Assessment of The Effect of Manpower Training and Development on Officers’ Morale in Nigeria Paramilitary (A Case Study of Nigerian Police Force in Kaduna State)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study

The effect of training and manpower development on  employee’s  productivity  and  organization performance has  attracted  considerable  interest in  the  analytical  and  empirical  literature. On the whole,  human  resources  management  theory  has paid  considerable  attention  to  this  debate; however,  the  theoretical  predictions  are ambiguous.  Depending  on  their  underlying assumptions,  some  approaches  predict  that  the performance  of  an  organization  is  necessarily based  on  innovative  labour  force,  technology, quality  management,  and  customer  satisfaction;  while  others  see  training  as  a  tool  in  the hands  of  human  resources  managers  to  activate and  empower  the  productive  base  of  an organization.

Employee training and manpower development is very  vital  to job  productivity  and  organization performance  since  the  formal  educational  system does  not  adequately  provide  specific  job  skills  for a position in a particular organization. While, few individuals  may  have  the  requisite  skills, knowledge,  abilities  and  competencies  needed  to fit  into a  specific  job  function,  some  others  may require extensive training to acquire the  necessary  skills  to  be  able  to  fit  in  a  specific  job function and also make significant contribution to the organization’s performance.

The  human  capital  theory  provides  evidence which indicates that training and education raises the  productivity  of  workers  by  imparting  useful knowledge  and  skills,  hence  raising  workers’ future  income  by  increasing  their  lifetime earnings.  Stone (2002) also provide an explanation that links investment in training with workers’ wages. In particular, their theory draws a crucial distinction  between  general  education  and  firm-specific  training,  and  recognized  training  and human  development as  a  basic  skill  provided  for higher productivity of  a worker. Training has the distinct role in the achievement of an organizational goal by incorporating the interests of organization and the workforce.

Goldstein (2000) defined  training  as  the  systematic acquisition  and  development  of  the  knowledge, skills,  and  attitudes  required  by  employees  to adequately  perform  a  task  or  job  or  to  improve performance in the job environment. This implies that for any organization to succeed in achieving  the  objectives  of  its  training  program,  the  design and  implementation  must  be  planned  and systematic,  tailored  towards  enhancing performance  and  productivity.  Similarly, Cascio (2009) sees training  as  consisting  of  planned  programs designed  to  improve  performance  at  the individual, group and/or organizational levels.  Onasanya (2005) defines training as a form of specialized education aimed at giving the trainee a particular or specialized knowledge, skill and attitude which he  must  possess  to  effectively  perform  in  a  given position  while  development  is  concerned  with specific  programmes  designed  to  prepare  and groom  a  worker  with  particular  education  and training  for  higher  responsibilities.  Capacity building  according  to Sanusi (2002)  entails  investment  in human  capital,  institutions  and  practices necessary  to  enhance human  skills,  overhaul institutions  and  improve  procedures  and systems. Sanusi  further sees capacity  building as the internalization of the knowledge, skills and processes  that  enable  the  formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of set goals in an efficient manner; while Anyanwu (2002) views it as a  series  of  activities,  which  an  organization, enterprise or even a nation needs to undertake to provide  for  itself,  on  a  continuous  basis,  the supply  of  skilled  manpower  to  meet  its  present and  future  needs.  Manpower  development according to Anyanwu (2002) is the process of building up  human  resources  to  meet  the  needs  of  an organization.  He  stated  further  that  Manpower development  includes  investment  by  a  society  in education,  investment  by  employers  in  training employees  and  investments  by  individual  in  time and money in their own development.

Training has been an important variable in increasing organizational productivity.  Many researchers  [for  instance  Colombo E,  Stanca L; 2008]  showed  that training  is  a  fundamental  and  effectual instrument  in  successful  accomplishment  of  the firm’s  goals  and  objectives,  resulting  in  higher productivity.  Training  and  manpower development  builds  a  team  that  is  effective, efficient and  well motivating,  thereby  enhancing the confidence  and  self-esteem of  employees.  The employees’ knowledge and skills are  thus developed to adapt to new technologies and other organizational  changes. Training and manpower development also creates chances for the promotion of employees to replace those who have left the organization.  Indeed, the benefits of training and manpower  development  are innumerable.

Colombo et.al (2008) also state that one of the potent factors militating against the good performance of employees is  inadequate  training.  An employee may have the ability and determination, with  the  appropriate  equipment  and  managerial support  yet  such  employee  may  be underproductive. The missing factor in most cases according to Adeniji (2002) is  the  lack  of  adequate skills, and knowledge, which are acquired through training  and  manpower  development.  Adeniji  further  stated  that  training  reduces  employee turnover  and  promotes  goal  congruency,  while lack  of  training  increases  absenteeism  rate,  low output,  poor  quality  and  results  in  high  unit  cost. However, this study aimed at assessing the effect of manpower training and development on officers’ morale in Nigeria paramilitary with special reference to Nigerian Police Force in Kaduna State.

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