JOB CHARACTERISTICS AND HUMAN RESOURCE OUTCOMES OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE

JOB CHARACTERISTICS AND HUMAN RESOURCE OUTCOMES OF MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE

The main aim of the study is to examine the relationship between job characteristics and human resource outcomes of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

The increasing importance of employees in the organization, in this era of high dynamism in the business world, is causing many organizations to pay more attention to specific human resources outcomes (Mangaleswaran & Srinivasan, 2011). Human resource outcome is essential to an organization because of its significant bearings on organizational operations irrespective of industry or size (Ali, Kakakhel, Rahman & Ahsan, 2014). Human resources outcomes can be defined as “the immediate behavior and work attitudes like competence, empowerment and employee commitment which results from the policies of the management and practices of an organization” (Sagwa, Obongo & Ogutu, 2015). They maintained that the outcomes of employees are not brought into the organization during employment. Rather they are acquired in the workplace through a process of interaction relationships. Furthermore, the importance of human resource outcomes cannot be overemphasized because it influences organizational success and survival. As such, a vested interest in ensuring positive human resource outcomes is essential in enhancing the fortune of the organization.

Human resource outcome can be defined as the attitude and behaviors of an employee which is been exhibited as a result of their constant interaction with the organization. In alignment with the above definition, it can be deduced that the outcomes of employees can be influenced by various organizational activities. Marescaux, Winne, and Sels (2013) identified job satisfaction, work engagement, organizational commitment, and turnover intention as the measures of employee work outcomes. Ali, Kakakhel, Rahman, and Ahsan (2014) identified five measures of human resource outcomes which include; job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, and turnover intention, and perceived performance. On the other hand, Huang (2001) identified staff morale, organizational climate, staff turnover, organizational commitment and job satisfaction as the measures of human resource outcomes based on the various measures that have been propounded by scholars as cited above, it is clear that these various outcomes are attitude and behavior of employees in the workplace.

Organizations are consistently in search of various ways to ensure that employees’ positive outcomes are enhanced. However, job characteristics are one of the variables that have been discovered to enhance positive outcomes. Organizations are consistently in search of various ways to ensure that employees’ positive outcomes are enhanced. However, Hackman and Oldham (1980) propounded the concept of job characteristics in an attempt to enhance the outcome of employees. In alignment with this assertion, Bartchelor, Abston, Lawlor, and Burch (2014) argued that the features of job characteristics model lead to critical psychological states which result in positive work and personal outcomes. Evelyne, Kilika, and Muathe (2018) argued that jobs that have the best characteristics improve staff motivation, dedication, and satisfaction to work and also enhance productivity in the organization. job characteristics in research have a critical part in designing work. Job characteristics are the process that is concerned with how to work in the organization is accomplished, it also shows the range and nature of tasks related to a particular job (Harnaus & Mikulic, 2013). Various models have been developed as a result of the objective characteristics of a job. The most noteworthy of the models were given by Hackman and Oldham (1976). They identified five dimensions of work characteristics which include skill variety, task significance, task identity, autonomy, and feedback.

Several research works have been conducted over the years by various scholars in order to ascertain how to enhance human resources outcomes. Mangaleswaran and Srinivasan (2011) examined how human resource management practices relate to human resource outcomes in Indian. The study revealed that human resource management significantly predicts human resource outcomes. Researches by Marescaux and Winne (2013); Ali, Kakakhel, Rahman, and Ahsan (2014); Vidija (2009) and Joseph (2012) also revealed that human resources outcomes also significantly relate with human resource outcomes. Huang (2001) further examined how a succession management system relates to human resource outcomes. The study revealed a positive correlation between succession management systems and human resource outcomes. Despite the various work on how to enhance human resource outcomes, there is still a dearth of empirical work on how job characteristics relate to human resources outcomes. It is this observed lacuna that has informed this study. This work differs from previous empirical work because it intends to seek an explanation of how human resources outcomes can be enhanced from the stand point of job characteristics.

• Statement of the Problem

In previous years, the manufacturing firms were the “lifeblood’’ of the Nigerian economy and it was the most vital sector in the Nigerian economy. The manufacturing sector has in previous years been are of the major employer of labor in Nigeria. Employees of organizations that play a vital role in enhancing the fortune of the organization, has over the years experience same level of demoralization due to certain variables. Ketema (2015) noted that the environment of the manufacturing enterprise has experienced rapid changes which have affected the operations of the sector of the years. Furthermore, the manufacturing firms in Nigeria are facing stiff rivalries as a result of competitiveness from the external environment. Teece (2007). Brown and Davidson (2008) noted that manufacturing firms of the developed and emerging economies have dominated in developing countries (Nigeria inclusive) to experience dwindling growth. They further asserted that the key success factor of “world-class” manufacturing firms, lies in the capabilities and activities of those in the organization. Organizations are social systems driven by the employees. The low level of job satisfaction and engagement in the organization is detrimental to the wellbeing of the organization. (Clement & Eketu (2019) argued that engagement of staff is a critical success factor, which if neglected becomes detrimental to the organization. Umoh, Amah, and Wokocha (2014) observed a problem of engagement of skilled staff in recent times. The low level of engagement and job satisfaction, in low morale among the workforce, leads to a high rate of attrition of talented employees. This problem of human resource outcomes in the manufacturing firms could negatively affect the success of the organization. Furthermore, the continuous exit of employees in the organization affects the effective operations of the organization. Clement and Eketu (2019) further maintained that low engagement cost the company in terms of resource development and thus reduce the company’s competitiveness in the global market. Again, the manifestation of negative human resource outcomes could cause an unprecedented effect on the success and survival of the firm. The problem of human resource outcomes still persists despite all attempts of all efforts by scholars. Considering the distinctive attribute of job characteristics, it is believed that the effective characteristics of a job will be helpful in enhancing human resource outcomes. It is on this note that this study seeks to examine if job characteristics in terms of feedback, job characteristics, and task significance can enhance human resource outcomes of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

•  Operational Framework

Fig 1.1 An operational framework showing the link between job characteristics, human resource outcomes, and skill level.

Source: The dimensions of job characteristics were adapted from Hackman and Oldham (1980) and the measures of human resource outcomes were adapted from Winne and Sels (2013)

• Aim and Objectives of the Study

The main aim of the study is to examine the relationship between job characteristics and human resource outcomes of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are;

1. To ascertain the relationship between task significance and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria
2. To examine the relationship between task significance and work engagement of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria
3. To determine the relationship between task significance and turnover intention of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria
4. To examine the relationship between job autonomy and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.
5. To examine the relationship between job autonomy and work engagement of manufacturing firms in River State, Nigeria
6. To examine the relationship between job autonomy and turnover intention in Rivers State, Nigeria
7. To examine the relationship between feedback and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria
8. To determine the relationship between feedback and work engagement of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.
9. To examine the relationship between feedback and turnover intention of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.
10. To examine if skill level significantly moderates the relationship between job characteristics and human resource outcomes of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

• Research Questions

The following research questions will serve as a guild in this study

1. What is the relationship between task significance and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
2. What is the relationship between task significance and work engagement of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
3. What is the relationship between task significance and turnover intention of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
4. What is the relationship between job autonomy and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
5. What is the relationship between job autonomy and work engagement of manufacturing firms in River State, Nigeria?
6. What is the relationship between job autonomy and turnover intention in Rivers State, Nigeria?
7. What is the relationship between feedback and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
8. What is the relationship between feedback and work engagement of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
9. What is the relationship between feedback and turnover intention of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?
10. Does skill level have any significant moderating effect on the relationship between job characteristics and human resource outcomes of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria?

• Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be proffered as a tentative answer to the research questions.

HO₁: There is no significant relationship between task significance and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO_2: There is no significant relationship between task significance and work engagement of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₃: There is no significant relationship between task identity and turnover intention of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₄: There is no significant relationship between job autonomy and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₅: There is no significant relationship between job autonomy and work engagement of manufacturing firms in River State, Nigeria.

HO₆  There is no significant relationship between job autonomy and turnover intention in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₇ There is no significant relationship between feedback and job satisfaction of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₈ There is no significant relationship between feedback and work engagement of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₉ There is no significant relationship between feedback and turnover intention of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

HO₁₀ Skill level does not significantly moderate the relationship between job characteristics and human resource outcomes of manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.

• Significance of the Study

The study will be of high relevance to manufacturing firms because it will enable them to know how job characteristics in the organization relate to the outcome of human resources. This study will also be of immense relevance to the organization because it will proffer recommendations on how to enhance the characteristics of a job to boost its human resource outcome.  This study is also relevant because it will reveal the moderating influence of skill level on the relationship between job characteristics and human resource outcomes. Furthermore, this study will be significant to scholars and future researchers because it will add to the wealth of knowledge in the area of job characteristics and human resource outcomes.

• Scope of the Study

The scope of this study will be covered under the content scope, geographical scope, and unit of analysis.

Content scope: The content scope of this study will cover the predictor variable (job characteristics) and its dimensions, criterion variable (human resource outcomes) with its measures, and the criterion variable (skill level).

Geographical Scope: The geographical scope of this study will cover a sample of manufacturing firms in Rivers State.

Unit of Analysis: The unit of analysis of this study will be at the micro (individual) level of analysis.

• Limitations of the Study

The main limitation of this study will be the sample size which will be restricted to a sample of manufacturing firms in Rivers State. The research instruments that will be used in this study were designed for use in the advanced countries which may have made them not precisely suitable for study within the Nigerian work context. Notwithstanding, a reliable result will be obtained after incorporating the advice of the supervisor and pretest of the research instrument. The research design (cross-sectional) that will be employed is another limitation of this study. Longitudinal research may have been suitable and could have produced a different result. But due to time constrain that the work must be completed, a cross-sectional survey was carried out. Data boarding as a result of fear of given out pertinent information could constitute another limitation.  However, despite all limitations, several measures will be taken by the researcher to ensure that the aim of the study is achieved.

• Operational Definition of Terms

Dedication: An exceeding strong feeling of attachment and loyalty to an organization.

Feedback: This is the extent to which the worker receives a clear informant about his/her performance.

Human resource outcomes: The attitudes and behaviors of an employee as a result of their constant interaction with the organization

Job autonomy: It is the employees’ relative power or control over their work situation

Job characteristics: These are features of a job such as skills variety, task identity, task significance, feedback, and autonomy that influence the satisfaction of employees on their jobs.

Job satisfaction: This is a positive emotional state as a result of the appraisal of one’s job or it’s a facet.

Skill Level: The skill level of employee rates how well an employee is able to perform in his/her work.

Task significance: This is the degree to which a job has a significant or substantial impact on the lives of the work of people either from the immediate or external environment.

Turnover intention: turnover intentions is the conscious willfulness to seek for other alternatives in other organization.

Vigor: Vigour is a high level of energy and mental resilience while working and it is the willingness to invest effort in ones’ work and persistence even in the face of difficulty.

Work engagement: These are positive behaviors that are voluntarily exhibited by employees towards their work, which manifests in their vigor, dedication, and absorption in the job.

• Organization of the study

This study covers five chapters. Chapter one of the study deal with the introduction which comprises study background, the statement of problem, conceptual framework aims and objective, questions to guide the research, hypothesis, significance, limitation and definition of terms. The second chapter deal with an extensive review of related literature. Chapter three present details of methodology to be employed in the work. Chapter four will deal with data presentation, analysis, and discussion of findings while the chapter five cover the summary of the work, conclusion, recommendation and an enumeration of the study’s contribution to knowledge.