financial crisis, which has led to a continuing need for advancement in the field of entity performance.Although it is commonly used in academic writing, the phrase "organisational performance" is rarely defined. Due to the wide variety of concepts used to define performance, it is well acknowledged that this concept may be misunderstood. Because of this, it is common to define organisational performance using terms like productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, economic system, earning potential, revenue, and competitiveness. A specific and explicit definition of the term "performance" is therefore becoming more and more crucial.Midway through the nineteenth century, the word "performance" first used to refer to the result of an athletic contest. In the 20th century, the idea expanded and produced a series of definitions that were meant to cover the fullest possible range of what is possible to perceive via performance. Right now, every performance is bound to certain organisational objectives and aims. Getting the intended results is equivalent to achieving the aims. This is due to the complexity and proliferation of an organization's goals, as well as the fact that performance is a relative indicator and hence difficult to quantify.

Employee development is a key tool that must be used to enhance public sector performance if the public sector is to expand and flourish. In the public sector, both employers and employees stand to gain from it. When a person is adequately taught, his effectiveness and productivity increase, which improves organisational performance.  Employers who provide significant training and development may generate and enhance the quality of their present staff. Training is required to boost productivity as well as to excite and encourage employees by letting them understand how important their jobs are and providing them with all the knowledge they need to perform their responsibilities (Anonymous, 2016). In general, employee development has the following advantages: higher job satisfaction, greater motivation, and morale, which translate into financial gains; increased process efficiency; additional capacity to adopt innovative techniques; increased innovation in strategies and products; and lower employee turnover, which will generally improve the performance of the public sector.

Numerous research studies have been conducted recently that focus on different facets of training programmes as well as their costs and benefits for business organisations (Becker & Gerhart, 2016). These studies can either be descriptive or prescriptive. As businesses have come to see the need of training for their survival in the knowledge-intensive and volatile markets of our period, they are also increasingly recognising the profitability of developing their human resources through various forms of training (Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2011). The human resource capital of every organisation is essential, therefore people may be enhanced via training and retraining (Khan et al., 2011).

Despite the obvious value of training, it is often believed that programmes will always impart the same quantity of knowledge. Some human resources departments seldom ever think about whether training a particular employee at a certain time is appropriate or essential. Oftentimes, employers send workers to training with ulterior motives.Nelson (2010) found that some companies forego employee training because they are afraidboth financially and psychologicallyof losing their skilled employees.It is based on the backdrop that the present study aims to examine the influencing Factors in Organizational Training Programs: A Case Study of the Public Sector in Nigeria.

Statement of the Problem

The performance and efficiency of the Nigerian public sector have remained low despite several government interventions and initiatives throughout the years. If those responsible for carrying out government policies and managing public affairs are not knowledgeable and well-trained, there would undoubtedly be a problem, and obviously the accomplishment of the goals for which they were employed might be impacted. This is because training and development have played a significant role in elevating the Nigerian public service to an admirable level.Employee development's major objective is to provide people with the information they need to be qualified for a particular job or to improve their skills and effectiveness in the position they now hold. Staff development, on the other hand, comprises expansion and the gaining of extensive experience for future organisational goals. Employee training is an essential element of greater organisational performance since it raises the level of both individual and organisational abilities.The benefits of investing in training are not always reflected in public sector organisations, despite the fact that it is widely regarded as one of the strategies required by enterprises to improve organisational performance and productivity (Asfew et al., 2015). Despite several government interventions and attempts, the Nigerian public sector still performs badly and inefficiently.Given the significant role that training and development have played in elevating the Nigerian public service to an admirable level, there will undoubtedly be a problem if those responsible for carrying out governmental policies and managing public affairs are not adequately trained and knowledgeable. It is discovered that prior studies have focused on the significance and advantages of training, and no research has been done on the difficulties faced by the motor vehicle administration agency's human resources divisions in making staff training/development decisions. In order to fill this gap, the researcher is compelled to conduct a study on influencing Factors in Organizational Training Programs: A Case Study of the Public Sector in Nigeria.

1.3    Aim and Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the influencing Factors in Organizational Training Programs: A Case Study of the Public Sector in Nigeria. Other specific objectives study includes:

1. To examine the effect of on the job training on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria.
2. To determine the impact of off-the-job training on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria
3. To examine the effect of internship on employee commitment in federal minidtry of environmet Abuja Nigeria

Research Questions

          The following questions guided this study;

1. What effect does on the job training has on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria?
2. To what extent does the off-the-job training affect employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria.?
3. What effect does internship has on employee commitment in federal minidtry of environmet Abuja Nigeria?

1.5 Research Hypotheses                    

In order to enable the researcher to determine the influencing Factors in Organizational Training Programs: A Case Study of the Public Sector in Nigeria, the following hypotheses were tested:

Hypothesis 1

H0: There is no significant effect on the job training on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria

H1:There is no significant effect on the job training on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant effectoff the job training on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria

H1: There is a significant effectoff the job training on employee commitment in federal ministry of environment Abuja Nigeria

Hypothesis 3

H0: There is no significant effect of internship on employee commitment in federal minidtry of environmet Abuja Nigeria

H1: There is a significant effect of internship on employee commitment in federal minidtry of environmet Abuja Nigeria

1.6 Significance of the Study

          The study will help firms understand the importance of development and training programs. It will also enable them structure their development and training programs to make them more effective in terms of helping to improve the efficiency of the workforce and lead to better performance. This also ensures the existence of a pool of skilled workforce who could be utilized for national development. Labour is a major input to the success of the company. If labour is efficient it will help improve the performance of the company. As companies perform better they are able to increase output and contribute more to the economy. They are also able to grow and hire more people thus helping to decrease the level of unemployment. As companies perform better, they are also able to compete better enabling the economy to remain vibrant.

          The study will help the top management in taking strategic decision that affect training and development for the overall growth of Abuja state motor vehicle administration agency

          The study will also be of great benefit to student researchers who wish to research more into the impact employee training has had on the overall performance of public organizations. The study will serve as a guide to these students who may further get more insights into the recommendations and findings from the study thereby, forming an empirical literature for them.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is limited on the impact of staff training and development on organizational performance in Federal Ministry of Environment. The study is also delimited to employee development programmes, employee training design and delivery style, post-training performance evaluation of training on organizational performance of public organizations. Furthermore, the geographical scope of the work will be in Abuja state in Nigeria.