STRATEGIES FOR SOLVING PERSONNEL PROBLEM IN SMALL SCALE BUSINESS IN NIGERIA (A Study of Selected Small Scale Businesses in Ekpoma)

ABSTRACT

The research is to investigate the strategies for solving personnel problems in small scale business in Nigeria. A case study of small business in Ekpoma, Edo State. The study adopted survey research design because where population of the study is too large, survey research becomes a major form for covering the whole population. The objective therefore is to investigate into the strategies for solving personnel problems in small scale business. The instrument used in data collection was structured questionnaires which were administered to the employees, and owners of small scale business in Ekpoma. After careful analysis of the result of the information and data collected, with the aid of percentage and analysis as X2, useful findings and conclusion were arrived at among which was the absence of a personnel department in small scale business in Ekpoma. It was also discovered that friends/relatives were the main source of man power and finally that the managing director performs the personnel function in the small scale business. In the basis of this problems, the researcher recommended among others, the setting up of a specialized personnel department in the small scale business, a multi-source recruitment strategies should also be used by small scale business, and that there should also be delegation of authority in the small scale business.

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Government intervention in the industrial system to transfer ownership and management to the state started from colonial times. Rail and air transport services, power generated and distribution, and other public utilities have generally been owned and managed by the government. The government has thus, through this process provided basic infrastructure which enables private enterprise to continue.
It was natural that this pattern continued when the country got independence in 1960. the government made several efforts to industrialize the country by the establishment of capital – intensive, large scale industrial projects which were basically urban-based thereby encouraging rural urban drifts. Efforts were made in 1803 to reverse this situation, one of the efforts since the adoption of the economic reform program in 1986 was the government deliberate shift of emphasis to small scale enterprises.

The policy of industrialization is essentially aimed at transferring the control of economic power from foreign hands to indigenous hands. Although, indigenous transfer could be the state as the corporate body represents the citizens to individual citizens, or to both in joint enterprise and control emphasis has been on indigenous private enterprise which are generally seen to have large potentials for domestic linkage for rapid sustainable industrial development ensuring a self-reliant industrialization with to reply largely on local materials are in better position if properly harnessed to boost employment mainly in the rural areas. But a small business in Nigeria have compelling problems especially personnel problem that have made accomplishing great heights success elusive.
There is thus, a greater need in the 90 fro the issue to be strategically and logically discussed and tackled, training both old and new entrepreneur becomes a suggested attempt to tackle the problem of personnel from the root. No business can exist without human resources and for these to be efficient to maximize their productivity, they must be well selected, trained, motivated and disciplined.

The small scale entrepreneur has to be a good manager since he cannot afford to employ specialists to take after multiple business decision of sales, purchase, finance etc. this call for a jack of all trade and master of non syndrome. However though, a well rounded managerial experience is essentially better performance, the new (trainee) entrepreneur emerging from the rack of employee and a fresh graduate usually have a familiarity or experience in a single area either sales, finances, purchasing, overall managerial understanding, there is need to develop true training programs. The goal is to enable participate to look at any enterprise in totally and introduce them to element of management process training, organizing, staffing, motivating and controlling.