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DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SMALL FIRMS

Amount: ₦5,000.00 |

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1-5 chapters |



ABSTRACT

The project is on the determinants of human resource management practices in small firms. The brief background of the study captures U.C block industry as a case study. The type of staff required for small scale business is mainly unskilled staff with little or no qualification but with the physical strength to match the work profile. The major problem of the study is declining performance of firms in the block industry in Enugu and its environs due to such factors as hiring of people over 40 years of age for labour, inadequate contacts and lack of sensitivity  in  the  choice  of  location.  The  objectives  of  the  study  were:  to  identify  the relationship between hiring people over 40 years of age for labour in a block industry and performance.   To  examine  the  effect  of  lack   of  adequate  contact/public   relation  and performance and to carryout a sensitivity analysis of location in the positioning of a block industry. Data collection instrument were questionnaires, interviews and observation. A total of nine (9) questionnaires were distributed to workers of U.C. block industry personally by the researcher out of which  seven (7) were duly completed  while likert scale method was applied in solving the  research hypotheses        ∑fx. The findings indicate that MAN is the most important factor of production; work N  is done for the satisfaction it brings other than MONEY  EXCEPT  working because of the money or the nature of work required  in the business  will  determine  the  HRM  practice  of  that  firm.  The  study  from  its  findings recommends that: proper operational goals should be adhered to. The work attitude of the staff  should  be improved  to  help  management.  Management  should  involve  the  staff  in constant training/development to ensure efficient and effective delivery.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF STUDY

A block industry is a going concern  like any other small firm set up for the purpose  of block   production/manufacture   in   small   or   large   quantities   for   commercial   venture. Ekpenyong  (1995,  P. 23) this  concept  was born out of the need  to save  time,  cost and professional torch in block production. To produce and deliver good quality blocks require good cement with the correct weight bag, clean water that is not salty or hard but suitable for drinking, sharp and clean sand devoid of clay or lumps, preferably river sand. Use of correct

dosage, measurement and careful mixture to be molded as fast as possible especially when the weather is sunny and dry. Allow curing properly before delivery and always delivering the blocks produced first (FIFO). Production process of sandcrete block involves composite material made up of cement, sand and water mixed in their correct proportions to produce blocks  in different  dimensions.  Unicem  Journal  (2011  P. 34).  One should  buy only the quantity required for the week or for a fortnight, Store the  cement in a dry area and away from  the wall,  Use wooden plank/pallets  or  waterproof sheets.  Handling  requires one to always  adopt first  in first out approach  (FIFO),  cement  that conforms  to standard  if not properly stored will be exposed to moisture in the air resulting to caking therefore cement in normal  polypropylene  bags  should  be  stored  in  such  an  environment  that  will  ensure satisfactory performance after 2-3 weeks. Enquobahrie (1997, P. 88). Use of cement lumps due to poor storage should be avoided and use of partially caked cement, considered usable, should be increased by 10-20% because of the strength that has been lost. Good sand should have  no clay, loan or dirt, mud, silt, no organic or chemical impurities. Different sizes of sand, more stone, the better. Sand from gutter, lagoon or sea to be washed properly to remove the salt. River or sea dredged remains the best standard requirement. SON (2010 P. 38). It is important  that the sand from these  sources are clean and well graded.  Sand needs to be carefully stored to avoid getting dirty on site. Water requirement for making sandcrete blocks shall be fit for drinking. Salt contaminated  water shall, as a matter of good manufacturing practice be avoided, as it will give low strength sandcrete  blocks. Fancy blocks, balusters, interlocking  stones  are  new  developments  in  the block  industry.  The  choice  of  workers should be those that have at least first school leaving certificate that can be trained on the job for at least three months to acquire the skills. The job does not require much skill but requires other variables like Energy/Age, Contact and Location. One requires a lot of energy to lift the mould   or   pallet   housing  the  produced   block  to  the  place   for  curing.   To  achieve

efficiency/effectiveness within a given time period requires wage earners between the ages of

18  to  40.  For  an  entrepreneur  to  breakeven  or  operates  at  a  profit  margin  in  a  highly competitive undifferentiated business as block industry requires contact. Location wills also playa  pivotal  role  as  this  will  go  a  long  way  to  determine  the  entrepreneur’s  turnover, workload and such other sensitive decision like Outsourcing.

A block industry strategically located in urban area provides the owner the opportunity of outsourcing  haulage for sand, water and even delivery of blocks to  customers/consumers. Here there are varieties to choose from unlike the rural area where there maybe little or no such opportunity thereby leaving the entrepreneur at the mercy of the haulage owners or the option of acquiring such trucks at the early stage of the business even when it does not fall within his schedule for the period. This might bring about the death of such industry as the owner/manager may be forced to allocate the fund meant for running cost to purchase fixed assets. To produce block involves  two methods. Hand mould and machine vibration. The hand  mould  involves  100%  manpower-  cement;  sand  and  water  are  mixed  in  a  given proportion through the aid of a shovel. The same shovel is used to pour the mixture in an iron mould that looks like a top open metal box. The mould containing the mixture is lifted so as to deposit the mixture in a place for curing after vibration and compression which then comes out as block. This is a one man show.

The machine  vibrated blocks are of various types. We have the semi  mechanical/manual method, and the complete automation method. The semi mechanical/manual method involves manual use of shovels by two or three workers to mix the sand, cement and water after which the mixture is poured into the mould machine (rescometer) at a proportional rate and interval with the aid of a shovel to produce the blocks. Here the rescometer is either powered by a plant/generator or electricity. The  complete automation method involves a concrete mixing

machine   that   mixes   sand/cement/water   and   pours   the   content   into   another   highly sophisticated mobile machine that moulds the blocks and lays them on the concrete floor as it moves at intervals through the aid of a driver.

1.2      STA TEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Declining performance of firms in the block industry in Enugu and it’s environ due to such factors as, hiring of people over 40 years of age for labour. In the block industry operation such hands will be too old to carry out the kind of manual job involved. The type of staff required for small scale business is mainly unskilled staff with little or no qualification but with the physical strength to match the work profile. Lack of adequate contact/public relation. Establishing a small scale business such as block industry without contacts such as adverts, bill boards or sales representations but relying on prayers, act of God or happenstance. Lack of sensitivity  in the choice  of location for a  block industry is a very sensitive  one. Bad location  will  adversely  effect  cost,  profit  and  turnover.  Oftentimes  people  from  certain geopolitical zone or state are known to be associated with block industry related labour such as Kogi and Ebonyi State. Youths  from these states find dignity in such jobs hence they provide the best hands as they are happy and satisfied with such jobs as against others in other locations who see  such jobs as taboo. Therefore  the area to source for labour also determines performance, cost and output. Going ahead to establish a block industry based on qualitative  decision  without  taking  into  consideration  some  variables  as  location  will definitely project negative  indicators.  The possible  implication of failure to  address  these problems are low productivity,  poor quality output, material spoilage  due  to long storage before use, high cost of production, low turnover, less attraction to  customers and loss of goodwill/confidence.

1.3      OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

1.3.1    GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of the study is to identify the Determinants of Human Resource

Management practices in small firms.

1.3.2    MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To achieve the main objective, the study will focus on the following sub objectives. l.        To identify the relationship between hiring people over 40 years of age as

labours in a block industry and performance

2.       To examine the effect of lack of adequate contact/public relation on performance in a small firm such as U.C block industry.

3.       To carryout a sensitivity analysis of location in the positioning of a block industry.

1.4      RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Given the objective of the study, the following hypotheses are formulated:

HOI:    There is evidence  to show that there is a relationship  between hiring people  over

40years of age as labourers in a block industry and performance

Ho2:    There is significant  indicator to show the effect of lack of adequate  contact/public relations on performance in a small firm such as U.C Block industry.

H03:    There is available evidence that location is very sensitive in the positioning of a block industry.

1.5      SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

1.        This study reveals factors that will determine the Human Resource Management of small firms.

2.        The findings of this study will help small firms employ professional experts to plan and manage their human resource issues.

3.        The study will enable the government,  trade union, private sector and  prospective small  firm  entrepreneurs  to come up  with policies  that  will  improve  the  Human Resource Management of small firms.

4.        The study will enable me contribute my own views and ideas on the factors that will determine the Human Resource Management of small firms.

5.        The study will be of immense help to other people and students who wish to carry out other research in the field or related field.

1.6      SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research is limited to Determinants of Human Resource Management practices in Small firms.

1.7      LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In carrying out this research many factors served as constraints:

1.     The limitation of the research scope to just Determinants of Human

Resource Management practices in Small firms.

2.     Time Limitation: Time factor constituted the major limitation of this

research study. It relates to the fact that the time for this research work was short due to combination of lectures, studies and examination.

3.      Negative attitude of respondent.


This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research



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