Employee Participation In Decision Making And Organizational Commitment (a Case Study Of Nepa, Enugu District)

 The need and aspiration of individuals in an organization are of prime importance to employee.  The organization in the other hand sets defined objectives which it strives to accomplish through the employees.  The management thus tends to adapt appropriate managerial perspectives in order to fulfill the two set needs for mutual benefits.

 This study attempts to find out the dominant factor on how employee participation in decision making in NEPA, Enugu District co-relates with its commitment to the organization.

 In doing this, questionnaires were administered among the managers and staff of the organization.  During the period of data gathering, the establishment has a total work force of four hundred and seventy (470) staff.  

 The simple random sampling method was used because of its suitability.  After conducting the sampling method, eighty-two (82) employees were selected for this study. This number is made up five (5) managers, five (5) supervisors/officers, sixty seven (67) service staff and five (5) secretaries.  It should be noted that the formular which is used for this simple random sampling is the one propounded by Yamani.

 Other methods of data collection used in this project work are oral interview and library research.

 From the empirical data gathered, the study has shown that majority of workers in NEPA, Enugu.

 Decision making is defined as the process of selecting among alternatives.  Decision making is implicitly aimed at picking on alternative solution, which when applied, can solve a given problem.  It involves three district stages, namely: intelligence stage which comprises attempt to identify and understand the nature of a solution.  The design stage which involves formulating and assessing alternatives.  And the choice phase which only entails selecting among possible alternatives.

 In organization, particularly business organizations which NEPA is one, decision making is not properly carried out with the result that organizational goals and  objectives are not being effectively met.  Managers tend to formulate, assess and choose alternatives all alone without the contribution of their employees who have the duty of implementing whatever alternatives they have choosen.  The implication is that they disregard certain needs of the employees which must be fulfitted in the decision making process.  These needs include performing a worthwhile task, continual personal growth and enjoying self-fulfillment, sharing a in group effort, sharing in setting their objectives, sharing in rewards of their effort.  If managers allow employees to play a part in making decision that directly affect them, the employees will show more commitment to carry out the details of these decisions since the decision will generally suit their level of aspiration and this will go well with them.

 This study will examine the extent of which employee participate in decision making, organizational commitment and favourable work attitude in NEPA district Enugu. Employee participation in decision making and organizational commitment have two key concepts in this study, which refers to managerial approach whereby workers or employees are allowed to take part in making decisions which affect them in an organization. Employee participation has been defined as mental and emotional involvement of persons in group situations that encourage them to contribute to group goals, objective and share responsibility for them.  It spots light on the degree of authority enjoyed by the employee in decision making process. It should be noted that management styles are as follows; autocratic, benevolent autocratic, consultative participative and radically participative.  The later organizational commitment represents an agreement on the part of the employees with the goals and objectives of the organization and a willingness to work towards these goals. But employees are more favourably disposed towards giving off very best as it concerns the overall aspiration of their organization.  The terms will however be more explained afterwards.

Title Page          ii

Approval Page         iii

Dedication          iv

Acknowledgment         v

Abstract          vii

Table of Contents         ix

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction          1

1.1 Background of the Study        1

1.2 Statement of Problems       3

1.3 Purpose of the Study       4

1.4 Research Questions       5

1.5 Significance of the Study       6

1.6 Scope/Limitation of the Study      8

1.7 Definition of Terms       9

CHAPTER TWO  

Review of Related Literature        12

2.1 The Concept of Employee Participation    12

2.2 Historical Review of NEPA      14

2.3 Degree of Employee Participation in Decision Making  17

2.4 Organization Commitment to Goal     18

2.5 Employee Participation: Theoretical Perspective    22

2.6 Participation as a Tool in Managing Change    22

References         27

CHAPTER THREE 

Methodology and Research Design        28

3.1 Research Design        28

3.2 Area of Study        29

3.3 Population of the Study       29

3.4 Sample & Sampling Procedure/Technique    29

3.5 Instrument of Data Collection      30

3.6 Method of Data Collection      32

3.7 Method of Data Analysis       33

References         34

CHAPTER FOUR

Data Presentation and Analysis       35

CHAPTER FIVE

Findings, Conclusion & Recommendations      48

5.1 Findings         48

5.2 Recommendations        50

5.3 Conclusion         52 

Bibliography        54

 Questionnaire         57